Oh hell, it's been so long since I've made a new post here that I forgot how to do it. Sorry about the mess, everyone.

All good- the important thing is that the posts get made!

Okay, I'm a bit dense, so I don't know what N-point means but:

1) Spent the entire day outside: weeding, pulling up old weed barrier, moving a pile of top soil around, taking the dead branches off my butterfly bush (but hooray, I thought it was dead yet there are signs of life in new shoots coming from the roots!). I am exhausted but satisfied; though I'll be taking pain killers because already I can tell my muscles are cranky.

2) Saw the first hummingbird of the season. I was taking a breather on my front steps, when a male Ruby-Throat Hummingbird came up and hovered in front of me for a moment, to tell me he's returned. Of course, I got right up and got my feeder filled and placed. My grandmother used to have a male tap on her kitchen window in Maine every time he returned for the season, to let her know to put the feeders out. Smart little buggers.

And, phew, so glad whatever error is now gone! I got worried.

N means any number you want it to, for me it's '3'

1) Had a very nice brunch with my wife and my best friend and his "new" girlfriend today. The quotation marks are because they've known each other for something like forty-five years, dated years ago but lost touch for decades and just recently re-hooked via Facebook. They told us stories about going on dates to see Frank Zappa, Graham Parker and Southside Johnny all those years ago.

2) Been fighting a horrible cough for a week now and am hoping that it's almost over now.

3) Finished with my advanced photography class for the semester but going to take another class in the summer. Felt very artistically uninspired this year, hoping to find a spark this summer.

1. Planning out DragonCon costumes & came across this - which is a pattern for a costume from the 1800s that I have loved since I was in college! Am seriously thinking about buying the pattern to add it to my collection, and maybe one day making it. :)

2. School is almost out for the year! I look forward to summer *so much*. (yay, no more nightly homework) The niece seems to have picked up some pretty good habits, and I hope those will continue into the next year. She's working on planning out her summer, which is pretty cool - we sat down with a calendar last night and marked off the events she already has planned.

3. Helped my dad with his bees yesterday! He got two NUCs, and was moving the bees from those to his hives. It's so amazing, to be right there with them all flying around you. (not angrily.) One landed on my foot and hung out there for a minute and then left. Also got to see all his plants that he has put out - he's growing a lot of stuff from seed to make it bee-safe.

4. I am growing plants from seed as well! So far inside I have red clover, morning glory, and moon flower that has sprouted. (yes, red clover - it is also for the bees!) Outside I have two types of sunflowers, and black poppies, I think. Plus all my succulents. My uncle tells me that eventually, if I keep trying, my black thumb will turn into a green one.

I love this freeform approach to updating!

1. We are back from Santa Fe, NM, which was great in all respects. My business conference was high quality, we saw a lot of wonderful art (and bought one great piece from an artist from Burkina Faso who happened to be in the area), learned a lot more about the history of the area, hiked and saw gorgeous scenery, and ate some pretty extraordinary food. I am very glad to report I also managed to stay pat on my current weight.

2. I have, on the other hand, been at the same weight plateau for over a month now. Irked about that.

3. Things at work have been very quiet. I would love a bit more action.

Since paid work is slack I've been spending my free time building an outside kitty kompound/deck - all free scavenged materials. It's fabulous! Except that one of the youngsters is a bit of a scaredy cat and every new sound sends him crying for the door. I bet that before long he'll be the one wanting out all the time.

The weather has been gorgeous too. I've planted things and and cleaned up the yard. I could enjoy this lifestyle for quite a while if I was independently wealthy.