Spring flowers

I've been so angry at the whole Rush Limbaugh thing and the intense focus on women's health care and the desire to revisit contraception (i.e. limit access and funding), that I haven't been able to write anything.  Every time I start a new blog post, I keep ranting and I am going around in circles.  So,  thank you, Eugene Robinson for writing eloquently on Rush.  The one thing that I wish I seen in the coverage of his tirade is the lack of attention paid to Viagra --if that isn't the definition of men getting paid to have sex, then I'm Snow White.  Should all women be asking for Rush's sex tapes?  Oh wait, but that's porn and not right-wing Christian conservative viewing material.  But I digress.

OK, on to my flowers.  We had the snow storm of the year on March 1 and then on March 11, the crocuses started blooming.  Most days I would take pictures, noticing that every day a new bud would open.  By the end of last week, they were finished and the hyacinths and daffodils blooming.

I love white flowers.  And the cherry blossoms opened yesterday or today.  The heat wave is over, so it will be interesting to see how quickly the rest of the bulbs flower.

Last weekend Selim and I braved the mile of mud that was Osgood Road and spent the weekend at the Ashram.  Mom turned 70 on Friday.  Happily, Selim didn't have school that day and I took annual leave so that we could leave early in the day.  We made it to the shop five minutes before she did and had brought chocolate cupcakes with raspberry frosting for the folks at her work to enjoy.

Friday night I set the table nicely and made pesto noodles, zucchini gratin and salad for dinner.  I had bought three little tete-a-tetes in Portsmouth that I turned into the centerpiece.  Selim wrapped his present and put it by her plate.  The table looked lovely and the dinner was delicious.

Saturday I invited the Ashramites and others over for tea.  I made two big pots of chai, two cheesecakes (using mascarpone instead of regular cream cheese, yum!), and three batches of cupcakes -- chocolate, ginger and vanilla with either raspberry or peach frosting.  There was enough food and drink for everyone.  People stayed for three hours.  It was so sweet to talk and be convivial with friends, most of whom we have known for 30+ years.  I was so involved in the food and the event that I didn't take pictures.  Sigh.  But I did get one of Selim getting a lift to bed, as he had fallen asleep in my lap on the couch.

The weekend was just great.  Mom was happy and that made me feel good.  I didn't want it to be sad.  When we left on Sunday, the road was a little bit better, but still, very muddy.  Nedim and Selim got out the hose at home and washed the jeep later that afternoon.

We have had a week of summer weather.  I had to dig around in my summer stuff to find sandals.  I felt like I was finding old friends -- the sandals that made walking around in DC and London possible.  We set record highs for at least four days.  This has been the winter of no snow, no low temps and now summer in March.

I've been on a quest to try to run.  I started last month and it took my 19 minutes to go 1.2 miles and I couldn't run the whole time.  By last week I had shaved 4 minutes off that time.  That is still really slow, I know, but I am improving.  Now I am going for longer distances and not so worried about the time.  On Friday I ran 2 out of the 2.4 miles that I tried.  I think I will do better now that it isn't 80 degrees out.  My goal is to be able to run a 5K this summer.