My son, out of the blue, started asking, “Where’s my tree house?” Now let me tell you that I fell for this trick already. Earlier this year, he would say, “I miss my fish.” So people would ask me – what happened to Henry’s fish? I said, he never had a fish – he just wants one. So I broke down and bought a little orange tank and two fish (the second for my daughter) and now I’m the sucker who has to clean the tank and remember to feed them. So when he started to ask about a tree house, I said things like, “Why don’t you draw one?” to get me off the hook. Well, he asked Grampa “Where’s my tree house?” and it didn’t take long for Grampa to start building one for the kids. Now they have this cute little loft attached to a shed in Grampa’s backyard. They’d live there if we’d let them. We’re thinking about it…maybe the fish could go, too?

I know that the calendar says summer, but am I supposed to be content with these brief slivers of sunshine? I’ve been cooped up in the office for a week now, planning editorial for two magazines and doing a bit of writing myself. But I’m leaving the computer on Wednesday, rain or shine. I’m going to take a road trip and see what’s new. Stay tuned.

My ARTery has a cozy new home on 36 Maggie’s Lane, right next to the Grantham Village School. Maggie Duford has transformed the top floor of her home into a place for creativity. Three rooms are dedicated to art classes, including a wonderful adult art space that has a loft -like feeling and large windows that provide some great natural lighting. There’s a class for every age group – preschoolers on Tuesday mornings to mom nights once a month to a drop-in class on Fridays (which I might sign up for). And, if you’re looking for some summer fun for the kids, why not try an art camp? You can learn more at www.myartery.com

Here’s my hair story. I don’t like to make haircut appointments. After a haircut, I usually have a good four weeks of great hair (no styling or styling product needed). There’s a really iffy week where my hair doesn’t want to cooperate. If I can tough it out, then I have another great week of hair. But after this week I call for an appointment. Sometimes I can get right in, sometimes I have to wait a week, but either way is fine with me. (Sometimes the one week of great, longer hair does stretch into two weeks.) But if I made a regular appointment, I might miss that week of good hair.

Weird? Probably. But getting a haircut is sometimes an impulse decision, and that’s why most hair dressing shops accept walk-ins. At the Grantham Barbershop, open on Friday and Saturdays, you can walk in and get your haircut. Sometimes you might need to wait 15 minutes for the person in front of you; sometimes you’ll stick your head in and Laura will tell you to come back in an hour. Either way, you’ll be able to take care of that impulse – and get a really great haircut when you need it.

Now this is a GREAT idea. Evans Paintings and The Woodstock Inn in Woodstock, Vt.,  have partnered to offer an oil painting weekend. Arrive Thursday, April 16 (or April 23). Friday morning you’ll learn basic principles from artist and instructor (and Grantham resident), Chip Evans. That afternoon, you’ll start work on your own oil painting, starting with line composition and moving to underpinning, rough color and finish color over the course of a weekend. There’s free time to visit the town of Woodstock as well. The three-night package ($675) includes breakfasts, a cocktail reception on Friday, dinner on Saturday, instruction and art supplies. Learn more at www.woodstockinn.com

Thanks to the Town of Grantham for stuffing candy into hundreds and hundreds of plastic eggs, so kids (age 9 and under) could race around and have some fun finding them. The playground at Grantham Village School was absolutely covered with them – I can’t imagine how long it took them to open the bags of candy, fill the eggs, and spread them out over a large area. (Actually, I can imagine. It took me a half hour to fill about 25 eggs for my kids and I used dimes and nickels this year instead of candy.) My son was completely fascinated with the Easter Bunny (E.B.). Right before this group shot was taken, he was in the center (facing away from the camera) hugging the bunny. Here’s my two, happy as clams with their loot. Happy Easter!

I know I just wrote about note cards in the spring issue, but I keep finding more great ones! (I’m a writer, so OF COURSE I’m going to like notecards. Give me a break.) The Grantham Historical Society is selling eight-packs of note cards with envelopes. A pen and ink drawing of the historical society building (the old schoolhouse) is on the front, the inside is blank. It’s a good deal at $8 a package, and your proceeds support GHS. Stop by on Friday afternoons, between 1 and 4 p.m., to pick up a set of our own. These are mine.