Springing in...

Looking at the visit stats for this blog shows that several of you have not yet abandoned the hope that I would show back up again and regale you with wild traveling stories and pithy insights. Even if it has taken me a couple of months to get back around to it. For a half a minute I couldn't recall my password. Telling indeed. But I am back for at least these few minutes and I hope my entertainment value has not waned. (tongue firmly planted in cheek)

What ever have I been up to? Plenty. I'm rather accomplished at keeping my calendar full these days. Helped out with the local SCA group's yearly event in February. Ran the dance classes and evening ball and hopefully helped to re-strike the spark for dance that will carry over to next year. Not long after that I spent over a week house/livestock sitting for some good friends in the Grand Rapids area. I got to play with their tractor/plow almost every day, though it was really too cold and blowy to truly enjoy. By March I was absolutely finished with the overtly cold winter here in Michigan. So the husband and I traveled down to New Orleans for a few days and enjoyed the warmth of spring with some friends while exploring the city. Followed that with a few days camping in Mississippi. It was still a little chilly at night but the days were glorious and sun-filled. Got to spend some wonderful quality time with one of my closest friends and had a great time overall.

Returned home and the snow piles in the yard were lower, but still no ground to be seen. So less than two weeks later I joined one of my girlfriends for a week in Puerto Rico. That was just a stellar trip! Temperatures in the seventies and eighties always and sun, sun, sun, sun, sun. We explored all over San Juan, drank wine on the beach under the stars, shopped local market plazas and fruit stands, did some salsa dancing, hiked the rainforest, swam in the ocean, ate lots of seafood and fresh tropical fruits, drove and explored the interior of the island, dropped in to Ponce, and fully defrosted ourselves. Definitely a highlight of the year so far.

I've been straight up busy since returning from that trip. I am definitely feeling the effects of spring with a renewed sense of activity. I've been seeing friends for lunch/tea, dancing, movie and concert dates, at least two of each in the last couple of weeks. Plus the day spent in Lansing with a girlfriend last week and I'll be gone all of tomorrow seeing the Samurai exhibit at the DIA with one of my dearest friends.

As a nice change of pace I will be mostly grounded for the next full month. Beyond one weekend and the occasional day trip, I'll be pretty much settled here in K'zoo as Spring finally gets sprung. I can already see the first buds bursting on the trees and bird activity at the feeders has jumped. The windows have been flung open the last couple of days to give the house a proper airing-out. And I expect a big spring cleaning in the next weekend or so. It is only a couple of weeks until the outdoor farmers market opens again and I have already enjoyed the first batch of chevre from a local dairy.

Spring is my favorite season. There is a sensation of "opening up" that I feel in everything. As if the world has been underwater and the sunshine is fresh air that all living things gulp with abandon. Restlessness translates into forward momentum which becomes targeted energy. Stretch, grow, breathe, bask.

I am full of positivity this new season. I feel more settled than I have in a while. Health-wise things seem to continue to be very well. No problems or pains or concerns and my most recent bloodwork and oncologist visit were normal and uneventful. I even inquired about having my chemo port removed. A year ago I would have said that I might not ever consider that, but if I did it would be at least two PET scans and a good year out. I may still wait until that milestone in June/July. But I started thinking about it a month ago and have already crossed over to serious consideration. It makes me feel very good about my optimism and general attitude.

No promises or guesses to my next posting. Until then my friends, thank you for checking in.