Aaah, spring

When our chilly winter finally broke, we were ever so grateful to say hello to spring. And even though the days may not always be quite as warm as we'd like, we're happy to see spring. It means we're out on our bikes,

and the flowers are blooming (photo at Regents Park, London),

and it means pitchers of Pimms have appeared in the pubs.

Since 1993, spring has meant Texas Aggie Muster for me, and I attended the London A&M Muster this year to honor my dear grad school classmate, who died in September of breast cancer.

We'll remember this spring as the Other Time the skies were silent, this time due to a volcano.

I always love spring. The colors, the crisp air, the ... I don't know, newness of it all. Our original 3-year work permits expired in February. You know what? We got new ones. Because for all its history, England is still all new to us.