First Day of Spring?

Here we are at the Vernal Equinox and like last year at this time it is still snowing. I have seen most of my birdbath and all of my trashcan emerging from the snow, so I do have hope, but my recycling bin though visible for the first time since late January is frozen into a drift and there is a pile of snow 5 feet tall in the middle of my veggie garden. Needless to say I have not yet planted my snap peas! What more is there to say about winter that I have not already said?

Still sticking with Weight Watchers Online. Results are as advertised, a bit over 2 lbs. per week. While the current incarnation of the program allows basically unlimited quantities of fruit and vegetables it can be a bit unsatisfying. Not so much in quantity, as plenty of high fiber foods take care of that, but I feel like my stomach is a little "cold": full but unsatisfied. I think that maybe when the weather is a bit warmer I won't miss some of my favorite comfort foods as much. A big salad with tuna is delicious in summer but less so in winter. I have put the weekly extra points to good use - a burger, a cup of clam chowder and a (tiny) lemon meringue tart, a patty melt sandwich. I must admit that however much you love them radishes are no substitute for tortilla chips, and I feel quite deeply the complete and total lack of cookies.

While my sister-in-law is visiting her Peace Corps daughter in Cambodia I am walking her dog every weekday. Lisa's fiance is taking care of him here on Cape the rest of the time, but his regular dog walker lives in Cambridge, so to give Louie his daily break I stop by and take him out for a spin. I'm not his favorite, and his usual reaction to my taking him out has always been to brace his feet and refuse to walk with me. We seem to have broken that cycle; apparently I am significantly better than nothing. One day I brought Roxy with me as a special friend to walk with, as they like each other. I give him a snack and hang out with him for a bit, then I am on my way. After I finish with him I go down to the beach and walk for a bit by myself. This way I am getting in two or three miles per day without going to the gym. It is too cold to be very pleasant - still well below forty degrees every day, but the exercise and sunlight are doing me good.