AUSTIN, Texas, Mar. 9, 2006 — Spring is a favorite of mine. Oh, I never much liked the urge to clean or anything. But all the blooming and the bright cool days usually make me feel great.

Spring is weird this year, though. Winter never came here in Austin. Unless you count that one day in December when things actually froze for about fifteen minutes. It's been too hot all winter and it's too hot now for early March.

And we are in a long drought. When a thunderstorm comes (a spring in Texas thing) we wonder (1) will it bring any significant rain? and (2) will the lightning ignite yet another grass fire?

Oh, there are some of the usual joys, of

course.

The Redbud Trees are really lovely. The Mountain Laurels are drooping with bunches of purple blooms and smelling like Grapette. (To add to my depression, Grapette isn't something that I alone, elderly connoisseur of ancient sweet things, can explain to you or remind you of. No. My goodsearch reveals that it is something you can buy today but exclusively at Wal-Mart.) The Mountain Laurels were a double disappointment this year...because I really think they set off some allergies that have caused me to both declare a sick day about a week and a half ago and to have a runny nose off and on for a while.

Oh, yeah, the red tips are popping on the photinea, azaleas (which don't belong here but are still planted by replacing the soil) are blooming, winter bulbs are still nice. All but the latest trees are budding. And the live oaks are shedding one set of leaves with vigor. But somehow it hasn't given me the solace that spring renewal should.

I used to never tire of spring. I hated to see it turn into a May flood and then a hot, dry unrelenting summer, of course. But I still reveled in the renewal of it all. But this March we are already running our air conditioners. Heck the main renewal we've had was having to fix the fan on on of our AC units already. And we wonder if our usual May rains are a pipe dream and if the lakes will remain dotted with islands that had disappeared for some seasons. Not that we go to the lake. We aren't lake types. Still...I feel for people with boats running aground on unexpected obstacles.

Even the springs I doted on always held the looming April 15 (and March 15 for the business). Taxes. Oh, sure I'm glad to pay them. Yeah, right. But what is most depressing is trying to get all the stuff together and get it right.

And last spring held an awful surprise...I had to struggle for weeks getting Dad help with his back troubles and other attendant difficulties. Sitting inside hospitals worrying over someone you love will spoil one's spring.

Is there anything to redeem Spring 2006? Well, maybe. FFP has attacked the spring cleaning thing, going through business stuff for clients he gave up for his 'retirement.' My dad seems to be doing all right. And tomorrow is the beginning of SXSW film festival. So I'll be in dark theaters craving some sunlight for the next eight days. That should put the proper spin on things.