OK, this is kind of weird, but...

I'll just come right out and say it.

I can't get the wrapping off of soda straws anymore.

Seriously. Did they suddenly make the paper stronger, or what?

Every time I get a straw from McDonald's or Eros or Speedway, I can't seem to open the straws anymore. You know how you just whip the wrapping off? Can't do it.

I usually end up having to tear a path all the way around the straw, then shove both pieces off but that only works about one in three. The other times I have to literally peel the paper or plastic off the straw all the way down.

I don't know why - I'm certainly not too weak (I can carry a good sized suitcase all the way through the airport, no problem). I should be able to handle a straw.

This just happened to me, over the past four or five weeks. But I've been unable to simply open up a soda straw.

Very odd. And very frustrating. It's like my brain just won't let me open one.

Sigh.

Still bitterly cold here...

Just walked back a mile from Just Tires (hit a pothole - meh) and with the wind and all, it's about 36 degrees out (though bright and sunny - go figure).

And I passed a water-filled hole in a parking lot that was surrounded by bits of broken asphalt and mud. It reminded me a lot of my childhood, for some reason. I guess we used to have water-filled holes like that around the neighborhood, where the driveways hit the road. Funny how things remind you of the past.

Ah, spring. when the trees and lawns green up, and winter's bite is stilled in favor of cool winds.

I kind of feel sorry for you who live in areas where there are no change of seasons - not really. California definately does not benefit from the change, even though it can be claimed they have a winter. You just miss so much.

When I lived in Buffalo, I noticed that they made the most of the good weather, EVERY DAY. There were concerts on the M&T Bank steps, every day. Countless festivals and church picnics and outdoor concerts and fairs and... EVERY frickin' week! One summer I ate exclusively at church picnics on the weekends (Chabetta's chicken - mmm!) and often during the week.

People there really enjoyed summer - because they knew it was not to last long at all. In California it seemed people took the good weather a little for granted.

Even with the economy biting on our throats and all that, try this summer to get out to all those free festivals and National Parks and stuff that doesn't cost much, but really livens up a day. Maggie and I are planning to hit a couple parks this summer that are within driving distance, just to enjoy the day. And Arlington Racetrack is always fun.

Because although summer's not even here yet, it will soon be gone :)

It's Opening Day!

... and it's snowing in Chicago, causing postponement of the Sox' opener until tomorrow. Cubs are still playing at Houston tonight!

And...

An Ode to Opening Day

Ah, April in Chicago
Oh, the thrill of op'ning day!
(Let's overlook the weather
And the White Sox snow delay.)
It's April in Chicago
And the season starts anew
So what if we've got wind and sleet
Instead of springtime dew?
It's baseball, not just daffodils,
That tells us spring is here
It's Guillen and Piniella
It's the peanuts and the beer.
From Wrigley to Comiskey—
Oops, I mean to say The Cell—
Our hopes will come to life again
We'll shed our winter shell.
Yes, baseball's back, at last, at last
To bat away the blues
The games arrive like sunshine
Blagojevich indicted!
The economy's a mess!
Plus parking, potholes, crooks and crimes!
We need some anti-stress!
And so we turn to baseball
Seeking solace from the team
Yeah, yeah, they blew it last time
But it's April, we can dream.
Konerko's gonna kill this year
And Cub fans, please take note:
In April there's no need to think
About the bleepin' goat.
Obama's in the White House
He's Chicago's biggest fan
A trip to the World Series?
Si se puede! Yes we can!
If history tells our fortune
We will feel like fools by fall
But never mind the future, folks,
It's April. Let's play ball.

-Mary Schmich, Chicago Tribune