Spring already?

It's hard to think about spring when winter never happened, but the recent (albeit brief) snowstorm followed by the melting and beautiful days that followed really make it feel like spring.  Spring brings a lot of stress and general business at work, and though the work days aren't getting longer in hours just yet, they're feeling like longer hours.  The past few weeks I've been working at home from time to time to take care of those things that need to be done but don't require undivided attention to make my time at work a little less stressful.  Leave the heavy thinking to work hours.  Work can come home, but strenuous thinking cannot.

Rick had a work retreat this week which kept him busy, but it also allowed for a nice night out.  On Wednesday there was an evening outing that allowed a plus one at Jasper Winery, so I got to join in the festivities.  The wine was good (I liked the Lucy Lane better than the All-Night White) and the food was great.  Many of the co-workers and spouses that I met at Rick's Christmas party were there, so it wasn't awkward and we had a good table with good conversation.  It wasn't a particularly long evening (we were home by 10), but it was very nice.  As an added bonus, we got to experience a local business that was new to us.

We finished cleaning out the basement today; it was only a few-hour job, but we stretched it over two weekends since there wasn't any rush.  Luckily our basement wasn't overrun with clutter and there was room to move all of it into the garage or the guest room closet.  I'm sure we won't move the shelving units back down from the garage to the basement when it is finished, but we will have to move the Christmas decorations and gun case out of the guest room eventually.  We can still host guests, but it will be a little tight (and intimidating with all those guns staring at you as your sleep).  I thought of posting some pictures, but right now it's just an empty basement.  I'll be sure to get some before shots so we can track the progress as the basement gets built.  I'm not great at envisioning what it will look like, but I'm excited for it to be done! 

Otherwise, things have been pretty quiet around here.  Walks with the dog, trips to the gym, a hockey game, helping my sister get her house ready...  Enough to keep us sane but not too much to make us busy.  That always changes with the seasons--can't wait to get back out in my garden this spring!