It's a cool, rainy spring in Nor Cal

Unlike the balmy weather we would be experiencing in Ontario, we're getting our fill of rain, wind and cooler temperatures. With each session of rainy days, people say, oh this is likely the last rain we'll get. Then it rains again. However, we know that it will soon warm up and before long we'll be so stinkin' hot we'll be reminiscing fondly of the cool, rainy days.

Fortunately when my brother Bruce, his wife Diane and their boys Craig and Evan visited during March break, we had a week of perfect weather. Maybe they brought it with them. Diane and Evan enjoyed some golf, we did a wine tour to Amador county, played lots of cards and we all participated in a family recital which included 6 piano solos and an air guitar solo by Cam.

I do have to say though that Spring around here is beautiful. The nut trees, fruit trees and other flowering trees and bushes have really brightened up the scenery. Spring flowers have been blooming since February.

We have just come through Spring Break. It wasn't a huge party like the images that get conjured up in my Canadian mind whenever I hear 'spring break' (too many bad movies, I guess) but instead a chance to do some exploring of things we hadn't yet done in 7 months. We went to the Sacramento Zoo - a small and quaint zoo, Explorit - a hands-on science discovery facility for kids here in Davis, and the Davis library of which Gabbi and Reuben are now official card holders. Cam got regular updates as he wasn't able to join us on any outings. He was in Ontario in the rain and returned in time for the next rainfall here.

We continue to enjoy the fresh produce here and just discovered white beets the other day. They're just as sweet and delicious as the red, pink and yellow ones. The sad news is the oranges are almost finished. That was a great winter treat. But, we're already into strawberries. Never a dull moment on the eating front.

We have some friends and family arriving in May, a short getaway to Mexico for Cam and me, some summer vacation in So Cal in July and swimming as the pool hopefully starts to heat up, pending that warmer weather.

Oh, and on the friend front, we do have a new spider that's living on our dining room and kitchen ceiling. The other day when the kids asked why we don't kill it, I said it's like a new friend. But unlike friends, if it gets too close I may have to smack it.