Tag Archives: Christmas lights

Back to Notre Dame

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I just got back from re-settling My Favorite Domer in his dorm at Notre Dame, and I’ve got to say — whew, what a harrowing trip!

Having not traveled over the Thanksgiving holidays for many moons, I’d forgotten how nightmarish traffic can be. It was literally bumper-to-bumper — cars, semis, big SUVs, big manly trucks, people dragging stuff, people moving stuff in U-Hauls, people with stuff stacked atop their vehicles — all flying down the interstates in an effort to get someplace.

Don’t they realize they’re jeopardizing not only other drivers but also themselves??

Topping it off, permacloud was back, this time with a driving rain. So let’s see — we’ve got slick roadways, early darkness, deer cautionary signs, people weaving in and out as they seek to find the “fast lane,” people jamming on brakes so they won’t go careening into the “slowpoke” in front of them, people hungry and tired and angry — gee, sounds like a recipe for disaster to me!

When we got to campus (which, by the way, seemed eerily quiet and vacant!), we noticed a huge evergreen completely covered with tiny white lights outside Hammes Bookstore. It was breath-taking! There’s another one covered with multi-colored lights over near the Basilica. And the individual dorms, not to be outdone, are putting up decorations as well, so it won’t be long before campus will be spectacular.

Rather than just drop MFD off and run, I decided to get a hotel room for the night. I’m glad I did.

It was so much easier traveling early on a Monday morning in clear conditions! And, it gave me another chance to spend some quality time with MFD.

You know, when your kids are little, you think the diapers and colic and nighttime feedings, etc. will never end. Then you blink your eyes, and your kid is off to college. I guess that’s why everybody always told me to enjoy every minute with my son.

I have, and I continue to do so!

Christmas decorating early

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OK, so I succumbed!

I had absolutely no intention of putting out the Christmas decorations this early, but here in the Midwest, we take advantage of mild, pretty days when we get ’em.

Today’s temperature was flirting with the 60-degree mark, the sun was shining, and thankfully, the wind was only a puff, so I dug the Christmas lights from the storage boxes in the garage and decorated a few trees in the front yard.

I know the neighbors thought I’d lost it; shoot, y’all probably agree with them!

Sorry, but I’ve gotten caught more times than I care to admit, waiting until it’s “proper” to decorate — and then having to wrestle a stiff 40 mph gale right out of the North, not to mention having to string lights with mittens on!

No, sir, that’s NOT my idea of fun.

Maybe I spent too much time down South, where folks can pretty much decorate whenever the “spirit” overtakes them. Probably my blood thinned out while I was there, too.

Regardless, me and frigid weather don’t gee haw.

So whoever wants to be “proper” can have at it. Me, I’m finished with this chore and happy as a clam.

Of course, I won’t be turning the lights on until at least after Thanksgiving, just to keep everybody happy (and then I’ll be praying for another pretty day in January so I can get them boxed up again!)