A here and there kind of weekend

Mixed bag for the weekend weather around these parts. Lots of rain yesterday with temps in the 50s and lots of sunshine today with temps around 20. Well it is March so it may be typical for this time of the year. Yesterday Carol and I visited my Mom, spent time talking during which my youngest sister Doreen and her daughter Deanna stopped by on Girl Scout Cookie delivery business. Which brought to mind that I had somehow managed not to have bought any GS cookies this year. Must have broken a streak of at least 20 years buying (and eating) those tasty things. After Doreen and Deanna left we headed out for a nice lunch at a local diner then returned to Mom's where I helped her cleanup her e-mail and we talked some more. Though I try to call regularly it's more pleasant to visit and catch up on things.

Deanna in Grammy's lap

Today it was hanging out at home broken up by our regular Sunday visit to Lois and Jim's for brunch. This week Lois prepared a cauliflower and shrimp chowder with fresh baked biscuits. Also, today was the first day of the new Daylight Savings Time which now begins two weeks earlier then it use to. Of course this slightly messes up my formula for keeping track of what time it is with Ian in New Zealand. Fortunately the mess up only lasts three weeks until NZ ends their DST on April 6th. Until then, briefly - subtract 7 hours from our time (EST) and that's what time it is in NZ...tomorrow, except we're on the same day from midnight to 7am our time here. Well, it's important to us. Speaking of Ian, he is presently on the South Island of NZ where they are conducting 3weeks of field studies and then they'll be on spring break for a few days where he'll be going to stay in St. Arnaud and do the Angelus Hut Loop in the Nelson Lakes National Park before going up to city of Nelson. We think internet access hasn't convenient so we're anxiously awaiting for his return to the Studies Centre to hear from him. Meanwhile Taylor is traveling around several Europe cities for her studies after which she and her friend will visit some other cities for their spring break. An additional little twist that ties into things here on Ledge Hill is that I recently found out our two neighbors we share this side of the hill with, their daughters who are each a year ahead in college of Ian have been in studies abroad. One is in Tanzania and the other recently returned from Australia. Makes my head spill thinking about all the experiences these young folk are going through.