March - Back to Basics

March is one of those edge months, which makes it a challenge. Last night it rained two inches on top of three feet of existing snow.

This morning my wife and I were out in the slop, trying to channel the water away from the house and down the hill. We both got soaked, and we both agreed it was a lot of fun.

As a homeowner of a number of houses over the years, I have come to realize that the bulk of money and effort invested in a house goes into those things you don't always see: drainage, roofs, foundation work, and the like.

It would have been nice to have spent more of our funds on those things you can see - and show off. But this was not to be.

We've had to tend to the basics. Soggy March reminds us of that. It's a grounding process, a refocusing on the fundamentals.

It's not unlike nutrition. Renewing one's focus on the diet, on the whole foods that really shore up and sustain the body, is, like moving water in March, worth the effort.