Highlights of the Final Spring Break

As I sit once again at my desk in the office looking out at the rain/snow and contemplating deadlines, I can't keep my brain from wandering back over the wonderful spring break week that is now sadly ending. For eighteen years, I have looked forward to this week in March when the promise of springtime is in the air, homework can be procrastinated, and (in recent years) travel and adventures happen. To this day, the trip Andy and I remember most fondly is our spring break week in the red rock country of southern Utah. Before moving to Moscow, my birthday always landed during the spring break week (a very happy birthday by my standards) and quite often it was the week of pruning fruit trees and earning the first sunburn of the year.
This year, Andy and my nearby sisters weren't able to get vacation time from work, so I was flying solo for my last spring break and was determined not to spend it watching the rain and snow from my desk chair.
Susan and Margaret came to the rescue with a scheme to get me to Portland and back without me making the long drive alone. (Keep in mind that I am a pedestrian by nature and merely married into car ownership and commuting. Driving is just one of those necessary evils in my book). Anyhow, Suzie drove over on Saturday and spent the evening and night and Sunday morning with Marie and Beth while Andy and I went to Clarkston for a wedding and time with old friends.
Then, Suzie and I hit the road to Portland for a week of my kind of R&R: some minor sleeping in, trying new and very good food, celebrating St. Patty's day in style, watching some educational TV, furnishing the new house, playing with the puppy, working on home improvement projects, enjoying some time outdoors, and of course the quality sister time :)
The weather was such that dinner one night was made on the grill and we ate it out on the deck! A little chilly, but very pleasant and exciting anyway.We got to play in the dirt and plant a few things in the garden!We completed a little construction project in the garage to avoid the intermittent rain, and had it all insulated, shingled, painted, and installed by the end of day 2!And, I got to be entertained by this adorable pup and even teach her a new trick!
On Friday afternoon, Margaret and Greg stopped by to pick me up on their way to Idaho to spend the weekend with us. Imagine my shock at the size of their Golden, Rusty, after spending 5 days with little Jersey!
It was supposed to rain all weekend, but we lucked out and the clouds held onto it until we were finishing dinner Saturday night. It was a beautiful day for some outdoor shopping and yardwork.
The winter's snow had buried our raspberries and did a number on the bracing system we had going on. The plants sprang back amazingly, but the coated wire was sagging hopelessly and the rotting end posts weren't helping.
Andy had some foresight and had picked up some treated 4x4's and other lumber to replace the rotting ones and we had a project on our hands! Margaret helped to bury the posts...
...and Greg helped to string the new wire. This job gets a thumbs up!
We worked up an appetite that was very satisfied by the delicious meal Margaret cooked up for us, and then we passed the rainy evening playing the game, Carcasson. We sent it to them for Christmas, and they brought it over to play with us - pretty intense at times, and very fun!
The evening ended with fruit pizza and a game of pool. Yes, the guys won, but not easily!

Margaret and Greg headed home this morning, Andy went straight to the shop to continue welding the truck frame so he can reassemble and get ready for the time-consuming finish work, and I settled in to catch up on laundry and such.
It wasn't long before the phone rang...
It was Don and he was in town and wanted to come out and see us! We got to catch up a little and it prolonged my "vacation" from the desk and computer just a little longer.

All-in-all, I'd say it was a good week, and now it's time to put the nose back to the grindstone. Have you noticed how fast that countdown is going?!?!