<p>When we moved into this house, it immediately felt homier than any other we&#8217;d shared. But it was also in need of the most work. As I think about it, that&#8217;s probably why I liked it immediately&#8211;it needed me and I needed it. I needed its high ceilings, its rooms full of uneven wood floors, [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Five years ago, almost to the day, we were standing at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Crews were working to complete the set-up, tourists and townies were milling around, many like us were happily taking photos. A few marathoners were looking in awe at the patch of ground that symbolized completion of a [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Spring has been unusually coquettish this year. Typically, the daffodils bloom in late February, followed by the dogwoods, and then the azeleas. By the end of March, spring flowers are belting out their final notes and in April we pull out our swimsuits and kayaks live outside until October. But this spring has tiptoed in [&hellip;]</p>

<p>There are no pictures to share today, just words. There hasn&#8217;t been a lot of time for photos lately (or maybe there has, but I&#8217;m not sly enough to recognize the moments when they come). What there has been is a lot of six day work weeks. I don&#8217;t work in a salt mine, or [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Garrett the Husband decided to make me some homemade valentines this year. I have a fondness for those cheesy, almost nonsensical vintage ones, with the puns that don&#8217;t really mean anything. And if there&#8217;s one thing he&#8217;s good at, it&#8217;s hilarious nonsense. I&#8217;m pretty sure he could make a living at it if someone would [&hellip;]</p>