Abel is my bud. We had much fun together today planting seeds in our small slab of a garden. I mixed the dirt with some fresh stuff then made little holes. He then plunked peas and beans in and helped me cover them with roughly one inch of dirt. We also planted some zucchini seeds in smaller pots to replant. He kept asking me when they will grow. He was excited to use his new toddler sized spade to help me replant little pink flowers. Now we have planted, with the help of Tyler... cherry tomatoes, regular sized tomatoes, basil, dill, parsley, spearmint, chives, lavender, green beans, peas, zucchini and some flowers.

Oh, and we are almost done painting. Just the built-in bench left. It would be cool to have seen that railing minus the layers and layers of paint. If I were only that much more crazy.

I love being home. Now, back to work.

Ahhh, the life of a lacky. I love not going to work. Especially on days I should be there, like tomorrow. When I take time off it is usually for a trip to someone's wedding or around a busy holiday. I dare say tomorrow will be the first self-centered vacation day taken in about five years. Now to clarify "vacation day": a day that is scheduled time off and not a sick day used on a whim to enjoy the new spring weather. Yes, prior to this job those were becoming habit. This job doesn't allow for such a yielding schedule. I have to be there when I say that I am. That is that.

For now I am sitting outside on the porch swing because I don't have to be up at 6 tomorrow, and I didn't today because it is a national holiday. I have several things whirling in my head that should be getting done but I just want to sit and not do. We actually accomplished or at least neared completion on a house project today. Tomorrow we should be able to put the finishing touches on our front hallway's paint job. This has been a long time coming. And as I was painting I was jealous of people who have extra time to work on their houses. I wish we had some more. Maybe it was the paint fumes.

But today was a good day. Good in the way my Grandpa says it when his family has been at his house eating and talking all day. There is nothing to compare it to. It is good. Abel and I laid on the lawn at the Eastman House and picked out ducks in the clouds. Scott and I worked on a project and felt a sense of accomplishment while enjoying some time together. We experienced Abel's face at the parade as he watched and waved at all the people and horses. Where he also asked if he could make a snowman which I was confused about but agreed to. Then I turned and saw him flat on the sidewalk making a dirt angel. Those are the best kind of good.

Here's to another day as a lacky!

I was working a hunk of overtime last week and now one more week until four straight days off. I don't think that has happened in a great while. I want to plant a vegetable garden this year and am running out of time to do it. Not even sure if next weekend would make it too late in the season to start? I have to look into that this week. I suppose I could just buy the plants already bloomin and save myself a whole mess of time and headache. Not too bad of an idea!

Our official running training schedule starts next week as well. It will be a long hot summer! Not much camping on the agenda due to little time off and our Sat. runs but we hope to get at lease two in at some point. So there is my boring update, I'll let you know how both of those things go. I am praying God will show us the joy of simplicity this summer.

Since most of the people I work with seem to be agoraphobic I went on a walk by myself today. I manage to convince a certain group of people a couple of times per week to traipse around downtown for an hour during lunch, but usually it is like scheduling an event. Some people have to have the "right shoes" or have some kind of destination. So I conjure up a destination like going to get coffee at Javas. "You are going to walk WHERE? That is too far!" The are convinced it will take an entire hour to walk up the street and we could never possibly make it back to work in time. Then I explain that it only took me 15 minutes to walk there yesterday and they decide it would be more fun to read the local section.

There are probably two people who are like me. They just like to get away from the craziness for an hour and wander. Especially when it is ten degrees cooler outside than in. Back to today. I found a nice secluded bench overlooking the oh so mighty Genesee River. I slipped off my shoes so my casper feet could come out from hibernation. I started staring at all the feet passing by on the sidewalk. A lot of men who wear suits have their pants tailored way too short. Or maybe they just wear different shoes than they had on when measured or they just bought it off the rack not caring how long the inseam was. Whatever the reason, it is ugly when pants are too short. At least when you are staring at many pairs at one time.

See what my co-workers are missing. Walks can be so enlightening. I will try to rope them in again tomorrow.