Emerging From Winter

It feels like we're emerging from winter on several fronts:

• Arthur's cast was removed and while it will be quite a while before he can run and jump, it feels good to reach this milestone and see that dark and cold night diminish in the rearview.
• Jamey is over his cough. It took Cheratussin, Albuterol, steroids and amoxicillin, but he made it. From now on, we're seeing the doctor no later than the third day of a cough.
• Heidi has started a copious number and variety of seeds; onions, lavender, tomatoes and more.
• Some plants are emerging outside, including the garlic I planted in November in our raised bed (thanks Kendra and Charlie for sharing the cloves).
  
• More daylight. Woohoo!

The winter has seemed a little rough, especially with the injuries and illness, so I'm grateful for these signs of spring and rejuvenation.

New Couch

We finally broke down and bought a couch. And a loveseat (not pictured, but in the same style :)

Fun Weekend

Heidi and I got to spend a weekend in Seattle yesterday and the day before.
Thanks to my parents for affording us the break.

What I learned:

• Etta's is a great place to have brunch. (Tom Douglas is a hero of mine. Eat at any of his establishments for a real treat)
• Il Fornaio is as good as I remembered; another entirely worthy eatery.
• The character of the U-District hasn't changed much in 10 years.
• Hotel Monaco is pretty-danged nice. No funky smells, goose-down comforters and a complimentary gold-fish "companion" in each room. They also supply soap from L'Occitane.

The grand-finale of our weekend was a music concert opened by Neko Case, who is from Washington, I'm proud to say. (She even mentions Spanaway (and obliquely, McChord) in her song "The Needle Has Landed"). She has gallons of talent, a moody sound and unusual lyrics, and was tons of fun to see.

The headliner was Merle Haggard, whose songs I can't name, but whose sound and voice I know well. He put on a fine show; clearly a veteran of the stage. He had a smooth presentation and fine sense of humor that allowed the event to have an intimacy that I've mostly only read about.

A highlight of Merle's show was when he brought up Hillary Clinton and many of us thought he was about to get negative. We should have known better, considering his very pleasant, professional presentation-style. Nevertheless, his set-up generated confusion about what his point was going to be regarding Mrs. Clinton. A jumble of cheers and boos ensued as we all jumped to conclusions about where he was going with his joke, an uncomfortable quiet settled in, during which a man piped up "You got the wrong town, Merle.". So Merle quit talking and strummed up a song that made his position crystal clear with a sincere chorus of:

"Let's put a woman in charge"

Upon which the crowd literally erupted in cheering.
I was surprised, as I'm sure a good many were, but he made an eloquent case.

Another highlight was a song about his wife (who was singing in the chorus) and how if you see her out dancing (on a table in some bar), to please call the law and turn her in. Later, she came up and they did a Johnny & June tribute by singing Jackson.