Yesterday was a very good day. The first one of those that I've had in a while. We left for the beach in the early afternoon, since we didn't have anything better to do. Although it was chilly and windy, there were other stupid people out flying kites, playing in the sand, and walking around in their bare feet. I was tempted to buy a cheap kite at the convenience store, and try my hand at flying...but monetary concerns being what they are, I just took the opportunity to enjoy the view. There's something about being at the beach when there aren't many people around that is very calming. Sitting in the sun, with the wind whipping my hair around my face, smelling the sea...it's like my whole body relaxed in a way that it hasn't done in months. I felt refreshed and invigorated...though maybe that was just the cold. Anyway, I took a couple of pictures.

 After we had pretty much exhausted the possibilities which the beach had to offer, we wandered around a little in search of a place to eat. Mostly everything was closed, and it was actually a little creepy. Kind of makes me wonder what it's like to live in a place like that, if you just get used to how desolate it looks in the off season. We found an open restaurant and had some dinner. Although the food was okay, the service was kind of crappy, and I think our waitress was a bit of a flake. Oh well...at that point, I was just glad to be sitting someplace warm. Finally, we went to see Flogging Molly. The two opening bands were okay. There was a bit during the opening set when the band played "Stand By Me" and people were moshing; that was quite amusing. Also there were people in mohawks running around in circles like fools, and body surfing. I haven't been to a concert where there was body surfing in years. We stayed in the back of the room, so as not to get our asses kicked by stray fists or feet. Flogging Molly was fantastic, and I found it amusing that almost all of the songs they played were ones that I had selected more or less at random to put on the CD that I was listening to in my car all last week. No "Devil's Dancefloor" but it was a good set, and there was a lot of dancing. Part of me sort of wanted to be down there in the thick of it, flailing my heart. But it's probably best that I stayed out of harm's way...since if there is any possibility that I will get hurt, I most certainly will. Anyway, I also splurged and bought a t-shirt and a hoodie, which is going to quickly become my most favorite article of clothing. I had an awesome time, my face hurt from all the smiling, and my good mood and energy lasted about half of the way home, before it was overtaken by exhaustion. Managed to get home without driving us off the road, which was a nice way to end the day. It was a little before 2, and I crawled into bed, read for a while, and then had a good night's sleep. Also a nice way to end the day.

I've had this for several years now, and my roommate and I have been talking about making it for a friend of ours. We're planning on working on it together, since she is a little frightened of large projects, and well...I just don't have that much time. This way we both win. I figured the best way for us to finish it would be for one of us to start it. So, here is my progress so far on Lily Pond Dreams:

I have actually done some stuff in the last month that's worth reporting on, so here I am. I got to visit my family in PA for Easter, which was wonderful, since I haven't seen them in over a year. It was a pretty quiet weekend, and there was time to chat and catch up with my sister and nephews, and have good food, and hide Easter eggs for the nephews to find. I hate that I am so far away, and that I can't be of more use to them, but I am hopeful that I will be able to take a trip down there again this summer. My nephews are growing up so fast, and it makes me sad that I don't get to see more of their childhood, while it lasts. L will be 14 this year. It's amazing to think that he's already a teenager. Crazy, really. I'd feel so old, if they didn't still think I was kind of cool.

I finished a couple of knitting projects: a black hat with kitty ears, a pair of white, sparkly, elbow-length, fingerless mittens (which have a cable pattern running down the length of them - my first attempt at cabling), and a scarf. I am currently working on a pair of socks, using some stripey yarn which is really colorful and fun. I've also been attempting another hat, but I haven't been able to get the gauge right, so it hasn't actually been started yet, but there's a possibility that I might finish it in time to give to its intended recipient just as the weather gets cold enough again to wear it.

I cut my hair, just above the shoulders. It hasn't been this short in about 7 years, so hardly any of the people I know have seen me with it like this. It's kind of fun, but it requires a lot more work than when it is long, just to keep it tamed a little. But it feels cute. I'm thinking about adding some highlights in a funky color - red or maybe purple - just for something extra different.

April is concert month in my world. Started out by going to see Duran Duran, which was silly and fun (and an excellent place to people watch). I was never a huge fan, but like anyone of my age, I do know a lot of their songs, and I enjoyed myself a lot more than I thought I would (although I can't even listen to them perform "Hungry Like the Wolf" without thinking of E, who once played it for me on his accordion). The following weekend, I went to see Tori Amos. My friend won us an upgrade to the front row, so that was pretty cool. The show was good; I have a lot of emotion invested in Tori shows, and this was no different. And this weekend brings Flogging Molly, where hopefully, we will not end up getting our asses kicked. Never been to one of their shows, so I'm not sure what to expect, but it should be fun.

In other news, my roommate and I put in a new floor in our living room, finally giving the nasty old carpeting the decent burial it deserved...well the decent carting-out-to-the-dumpster that it deserved, anyway. 

 Finally, I have been re-reading The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy recently, and enjoying it as much as always. I am also reading Steve Martin's Shopgirl, which I have been meaning to get for a while, and finally bought at the used book store a couple of weeks ago. It strikes me very much as the sort of book that I would write. Although I am not as amused by it as I was by The Pleasure of My Company, it is still a good read...and nice and short, which is about all my brain can handle lately.