Hey, guess what? My tulips are inching their way out of the ground. Yes, it is true. I noticed them Saturday morning. I love living where the snow and frigid temperatures are scarce. A little rain would be nice, I will admit, but I am ready for spring.
One of my six regular readers told me Monday that he figured warm weather and mowing season are just around the corner. He reminded me that it soon will be time to brush off my annual opinion column about not blowing grass clippings into the street when we mow our lawns. I have been trying to figure out whether there is a hidden message in his statement. Is it a hint to just can the column and not say it one more time? Or does he really get a kick out of me telling the populace what I think they should be doing? What’s more, should I even care?
Yes, I sort of do. He is one of the faithful, after all. If it snows again, I will not worry about it for awhile. If this early spring keeps advancing, I will think about his intent.
As long as we are on the topic of spring and approaching the end of February, I want to share an upcoming anniversary with you. This is my anniversary and there is no reason you should remember it. However, on March 9 it will be 12 years since my first heart attack. It took another four months or so, two additional “episodes,” and a change of cardiologists to get me into bypass surgery and a second chance many people never get. I am forever grateful.
So at the risk of sounding like broken record – yes, I just nagged you about this issue a couple of weeks ago – do something good for your health as we move into this 2016 spring season; this time of renewal. Quit that bad habit, make an appointment to check the health issue that has been nagging at you, take the tests and get a second opinion if necessary, trust your instincts, play smart, and reach for the next brass ring.
Really, there is nothing as fine as looking back on 12 bonus years and thinking, “Okay, I did that right!” None of us know how much time we have. However, we can do smart things to extend our time and the quality of days or years we have. That is what I hope for you. Happy spring!
— SUSAN MARSHALL