Saturday March 19, 2016 The Last

     So as I pen this blog, I make note that today is the last day of winter. Although a week back it felt more like summer with temps over 80 by midday. Today though, feels like it is in full accord with the calendar. There's a winter chill, and rain is falling. It's as if winter is holding on until the very last moment, when it must release its grasp and allow Spring to take hold. I've already seen daffodils and crocus blooming around the neighborhood, but yesterday they seemed a little droopy. The warm winds are not coming as steady as one might like. But you can feel the difference, if your in sync with such things. I am, and it sets me on the usual nomadic pull I get this time if year.  I already know that I will find myself behind the steering wheel of my car, going for the afternoon drive, or the morning drive, or the early evening drive. Off to get lost on new roads, in new communities that are popping up in the blink of an eye. Good thing gas prices have lowered to under $2.00/gallon. Tink gets wonderful mileage so I can indulge for now. It's therapy for me. I have my music, my bottle of H2O, and the windows down. It's times like this I think ( okay sometimes overthink) things out. I plan, I sort things out. I find fun things that I make a mental note to go back with hubby or friends.  I recently found out, there's a lavender farm not too far away. Oh yes we will be going there. Right now it's budget budget budget, but some things need to be included and I'm starting to be able to add them in slowly. Hope hubby's unemployment starts soon, it will help.  But now the time for growth, the earth is being reborn, so should we. New starts, new dreams, renewal of things past that have been buried too long.
     Spring also brings its own celebrations of rebirth, you have the Equinox, Easter, Ostara for us pagan peeps, and this brings another thing.  Food, goodies, candy, pastries. Today is St. Joseph's day for Italians all over the globe. It's also Father's Day in Italy. St.Joseph as the story goes was Jesus' , well step father I guess you would call him. It's a day to honor him and so many who are named for him, both male and female. Yes so in typical fashion, there are pastries just for this.  I tell you, it ain't easy living in an Italian home during any holiday. I know I'm half Irish but my mother was Italian so the house was Italian. These pastries are zeppoles kind of a patė a choux type dough with amazing pastry cream or cannoli cream inside and usually overflowing over it. It's decadent and delicious. Seriously, what's not to love. Then you have your Easter breads and pies. The meat pie, aka hear attack on a plate. Made once a year it contains many chunks if meat( salami, cappocola, mortadella, sausage) and cheeses (mozzarella, ricotta, fontina) all mixed with eggs and more cheeses (Parmesan this time) the put into a crust also made with butter and eggs and OMG I put on 4 lbs just writing this.  You don't need a big slice, but grandmas don't know how to slice small. Lol. Then there's the grain pie. It's a sweet wheat pue, with grain, ricotta, orange water, anise, sugar and more eggs. Very very good but also - thin slice please.  Burp.  Lol. This was years back, when mom would buy me a new light coat and new dress just for Easter mass. Ah the good old days.  Food, food, food.  We stop eating all this then we are "good" until the Memorial Day parties. Then the cook outs start.
Americans really love to center holidays around food. Italians perfected it.  Lol
I'm getting ahead of myself here.
      I need new clothes. I want to get a spring summer wardrobe together, I'm going to need to be inventive. I would look a picture if I had Carte Blanche in the big gal shops, but I'm limited but I will pull it together plus I'm lucky that I don't need to dress up for work. Neat casual works well, and I have several lovely dresses that are headed to the dry cleaners this week for their Spring refresh. I really need some shoes. I have a few but I would like at least one new pair of sandals. Hubs is going to need to have his suit taken in, he's list some poundage. He has a nice lighter grey blazer that can work with a few slacks he has. Shirts, he needs shirts. So shoes and shirts for us.
     Well I'm starting my rambling, so I'm outta here peeps. Ciao For Now