Jason Robie: Play ball

I love springtime. Not just because we can stop shoveling snow or head out the door without dressing like the Michelin man. I love spring for reasons too many to count. The smell of grass growing and flowers blooming, the longer days and warmer afternoons and, in general, the increased number of smiles you meet on the street and around the office. It is also the start of another baseball season. I am a big Sox fan and am excited to get to my first game this year in a couple of weeks. The anticipation of an exciting run at the playoffs and some priceless lazy summer afternoons listening to the boys working their magic on the diamond is hard to beat.

If you are lucky enough to have recently purchased or moved into a new home, you are likely experiencing the same wide-eyed optimism. When I spent the first night in my newly built home, mattress on the floor of the bedroom, living room floor only 20 percent complete, no tile in the bathrooms, I was giddy with excitement and anticipation. The smells of the construction were still lingering in the air. Every noise, creek and settling pop stirred me from sleep and caused countless inspection trips around the house to locate the cause. This new adventure and new chapter in my life were going to be great.