It may dip back into winter in the upcoming weeks, but for now spring has sprung in western Michigan. We’re getting to know our yard now that it isn’t buried in snow, the birds are singing, and the deer are getting harder to spot (except for the ones that were killed by the snowplows in the snowy season - they’re reappearing after wintering in the banks of snow along the side of the road).
We’ve settled into our house - the leaks are fixed, the bed is propped up, and it turns out that the guest bathroom isn’t scary at all when it’s clean. The stinky hot water was from the re-chlorination of the well, and it’s gone now. All in all it’s a cute little home and I look forward to hosting many of you here. The neighborhood is beautiful and we’ve enjoyed our time out on the frozen lakes. We haven’t done any ice-fishing, so when I say “our time out on the frozen lakes”, picture us just standing out there listening to the subsonic groaning and cracking and daring ourselves to stay put. Now that the weather has taken a turn for the warmer, we’ll have to give up our lake walking, but I’m sure we’ll find many outdoor exploits to replace it with.
Franklin is (of course) enjoying the guitar school. We’re impressed with the level of professionalism of the course and the staff. Franklin says he is learning a lot, and of course he loves having people around with whom he can talk guitar.
I’m keeping busy by joining every club Canadian Lakes has to offer. I understand that things really pick up here in April when the snowbirds return, but I’m already walking with the Fitness Walkers, going to the weekly Bible study (I’m the only protestant!), and meeting with the writer’s club (shhhh! They don’t know what an amateur I am!).
We still have occasional flashes of homesickness, and we sure do miss our family and friends, but we’re excited about this phase in our lives, and we look forward to the future.