I have hit the winter wall. Its been cold and dark for too long now and I want it to end. Something tells me that we have atleast one more cold snap/snow storm left to endure. But today I insist on pretending that spring is right around the corner. To that end I will venture into my neglected yard and gather up all the sticks and dead leaves along with two months of dog poop( in various stages of decay ), place all the winter litter in huge garbage bags, and then get the rest of the leaves up with the lawn mower. Maybe when God looks down and sees me so engaged he will smile and relent. If not I will feel better about the situation having done some yard work.

This morning I take my daughter out for a Valentines Day brunch. Every V-Day since she was 3 the two of us have had breakfast together...even the four years when she was 8 hours away at school. Well now she's back home and dating a nice boy who has other plans. So do I actually. I'm taking my wife away for two days to a beautiful old Inn in Abingdon where we will be pampered in a 19th century sort of way with a fabulous dinner and a play called Civil War Voices. It promises to be great fun...but my streak of 21 V-Day breakfasts with my daughter will come to an end. Life is so full of odd sadness.