T Minus 6 Days

I am not usually one to complain much about winter, but this one has been a doozy.  It has been freezing cold and we've gotten loads of snow.*  On top of all that, my roof has been failing since December, so I have been hoping extra hard for spring to arrive so we can finally replace it.  Spring officially starts on March 20.  We had a preview earlier this week when the temperature approached 60 for a day (before plunging back down below freezing.)  I am delighted that the start of Daylight Savings Time has resulted in the sun not setting until nearly 7pm.  Today I hung two air plants in my office, which feels vaguely spring-y, if only because they are green.

In addition to the imminence of spring, the book I am currently reading has been contributing to my happiness level this week.  I only have a few pages left in The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd and I am sad to see it end.  It is historical fiction, based in part on the Grimké sisters, who were abolitionists and suffragists.  Chapters are narrated alternately by Sarah Grimké, a white woman from Charleston, South Carolina, and Handful, the slave she was given on her eleventh birthday.  The story is compelling and the writing is strong.  I highly recommend this book.

Sarah and Angelina Grimké:  Putting the "grim" in "Grimké." 
Just kidding-- they were awesome.

*This is where I mention that my dad works outside and spends long hours in this nasty weather, so I should really keep the whining to a minimum.