With Spring approaching, all of a sudden there are many things to either do now or forget. We are in the last stages of Winter and everyone around here is anxious for some nice weather. It’s been a tough year all across the country.

We had three wonderfully warm days last week and while I wanted to go out and rake up all the pinecones I was too busy inside. I have intended to upgrade our bathroom for some time but never could get a handle on how to get started. A friend recommended a man who does any kind of construction so I had him fix some of the electric outlets that weren’t working and to get started on the bath-room.

It will be more efficient and less expensive with the plans we worked out. I am very pleased to finally be started on it. In our small-town area of the Ozarks most things connected with carpentry have to be ordered. If we drive up to Springfield they have a larger inventory so we could bring it home that day.

When I have the Shower Surround here, ready to go, then Johnnie will come back to finish that part of the remodeling. He will be working “piece-meal” because I want to pay as I go. One area at a time. He keeps busy since most women up in years are widowed. Fixing things is second nature for Johnnie.

He worked something like 42-years for the Military as a civilian. He went with the troops in Dessert Storm and has lots of interesting stories……he worked on the planes that came back from bombing raids all shot up but the hardest part for him was when some of the boys didn’t make it back.

I still have some trim to paint on the kitchen cupboards that won’t take long to brush on. I finished the afghan I was working on and ready to start another one. Becky and I drove to Harrison, AR last week to take down a carload of things to fill our booths. Business is booming and I’m happy to be rid of a lot of things I’d been hanging on to.

This coming Monday I have an appointment with the Surgeon who removed my two cataracts last year about this time. I’m anxious to go as I know I have lost some of the vision I gained after the surgery. It will be interesting to see if he can fix them again.

The ones of you who used to read John Strain’s Journal has updated his old site and intends writing again. I’m glad because he just has a way of keeping a reader interested. I intend to do better with my own writing. There isn’t any excuse except I let other things dictate my time……between that and getting slower as the years go by some things just don’t get done on time……or done at all.

But that’s OK because I still take time to smell the roses………..

Essentially Esther