winter is over!

technically its not over for 5 weeks but i think we may have passed the worst of it (at least for a week or so.....). it's been staying in the double digits overnite (it even stayed above 15C for most of last nite!). we haven't used the central heating (or the fan heater) in over 24 hrs for the first time in a couple months!! i've been riding to work without a jacket and only wearing 2 or 3 layers a day (and no gloves or scarf most of the time!). wombat has been able to stay outside during the day (although she did protest against that one day-- flying down the side of the house when i left the gate open for a minute, going to the front door and standing with her nose in the crack waiting for me to let her in and not drag her back down the side of the house). it would be good if we kept getting rain (which we had this morning for 20 min for the first time in 5 days) cuz we really need it. its soooo much nicer when its not 2C overnite and grey and cold all day. a few more weeks and i can start planting my garden again (and hopefully the peas that have been growing all winter will start flowering).