Spring Driving

People like to talk about spring skiing around here. It's the time when there's still plenty of snow left on the slopes, but the weather's getting milder. This means you can ski all day without losing your nose to frostbite.

Well, I'm sure spring skiing is wonderful. But I'd like to talk about another New England sport:  Spring Driving.

Ok, I know it's not really spring yet. It's still nasty. It's February. We still have some quality winter weather ahead of us. But the recent rain/slush storm is similar to what we get in the spring, and it's already changing the roads to what I expect in March and April.

How are spring skiing and driving alike? You get to enjoy a constant slalom course. Rain and slush here somehow spontaneously generate potholes. Not little "bump" potholes, but axle-shattering "BAM!" potholes. They lurk under puddles. You think that puddle is 1/2 inch deep? HA! 6 inches of pothole under there! Kiss your suspension goodbye!

So in fear, you drive around suspicious-looking puddles. Which includes most of them... And they come up on you fast as you drive. So you dodge left. Then right. Then left. Then WAY to the right. Then you see the puddle taking up the ENTIRE lane, and you hold your breath and prepare for the worst. 

If you don't live around here, you might not know how narrow our lanes tend to be. Generally, they're wide enough for a mid-sized sedan. SUV's easily take up the entire width of the lane, and delivery trucks are the equivalent of oversized loads. So swerving to avoid potholes while simultaneously avoiding oncoming traffic is a bit of a challenge. 

I think there ought to be a point system involved in Spring Driving. Certain roads are more prone to spontaneous potholes, and present more of a challenge. Getting to work without hitting a pothole? That's not so hard. Few points should be awarded for that. But getting to church without hitting a pothole? That's a herculean feat. That deserves significant points. And making it to summer without needing a realignment? Your point tally doesn't matter. You know you've won.

So if you visit Boston in the spring and wonder why people appear to be driving drunk, watch carefully. The potholes come up on you fast. Following the weaving driver ahead of you might just help you save your tires.

Tuesdaytuesday

We say a lot of things in duplicate in our household. We call our dog Cammy-Cam. HeyMama's name gets duplicated. MeToo calls us Mommymommy and Daddydaddy. So today is Tuesdaytuesday. Why not?


Let's see what it will bring. I'm open to options, but praying it's not poopy fingerprints.


Addendum:  What Tuesdaytuesday brought...


Tuesdaytuesday brought:

• A oddly ravenous appetite.
• A hirsute middle-aged man wearing running shorts and tank on the bus. He really shouldn't have.
• Lunch on a sunny bench at the bus station while transitioning between work sites.
• A trip to the Lebanese grocer, with a fun surprise meeting with a co-worker outside. 
• A good excuse to change into capris and flip-flops before picking up the girls. I think I had MRSA on my pants, anyway. 
• The following recounting of morning events from HeyMama:  "This morning, I caught 2 bad guys before I went to work. Then I went to work at the police station. One of the bad guys tried to get out. But I caught him and made him stay inside. Then they went to sleep. I went next door to the castle. When I was coming back, I heard giggling. I told the bad guys, 'NO MORE GIGGLING!' and they stopped."
• More rice salad at dinner.
• A two hour nap face-down on the girls' rug after bedtime. I now have rug-fiber indentations on my face, but a great burst of energy right before midnight!

How was your Tuesdaytuesday?

A Day of Spring and Poo

Spring is here. Maybe not officially, but today I was wearing capris and flip-flops. Today was Spring in Boston.


The crocuses are in full bloom. The daffodils are starting to bloom. The tulips will be next. I started taking Nasonex today in preparation. Living next to a ginormous tree collection when tree pollen starts to fly is not a pretty picture for my sinuses. But the rest of Spring in Boston? Very pretty. I highly recommend it.

Hello little daffodil! Welcome to my yard!

So nice of you to join the crocuses!

Crocuses, a soon-to-be daffodil, future tulips, and a few tiny blue vinca flowers. And the Arboretum in the distance...

More evidence of Spring.

What do I not recommend? Finding poopy finger prints around the house. It's gross. It makes you smell poop wherever you go. Even if there isn't poop there.

Parenting is all fun and games until you find poopy finger prints around the house. Potty training is a good idea in theory. It's just that the details can go south quickly. But I won't post pictures of that. That's already been done. I'll just stick with the flowers today.

I love Spring...