Is this heaven? No, it's Iowa

Spring finally came to Iowa this weekend. All the better that it was an uncommonly unscheduled weekend in my household. In January, when I question why I live here, I need to remember days like these. Years ago, when I couldn't cope with the monotony of gorgeous day after gorgeous day in Southern California, this is why.

With no work conflicts or little league baseball games scheduled, I was able to get a 39-mile bike ride in with members of my RAGBRAI team. I mowed the lawn, swept out the garage, set up the gazebo-screenhouse type structure, planted some tomatoes and grilled like a madman. Saturday night brought the first bonfire of 2007. My farmer's tan is well on its way, and it's not even May (not to mention I'm not even a farmer).

I wish I had gone full Monty into this spring-is-sprung weekend, but I did keep track of the NFL draft, particularly as it was mis-managed by the Green Bay Packers. But why go there? That would only spoil the mood.