I got an Adirondack chair for Mother's Day.

I've wanted one of these chairs for the longest time. I think I sat in one once on a trip to Maine, and I love Maine. I almost ordered one from LL Bean, but then Art found one, unfinished and unpainted, for $29.99 at Home Depot. After he put it together today, I carried it to the upstairs deck and tried it out. It fits me just right.

We had a glorious Pacific Northwest springtime day today - sunny, in the 60s. Now that I'm just about retired, I'm trying to get outside when the sun comes out, and take care of other things - like laundry and the filing - when it's rainy or dark. Today I filled the wheelbarrow seven or so times with wood chips - dumped near the street this week by a tree trimmer who was grateful for a place to put them - and spread them over cardboard on the back of our property. We're reclaiming that part from the blackberries and the buttercups and the other invasive weeds. By the time I'd shoveled and spread seven times, I was tired, so I lay down for half an hour or so, then went to get a haircut. When I got back, I did another two loads. Tonight I'm sore, but boy, do I feel virtuous! I deserve some time in an Adirondack chair.

Tomorrow morning I'm going to have my coffee on the deck, sit in my new chair, and read one of the many magazines stacked up in the basket. Once I stop working next month, I'd like to read a magazine every day until I'm caught up. That will be easy if the magazine is AARP or even Budget Traveler - not so easy if it's The Atlantic or Time. But I don't mind making an effort in the reading department.