Don't give me that "April showers" stuff, this has been going on since mid March. And it's cold. High tide in the rain at the river this morning, pilings all but invisible. Five brant geese who'd be gone by now if they could put together two clear days in a row, one for practicing, the next for taking off. Daffodils in the little park finally gave up and bloomed, both the big white ones with yellow centers and the smaller yellow ones with orange centers. The tulips, though, are still fighting it. Three are open, a crimson patch in the gray, but the others are holding out for sunshine. I can't say I blame them.

Me, I'd be much crabbier ("You could be crabbier?" I hear you say) but everyone I know in Italy seems to have had no damage from the earthquake, so I'm relieved. I know that's petty, and I do feel bad for the people in L'Aquila and other places where people died and ancient buildings fell. But we all get that way, don't we? My friends are okay, and I feel better.