April Fool's Day -- what fun we had with this holiday when we were kids! We delighted in thinking up ways to play tricks on someone and chuckled heartily about it later when we reflected on our pranks.
As we get older, it seems we're not so interested in playing practical jokes. Perhaps we realize this hectic old life we live offers enough headaches for a person without his fellow human beings adding to his embarrassment and frustration. Of course, we occasionally run across that adult who refuses to ever grow up and continues to be a prankster even in his advanced years.
The daffodils have been out long enough they're beginning to look a little faded. But the pink hyacinths out beside the cellar are looking good and the blossoming forsythia adds its cheery yellow hue to enhance the scene. The spirea bush is blooming too, and even the redbud tree near the old garden spot is beginning to show a little color. My friend on Stagecoach Road recently brought me a cute little wooden planter with a "Home Sweet Home" logo on the side and a pretty orange marigold to put in it. I have some potting soil in the cellar and I hope to get it planted soon.
I did some cat sitting for a friend when he went to Vancouver early last month. I'm always fascinated with the various personalities of the different cats in his household. One welcomes me as if I'm an old friend and eagerly accepts my petting. The others are a bit more standoffish and one will even greet me with a hiss if I get too close. But they are all quick to lick up the food I put in their bowls. We got along all right for a few days though and it was fun to see John's videos when he returned from his travels.
I had another interesting experience last month when I was called for federal jury duty in Fayetteville. Unfortunately, the days I was called were Monday and Tuesday, our busiest days for newspaper makeup, so I had to hook up and really get with it over the weekend. I wasn't chosen as a juror, but I was an alternate so I had to be present through all the testimony and presentation of evidence. I came home Tuesday evening when the jury began deliberations. I understand I'm on call for 60 days, so there's a possibility I will have to return again between now and the middle of May.
My sister Nancy and I got together a couple of times lately and enjoyed musical presentations at our wonderful Performing Arts Center. The house was almost packed for the Air Force Band of Mid-America concert and the group gave a rousing performance that kept the audience entranced. Then, just last Thursday, we returned for the Sonshine Quartet's 40th anniversary concert. The group's obvious enjoyment in singing together again was conveyed to the crowd and they soon had their listeners clapping and singing along.
We had some stormy weather last Wednesday night, with gusty winds, heavy rain and even a little hail but, fortunately, the tornadoes that were forecast passed us by.
Thursday morning I went with Jim to a home near Southwest City where he put up trim around some new windows he installed recently. I enjoyed our drive through the country where the fields are greening up nicely.
We had a lovely weekend with temperatures in the 60s, both Saturday and Sunday. Jim took me out for breakfast Saturday morning, a treat because we do it so seldom.
That afternoon I drove to Decatur and attended the artists' reception at the art show at the Gallery Cafe. The show featured paintings by a couple of Gravette artists, Mike Kelley and Steven Martinez, and the photography of Decatur resident Rita Furrow.
Sunday afternoon we took a break from watching the NCAA basketball games to drive to Centerton, where Jim was called to do a bid on a job. When we returned, I took advantage of the mild weather to pull some weeds from the strawberry bed (the berries are already blooming) and burn our backyard brush pile. It was nice to get the yard cleared a bit, but the hawk who visits the place occasionally probably won't appreciate my efforts because he liked to perch on the pile of branches. I had a pleasant surprise that evening when Nancy dropped by and brought me a bag of crisp, tangy watercress from the spring on our grandparents' old farm at Highfill.
Susan Holland is a reporter for the Westside Eagle Observer. She may be contacted by email at [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 04/01/2015