Well, today's the first day of Daylight Savings Time, and here it is, 10:44 pm - and I'm surprisingly tired. Good news! I'll be able to fall asleep in time to get a good night's rest for tomorrow. Of course, the 6:30 wake-up beep is going to come awfully early . . . especially after the kids' spring break, when I've been able to sleep in for at least an hour longer. So tomorrow morning will come two hours early, not one, according to my internal clock.

I spent a long time in the car today. Elliott needed to go back to New York tonight, so Em and I drove up to Davison to fetch him and take him to the airport. Louise's father died this morning; when we got there, Elliott and his uncle Sid (Louise's brother) had their guitars out and were recording songs to be played at the funeral. They sounded really good! It was nice to listen (and to sing along, sotto voce). It amazes me how sad times like that can still be catalysts for powerful bonding and closeness and - well, happiness. (Louise's mom didn't look too happy, though, I must say.)

It's been a rough spring for the parents of my friends. Let's see, here are the people I know of who've died in the past couple of months: Anne's dad. Cheryl's mom. Olivia's dad. Louise's dad. (And the pope.) It's odd how people succumb in the spring; I would have thought winter would be the rough time, but then again, I always feel under my game in February and March . . . maybe it's accumulated vitamin D deficiency or something. Warm and sunny April and May days really rev my motor.

Anyhow, my thoughts are with my friends who are now walking through the Valley of the Shadow . . . My experience tells me that the valley casts a long shadow; for me it was a good six months before the miasma lifted (both when my mom died and when Jackie died).

And I'm looking forward to sunny days ahead . . . I went running this weekend but didn't manage a bike ride; tomorrow I may have better luck, especially since the daylight will last so much longer after dinner! YAY!!

A sure sign of spring: Emil got the Midget out of the garage today and put on the new steering wheel he got for Christmas . . . We rode around, but the top was still up; tomorrow, with temperatures in the 60s, he might be tempted to put it down . . .