Creaking into Spring

It was about sixty degrees today with no wind, lots of sun, and general fantastic spring weather all around. So of course I spent most of the day outside, either chasing children, or raking, wheelbarrowing, hauling, and dumping the various kinds of detritus that accumulate over the winter and must be disposed of in the spring.

I sort of forgot that the return of good weather means the return of hard labor and exhaustion by the end of the day. And I haven't even started anything in the vegetable garden yet.

Charlie sure was a happy camper roaming around today, though. That kid will not wear mittens. Will. Not. The scene that ensued the few times I held him down and forced them onto his hands was ugly, to say the least. And then he'd just shake them off immediately, anyway.

This means that for the past two months, every time we've gone outside, his hands would be red and freezing within minutes and he would end up on my hip, usually crying. Or I would force Cubby to go inside so Charlie wouldn't end up with frostbitten fingers, and then they'd both be crying.

So you can see why the warmer weather is a great relief in many ways. Even if I do feel about eighty years old right now. Ow.