Winter loosened its grip...

... a bit around here this week. It's been a harder than average winter, with more snow than we've seen in a long time, and some nasty cold snaps, so the respite has been pretty nice.

At the bank, my teller mentioned that it was nice to have sunshine and warmer weather, and I agreed. I volunteered that it had set off a round of spring cleaning at our place. She brightened, and said, "Me, too!" A woman after my own heart. We agreed that we both disliked carpets, too. It's too hard to keep them really clean. I assure you that mine are cleaner than a week ago. I own a carpet cleaning machine, so I can work on my floors a little at a time instead of all at once, like I'd have to do if I rented a machine. This week, though, I did a bit more than a little. (The exercise is good for me, right?)

I think I would have been cleaning extra this week even without the taste of spring to spur me on. This time of year the house tends to feel stale and grungy, the air old and used. If a person doesn't go on the attack, the staleness can get discouraging.

And, besides which, a person who shall remain nameless tripped while carrying split pea soup into the dining room. Split pea soup, I found, defies the laws of physics when it flies out of a bowl. Not only does it cover more surface area than should be possible, it finds its way into places it shouldn't be able to reach. Do you have that problem in your dining room and kitchen? That they somehow have the ability to amplify messes? (I'm joking. But just barely. Oh, well. The walls in there hadn't been scrubbed in a while. They're nice and fresh now.)

And, besides which, I've been having computer problems, or, rather, connecting to the internet problems. You have heard the saying: "A clean house is the sign of a broken computer."? It's not strictly true around here, since I do possess a little discipline, thank you. But still, it is rather surprising how much more I can get done in a day when surfing isn't an option. I am forever trying to find a happy medium on time spent online. (Aren't you?)

So, all in all, I've had a good week. I just haven't been on the internet. It was kind of a nice break, actually.

I know it's rather poor form to take a blog break and not announce it, but at first I couldn't seem to get on to announce it. And then I got busy with spring cleaning and with reading like mad through my to-read stack, and with quilting, and with editing some nonblog writing, and... and the next thing I knew the days had flown. My apologies to anyone who had a twinge of worry on my account. I know better than to take off without notice. I'll try to not do it too often.