2013: Week 12

2013: Week 12, a photo by MAStapleton on Flickr.

This is the week it officially became spring. This is also the week it snowed in London (and in lots of other places around the U.K.). So if I were to make a mathematical formula, it would look something like this:
(First day of Spring) + 2Snowstorms / (Interminable Grey Skies) = Most Rubbish Spring EVER.

Yes, Rubbish Spring. That's what it's been.

On Saturday, the third day of spring, we woke up to snow. Now if I were still in Chicago, this would not be newsworthy. But here it is. We're all fed up with it. Please, if the sunny skies and the warmer temperatures could get here ASAP, we would very much appreciate it.

Thing No. 1 made this snowball while we were out and about on Saturday afternoon. Not surprisingly, we spent most of the walk complaining about the weather.

2013: Week 11

2013: Week 11, a photo by MAStapleton on Flickr.

The granddaughter of an Irish immigrant to the States, St. Patricks Day was a BIG deal in our family when I was growing up. My grandfather even had a special sign that counted down the days until St. Pat's, starting with 364. (He couldn't help himself. His name was Patrick too.) The tradition continued at university, where I was surrounded by other Irish-Americans who liked to live it up on St. Pat's. When I say "live it up" what I really mean is, "start the party at 8 a.m."

I then went to graduate school in Chicago, a city that *literally* dyes the river green for St. Patrick's Day. When I first moved there, I thought it was a joke, because the Chicago River was pretty green for the rest of the year. But no. On St. Patrick's Day, they dye the river a bright green. Amazing.

St. Patrick's Day 2013 in London was a cold, grey and rainy day. But I was determined to celebrate. So I set myself the task to find green things in Greenwich, which I did. I might not have drunk any green beer, but I think my grandpa would have approved.

Red Nose Day 2013

Clark Kent/Superman eats his breakfast and gets ready for Red Nose Day 2013. #rednoseday #squareready, a photo by MAStapleton on Flickr.

Clark Kent/Superman eats his breakfast and gets ready for Red Nose Day 2013.

His school asked that they dress up as superheroes. As he has outgrown his old trusty Superman outfit (Sad Face), we had to improvise, but I think the improvisation is better than the original.

2013: Week 10

2013: Week 10, a photo by MAStapleton on Flickr.

In Week 10 of 2013, I had a variety of events from which to choose my weekly image. This past week we had World Book Day, me trying (and failing) to see a taping of the Graham Norton Show at the BBC Television Centre, and finally, Mothering Sunday.

These pussy willows were given to me by my sons on Mothering Sunday. No fool me, I put in a specific request for them on Saturday to give them a steer on what I would like. Early on Sunday morning, the two boys went out to the flower lady down the street and got them for me. When I finally got up (Saturday had been a very late night), they were waiting for me on the dining room table, along with my cards, some chocolates, some hand-made gifts and the Sunday Observer.

Pussy willows are my absolute favourite flowers of March. My Gramps had a massive pussy willow bush, so every March when he came to visit, he would arrive with an armload of them to give to us. (Now at £3 for 3 stems, the armload was worth a fortune in today's market. But I digress.) So whenever I see them, I think of him: his kindness, his love of reading and his dry wit.

Happy Mothering Sunday everyone.

2013: Week 9

2013: Week 9, a photo by MAStapleton on Flickr.

The skies have been unrelentingly grey, but I spotted some crocuses that gave me hope that Spring will be here eventually.

I took this photo on 27 February, but for reasons unknown to me, that's not the time stamp assigned by Flickr.