random thoughts – Day 1,119 – (Monday) – springing up

The signs of spring are becoming apparent. The nest over the drain pipe at the front corner of the house is being updated by this season’s avian tenants. Green shoots are several inches tall in the spots where the irises and lilies grow. The site of the bleeding heart near the front door has an abundance of red shoots appearing, and based on how large it got last year even after being cut back, it will need to be divided again. 

The Monday destination.

The 5:00 hell ride to Fitchburg the past two weeks has taken longer than it did in the fall session of Finnish classes. It took nearly 25 minutes to get out of Lowell and then it was the joy of the weekday parking lot also known as I-495.

For several miles it was long lines of traffic with tail lights as far as could be seen. There were brief stretches where things moved at the blistering speed of 14 mph. After the slow motion miles there was a stretch with tire shrapnel scattered along the roadway and across three lanes, and finally, an 18-wheeler parked in the breakdown lane with one destroyed tire. 

Once beyond the truck, the logjam cleared and it was the more normal travel pace. Thank goodness, because I was getting antsy and may or may not have been yelling at Waze for sending me straight into the mouth of hell. It could be a long eight more weeks. Last fall, the system navigated me along peaceful, scenic country roads that I don’t know how to find on my own and it was great. This session, it seems like Waze is trying to kill me.

I arrived for my 6:15 class with less than five minutes to spare. It had taken an hour and ten minutes to arrive. It’s frustrating knowing that in the fall, it took about an hour to arrive, and on a Saturday morning, the ride to the monthly breakfast at the same location takes about 45 minutes.

Sunshine yellow crocuses springing up.

While walking into the building, I noticed the flower bed that runs across the front of the building and around the side had been tidied up. A cluster of sunshine yellow crocuses sat like a welcome sign at the side door, and clusters of tiny purple flowers were scattered along the front portion of the bed. It was pretty. Calming. Hopeful. 

It’s been a long and weird winter and it’s nice to see the signs of spring and growth. It was especially refreshing to see the flowers after the stressful ride.