I'm dreaming of. . . Christmas lights

When I was a little girl, I desperately wanted Christmas lights on the outside of our house. My parents still live in the big three-story house and have yet to illuminate its peaks and valleys.

It was just too big of a job, my dad explained year after year. Cynical has the same philosophy even though our house is much, much smaller.

I have resigned myself to the fact that we won't have lights hanging from our gutters and lighting our trees and bushes, but that doesn't mean I don't wish for them each and every year.

I think that's why I am so appreciative of all of the other people that brave the cold and ladders to string lights, spending their Saturdays and Sundays creating works of art for us motorists to enjoy.

I think, in fact, that this all lead me to begin our lighting contest here in our little community. It's just a good excuse for me to drive around and look at all of the creations of my fellow light lovers.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here.

As for the weekend in review, it was a busy one, much like those to come I suspect. We began our evening on Friday night with dinner out. On Saturday I ventured out alone to get a little yarn for a few projects I plan to complete over my extended Christmas break. My little yarn run took much longer as I expected as I opted to muster the courage to hit a few spots in Evansville along the way.

I was so excited to get out by myself on Saturday. Sometimes a girl just needs a little road trip alone to clear her head. Add to that spitting snow, a white chocolate mocha and some Christmas tunes and you have the makings of an awesome day out.

That evening we went to Cynical's second job's Christmas party. All dressed up with some place to go, we enjoyed a nice meal, good company and a glimpse at the Christmas lights shown above.

On Sunday I went to a performance of Handel's "Messiah". It's an annual outing for my mother and I. We followed it up with coffee and shopping for some adopted families. I so love shopping for kids.

The evening wrapped up with television as most Sunday nights do. My brothers both believe that too much television "makes you stupid". I fear that I am pretty darned ignorant then!

Knitting update: Finished ribbed scarf for my dad and hat for my brother. So torn over my brother's gift as I fear the color may not be as masculine as I once thought. Here's the quandry: do I give it to him and just hope or make a new one?

Now I am knitting a ribbed scarf for me that will match my coat perfectly. Next on the needles? The poncho and maybe another felted bag as I got a nice stash of Noro while I was shopping on Saturday. Shhhhhh!