Sunday, March 22, 2020

Spring break

We had some medium-sized plans for spring break.  First a few days in the Shawnee National Forest with my parents.  Then a trip up to Chicago on our way to Jackson, MI to visit the cousins.  The virus scrapped the latter plan first and eventually the former plan.  So, we stayed in Urbana, literally.

It's amazing how little one can do when one sets one's mind to it.  I spent many moments on my couch watching the rain fall.  Today was totally different; I sat on my couch watching the snow fall.


Janny and I found our previously stashed bag of bird seed.  We've been putting some in a cup hanging from a small tree.  Initially, only the cardinals were aware of it.  Now the squirrels have figured us out.  Janny chased them away periodically, but they always came back.  So we wise humans planned a trick for them.  I put a 'Hot Flavored' chip in the cup, ready to laugh uproariously as the squirrel ate it coughed up the burn [they are rather hot].  The first squirrel to the cup dropped in on the ground.  Hmmm...  Then, another squirrel picked it up.  I was already laughing so hard.  He patiently ate it up.  He walked away.  

I'm practicing bonzai with the shrubs around the house.  My goal is to have elegant cloud patterns instead of the current blocky shapes.  For now, yes, practicing.  I hope the plants will approve of the plan.

I cleaned out my cubby and parts of the garage.  My never ending minor bathroom project looks slightly better.

I managed to get some decent bike riding this week.  One of the days was actually pleasant.  2 were quite wet and miserable, and the rest were cloudy and cold.  

I watched a few recent Tour of Flanders races.  I watched the 1984 game 7 finals between Larry and Magic.  They were great, but didn't have their best games here [Dennis Johnson really carried the Celtics.  Kareem was still quite athletic!].  Perhaps I shouldn't be so hard on current stars when the games start again.  And maybe not hard on myself either.

I'll be working from home and the kids will be off school for at least the next 2 weeks.  So far we are getting along just fine.  Jill has upped the kids chores level.  I cooked dinner tonight (chili!).