Still in Bloom

My Crown of Thorns plant is still covered with flowers. Very timely, with Palm Sunday two days off, Passiontide and Easter on the horizon.

My own bloom is somewhat faded after a busy week.

Yesterday morning I busily prepared for meetings that I wouldn't even attend, due to the afternoon session of the Legislature. My attendance record at the State House and as Moderator of our diocesan council are both 100%, but a person can't be in two places at once. I have thousands of constituents, who expect me to represent them. The council consists of about 20 persons, and can carry on its business perfectly well without me in the chair.

Still, I had to develop and refine the agenda for the person who was pinch-hitting for me. Because of these necessary tasks, I also had to skip a couple of informational sessions offered yesterday, one on the state retirement system and one on the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

I was in Representatives Hall from a little after noon till nearly 6 p.m. It was a shorter session than the previous day yet seemed as long or longer, perhaps because we started later in the day than usual. We fully expected to stay later in the evening as well but got a reprieve. Some controversial bills were on the docket, with long debates, but some good humour along the way and some speedy voice votes.

Today I've got a lunch date, a rarity in my life of late. It's related to diocesan work but my fellow diner is a person of whom I'm so fond and admire so much and it won't feel like work. Afterwards, my mandolin lesson.

Apparently there's rain and or snow in the forecast overnight and early tomorrow. We'd hoped to make it up to the Big Lake, after my hairdresser appointment--looks like another postponement of the cottage trip due to weather.

Squirrels are visiting the Lodge in swarms. Yesterday I counted five red squirrels and a single enormous grey one. I don't mind them so long as they eat the bird food I scatter on the ground and keep away from the hanging feeders.