We started to get our Xmas on over the weekend. Got the tinsel trees and decorations out of storage. Bought some pine garland from the farmer's market in Raleigh. Sarah got the lights up on the big white tree on the porch -- we discovered that we'd bought a bunch of LED lights in last year's post-holiday sales so now we can be festive with a lower electric bill. Alas, I didn't get the last few strings of outdoor lights set up and now we're having unseasonably mild weather. It's hard to focus on Xmas lights when it's 75 degrees outside. I know, I know... that's normal temps for places like California or Florida. But here in NC I've come to expect a more above-tropical ambience in the runup to Xmas.



Such is life...