Sand castles

There comes a time in Minnesota when we are just done with winter. We've had enough and it is time for spring. Unfortunately for some of us, this comes long before actual spring.

Yesterday the hot topic at ECFE was how to bring the sandbox concept inside. One mommy said she put cat litter in a plastic tote. When she said this I nearly jumped out of my chair for joy (but hadn't had any coffee yet, so this would have been impossible) because I remembered that last fall I bought a small sand table on clearance for such a time as this, and it was still out in the garage. Callooh! Callay! As soon as Big Daddy got home we brought that bad puppy inside and filled it with a big box of macaroni I had in the cupboard. The dog was thrilled. I sat and played computer Scrabble for 45 minutes while Preschooler D and the dog happily munched away at dried pasta. Look, friends. We are at the "whatever it takes" point of winter. A little dried pasta is good for the digestive system.

Recently my sister wrote that she was through wearing her winter coat no matter the temperature. I am going to be right behind her, but I got cold this morning, as today's high was 5, and I put on the big down parka. It's warm, but it's bulky. I am like a giant green marshmallow snow person in it. I am probably going to tuck it in the closet for good now. How many more days where the high is five can there be?

Don't answer that.