Spring, and Story Time at the Library.

It really does take me a week to adjust to Daylight Saving Time. This morning was the first day in a week that I woke up at my usual 5 a.m. (I know, I know) instead of beating the snooze alarm six times as I did every morning when I had to get up for work, and still dragging my ass out exhausted. Apparently I rallied faster than the dogs did. They've been sleeping in all week, and I had to drag them out of bed when I got up.

It's Spring in Florida. Spring is subtle here, but it definitely happens if you are aware. I'm the first to say we have two seasons: Liveable and Exhaust Fan from Satan's Dry Cleaner, but that's really not true. I've been noticing the big increase in bird songs. And of course the azaleas bloom. I love my neighborhood because it's loaded with big old azalea bushes, which in their old age have sort of merged together, talked among themselves, and got creative about their colors. I'm sure the developer's landscape architect, 30-some years ago, planned pinks here and reds there, and maybe a white accent over there, and thought about it to design it oh so carefully, but now they are old and a bit scraggly in some spots and do whatever they want, and the colors are mixed up and look even more fabulous. The live oaks are changing their leaves. We don't do "fall" with dramatic colors and bare trees, and the oaks keep their leaves all winter, but by spring those leaves are tired, and start turning brown and getting pushed out by new, tender green leaves. One day the trees are a dull green, the next we are ankle deep in brown leaves and the trees are a lovely bright spring green. It really does feel that fast, though I guess it happens over a few weeks.

This was a perfect spring day - bright blue sky, singing birds, new green leaves on the oaks - and I woke up at my usual insanely early hour, full of things to do. Sophie went to the vet for her nail trim and anal gland squeeze (all's still well in that department and I am not taking any chances) and I put in an honest hour on housework. Then my daughter walked to my house with Miss D in the stroller, to deposit her with me so she could work on her master's project. We had Big Plans! We were going to go check out "Saturday Soup" at the library. It's their story time for a wide range of ages, and I wasn't sure if it would be too intimidating or too boring for the very opinionated Miss D. She was stoked, though, and announced "We are going to the library!" like it was the coolest adventure ever. I'm so glad she did enjoy it, because I want her to love the library!

At first she stayed quiet and hung back, stayed close to me, leaning on my knees while the other kids did an active dance involving beanbags. She held her beanbag, but didn't even consider dancing. When it was over, she very politely handed her beanbag to the librarian. Then it was time for a story, and she did sit down to listen. I can't say much about the chosen stories; he's a local illustrator but I thought the books were lame, though the librarian read them with all the enthusiastic acting skills she could muster, which were considerable. They just weren't that great. There were four books interspersed through the program, and by the time she got to the last one I could tell she was somewhat dreading it.

But there was a puppet show, and that got Miss D laughing and standing up for a better look! Then a couple of science experiments, and she was interested enough to touch the end results. Then they brought out a bar and everybody limbo-ed, and she grabbed my hand - she wouldn't do it without me, but she participated. And there was a craft, and she carefully made a construction paper leprechaun hat, displaying some excellent glue stick skills. We went back to the children's section when the program was over and read books she selected, until I suggested that I was hungry and it was time for lunch. She was ready to go. On our walk back, she held my hand while I pushed her stroller with the other hand, and she announced, "We had fun at the library Grandma!" We did.

Lunch was a vegan hot dog (which she ate with great enthusiasm), a banana, apple juice and some Teddy Grahams, eaten while watching Cinderella on Disney Jr. (Grandma had to watch; I love that movie!) Not long after, her mom collected her for nap and I went off to do the rest of my day's errands. We all agreed that Saturday morning at the library should become a habit. I'll also have to check out the knitting group that meets there. Unfortunately, they were meeting today and I had a previous engagement, but next month I will have to visit. I hope they knit year round - yes, it's Florida, but we do have this thing called Air Conditioning, which is the only thing that makes the central part of the state habitable. Truefact: The original name of Orange County was Mosquito County. The population didn't really start to develop until air conditioning made it tolerable.

I love seeing the signs of Spring, but at the same time know they are the omen of Summer.