Picnic on the Porch.

I didn't wear a coat yesterday, or today, and I feel like I'm on vacation. The sun and warm weather is a welcome reprieve from the clenching grasp of winter that just hasn't let go of the Midwest for the last couple months. But now the grass is turning green, seagulls have been swarming the roofs of buildings on the Marquette campus, and I've seen my first daffodils.

Even better, my most recent show opened this past Friday, meaning I don't have rehearsal in the evenings this week, and my time is once again my own. To celebrate, I made a nest for myself on the front porch and did my homework in the sunshine. It was a simple setup, but I felt great getting to spend some time outside. Some kids were roller skating on the playground across the street, and I had my little tea party while getting some of my necessary work finished.

We're reading the Margaret Atwood novel Alias Grace for one of my English courses, and I sped through it. A review on the cover says "Alias Grace has all the pacing of a commercial novel and all the resonance of a classic." On a whole, I think that's a pretty accurate description, although I think some of the devices are a little too transparent to really allow it the status of a classic. The psychological researcher with latent sexual urges starts having dreams about his father? Shocking. But I did read ahead to the end because I wanted to find out what happens, so Atwood got me there.

Happy Spring, everyone! Let me know of any other ways you've found to soak up some vitamin D while continuing to fulfill your responsibilities. I might need to join in.