Enlighten Me

A few minutes ago, before 6 p.m., Carter comments: "Man, it's so dark out it seems like 8 o'clock already." Get used to it, I respond. It'll be this way until March.

Then it sinks in. Yep, it will be like this until March. That bites.

It was strange seeing a full moon rising as the sun was setting on the way home from work. I give it 2 weeks, maybe 3, and it will be dark -- both ways -- on our commute. That really bites!

Of course, the one thing I like about it is that the holiday season is here now. Right? I mean Halloween is over. We've seen snow already. I've made some Christmas cookies, too.

We can talk about it. I'm giving myself -- and you -- permission. So this probably means the next time I go to the store, I'll have to break down and get some eggnog. This also means I need to do some serious gift shopping soon (I do have friends who are mostly done already!) and consider what level of creativity will go into this year's Christmas card.

I'm not thinking about this to get stressed early. I'm thinking about this so maybe I will, for once, do it early! Feel free to be my cyber drill sergeants and keep me on task! I would like a stress-free, shopping-free, plain old cost-FREE December if I could this year. Then I can enjoy it to my heart's content.

Don't freak out. Just because I'm talking about Christmas doesn't mean I'll hang up the lights tomorrow (not until it really is dark at 5 p.m.) or listen to Christmas music. I at least have to wait until the pumpkins go out with the trash!

And they look too good to toss just yet :)