May Not Look Like Much...

 

...but in my world, this is a glorious sight.  

Ain't pretty, but after a long winter that's a little bit o' paradise right there.

In no time I'll be outside swinging my hickories and embarrassing myself again.

too soon?

Can't wait.

in honor of it being March 1st, the AMC is officially changing seasons.  don't care what anyone says, <it's spring!>  no, really; it is.

Had a minor setback with my wooden subset / ringer box for my candlestick phone:

After lots of tinkering and advice from a couple of antique phone enthusiasts, we've finally concluded it's simply the 100+ year old wiring/components:

One of the guys I've been talking to is currently in Arizona for the winter but asked me to send him the subset when he's back home in April.

The bells work, but the induction coil and/or the condenser could be suspect.

I may just try replacing the 9 old wires with new and see what happens.

Until then I'm back to my metal subset/ringer box...

gotta admit, that polished black bakelite and metal is a classy look

...which works fine.

I've had an increasingly ominous feeling of nameless disquietude creeping over me for the last couple of months.

Aye, it's an ill wind that's been a-blowin' and today I finally realized why:

Yep, it's almost time for the Unhappy Man Dreaded Diet, slated to begin on Monday.

Not positive what my starting point will be - I still have a couple of days to cram moon pies and cream puffs down my gullet but I'm predicting somewhere around 212 lbs.

And as usual, the goal is to lose 15 lbs or so.

I'm hoping for rapid success, because past experience has shown it doesn't take too long before Unhappy Man morphs into...

"Hey!  I'm getting sick of this diet!"
- I.M. Yelling

...followed shortly thereafter by...

"That's it, I'm having a cheeseburger and pity the fool that tries to stop me!"
- Angry Man

Yeah, that guy.

Not much shakin' in the 23 Skidoo department this week, to wit:

starting to break winter's iron grip

there's normally a flagpole in the middle of that shot, but 50+ mph winds caused me to remove it for now

Ol' Man Winter may have taken one on the chin, but it's def still heating season

just because I like it

part of Karen's Crocus Hall teapot collection

Even though March is <nulla magna quatit>, it's really nice to finally be done with February.

We're still at least a month away from consistently nicer weather, but soon we'll be enjoying longer days and warmer temps.

Plus March is also the namesake month for a <distant relative> of mine...

...though as a general rule we don't speak of him.

Now, as you rush the exits, please to ponder this eternal truth:

later, mcm fans...