Breakup

I have a bit of a love hate relationship with spring in Alaska. It is also called breakup, presumably because the ice finally starts to break up. I'm smart like that and I can put two and two together. I didn't even bother to google it this time. I'm sure someone will tell me if I'm wrong.

So while I love the fact that the snow is finally going away and warmer weather is here, I hate the mud. I am so tired of muddy yards, muddy dogs, muddy boots, muddy children and the subsequent vacuuming, sweeping, and mopping. Because we all know how much I love housework to begin with. 

The mud hangs around for a while up here while the melting snow tries to find a place to go. Permafrost creates a nice barrier and it just kind of sits on top for a bit while the water tries to find a place to drain. We learned this last spring when we buried the truck in the yard, not once, but twice while trying to do some yard work. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, well, let's just not go there. The first time a kind neighbor pulled us out, the second time involved a tow truck and a lot of shame. At least it was in the back yard so the neighbors couldn't see our truck stuck in mud up to the wheel wells. I'm pretty sure they saw the fleet of tow trucks that came to haul us out though. You know it's bad when more than one shows up.

Not everything about the mud is bad though. The boys have been having a great time on their four wheelers. Heck, I've been having a great time on the four wheelers too. 

This is the backyard. This is what happens when you let a little boy with a new toy go riding around back there. Then DH decided to plow the yard because he wants to level it so we can finally plant some grass come June. It's much easier to move earth around when it's all soupy and muddy. I guess I get that, but all I know is that it has become one colossal mess of a mud pit.

 Don't even get me started on the amount of dog hair that is piling behind bookcases and under chairs because of the warmer weather. Why does one more dog equal ten times more hair? Something is wrong with that equation.