Although I am a huge fan, this title doesn’t refer to the college basketball tournament. This year, some of my top teams were out early but Buffalo, my husband’s alma mater, and UC Irvine made it further than expected. It was very exciting until yesterday when they both lost.
March is always my crazy emotional month. It’s like the mix of winter and spring, the rain and the wildflowers. It’s a time of special remembrance, of sadness and of new beginnings. My dad died on a March morning when I was a senior in high school. Charley passed two years ago this month but Elbee and Gus celebrated March birthdays.
ELBEE I’m afraid to see where this is going.
There were so many ups and downs this month. First we had the bees and our land line was out. Then my cell phone went rogue. It didn’t just break. It locked, never to be opened again, taking everything with it except about 400 text messages. Go figure.
I bought a new phone and two new chargers. I say two because Stanley has a thing for chargers. He chewed the first one. Speaking of Stanley, we had him neutered this month.
ELBEE Is nothing off limits? And let me add, you should see her trying to figure out the new phone! Talk about sad.
Dropping Stanley off for surgery was as stressful as if it was one of the daughters. 
He has become such a huge presence in the house that it was strangely quiet with him gone overnight. His namesake, my late brother, was also a huge presence. His birthday was March 3rd so this time of year I miss his generous laugh more than ever.
There was only one problem with Stanley’s recovery…the protective collar he had to wear. It’s like a satellite dish. He bumped into everyone and everything in the house. I’m happy to report that, although the husband and I have a few left over bruises, he’s doing great.
This March there was an also an unexpected gift from nature that really lifted my spirits. Millions of orange, painted lady butterflies were migrating from the deserts near the Mexican border to the Pacific Northwest.
They were everywhere for days, in the mountains, on the streets. Sometimes there seemed to be clouds of butterflies overhead. At other times they would flutter around randomly. They were so peaceful and beautiful. Everyone was transfixed. Strangers were actually talking to each other about them.
I found these photos on line. I would have shared the fabulous ones I took but remember my cell phone ate them.
ELBEE Trust me, these are better.
