"I didn't call in sick this morning; I called in well, and told them how great it felt not being at work today!"

Today was my first day off this spring.  The carpers out there tell me that I have had more than one day off since the 20th of March, but it's not true, at least not in my book.  Spring is not a season with a definite beginning and ending.  Spring is an experience....a feeling that comes over you when you go outside and realize, for the first time, that winter is over.  Spring came on a Thursday this year, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

The day began blandly enough.  I have been attempting to set up a MySQL database remote access from my laptop through a Microsoft Access ODBC connection.  The benefit of grasping this technology is immense, since I will then have virtually limitless database software options.  I have spent 10-15 hours so far this week trying to figure it out, including hours online with reps that are supposed to know these things.  I am getting close, but the solution yet remains at the end of the rainbow.  I could post a picture at this point of my progress, but somehow it seems rather anticlimactic, don't you think? 

At 7:30 this morning, my tractor awoke from its hibernation.  Jay dropped it back off for me after having used it for most of the winter to fill his sander in the back of his 1-ton plow truck.  It was a busy winter for plowing and I hope the arrangement has been mutually agreeable!  Needless to say, my excitement, though well contained, knew no bounds.   He even dropped of some diesel fuel for it as well, and we spent a short while attempting to attach the power-broom attachment to the front.  This proved to be a more difficult task than the name "Quick Hitch" implied.  As Jay and I pointed out to Hon, "the 'quick' part is something you get to experience after the 'hitch' part is already on."  Forty-five minutes (and about a quart of grease) later, we arose victorious.  This was my first experience with a PTO attachment and I had to place a couple of phone calls to more experienced people to get the job done.  I need to replace a bearing in the broom and do some lubricating, but I think it will work well.  I'm optimistic that it can be used for spring cleanup this year!

Hon and I wanted to go to town to pick out some flooring today.  We are getting a new kitchen in May and wanted to get some new flooring down while the chance was good.  Before heading out, though, I took Brett for a short ride on the tractor:

"He" enjoyed it so much we had TWO rides today!

  

Around 11:00 AM, my lovely wife having finished getting yet lovelier, we headed to town to do some R&D.  We returned around 2:30 after selecting the desired products for future purchase.  I was feeling like Tim the Tool Man by this point and returned to my Tonka Toy for an hour or so, working on a tree that had blown down during the winter:

Hon, Winky and I headed back to Ellsworth in the evening to pick up some stuff and get an ice cream at Blueberry Hill.  That's right, we went twice today and both involved food.  What is wrong with us?  After returning again, we cleaned up from the day and had some family time.

Spring is a funny thing!  I find myself excited once again to get up and do whatever, including going to work.  Spring is just that big...that enormous.  Spring is here and things are coming back to life.  Today I could feel the green coming.   I could smell, and even DRIVE green!  Life is Good!