It’s another spring-like day. The temperature will reach 50° or even higher. Having two days in a row of such warm weather almost makes me giddy, but I know it’s still winter and it could snow next week. I’m guessing these last two days were just Mother Nature’s way of saying hang in a little longer spring is on its way.

I’m stuck in my house for a bit. The front steps are being made higher and the concrete has just been laid. I’m having the work done because the top step is nearly a foot lower than the front doorstep, and that’s a long way for older knees to span. Watching the work is a bit of an attraction so Gracie and I wander to the front door periodically to see how much progress is being made. It’s not exactly an exciting day.

I have lived in small towns in Massachusetts my whole life. No one exciting ever came to my town when I was little, but I did meet one of my TV heroes. It was on July 4th when I met Big Brother Bob Emery. We, what seemed like a million kids and I, were in a bandstand crowded around him. I was right behind him at first, and I remember a bug was on his neck. The bug was green. Bob Emery was the host of The Big Brother show on one of our local channels. Kids were small fry to him. His opening song was The Grass is Always Greener in the Other Fellow’s Yard and he accompanied himself on a ukulele. I never understood that song when I was little. He lost me around the line, “Little rows we have to hoe.” My strongest memory is running to the kitchen every day to get my glass of milk because in the middle of the show we raised our milk glasses and toasted President Eisenhower while Hail to the Chief played. The President’s picture was on Big Brother’s wall. I don’t remember the end song and I don’t remember anything about the program itself but I can still sing The Grass Is Always Greener in the Other Fellow’s Yard, and now I understand.