Sunday, November 27, 2005

Tis the Season

The fact that I now live in Orlando Florida and not Philadelphia Pennsylvania hit me pretty hard this weekend.

I watched the neighbors across the street putting up their Christmas tree. I watched our next door neighbors string their lights over the peak of their garage. I watched them inflate a giant Santa suited Snowman while Christmas music was blaring from their sound system. I listened to them humming Little Drummer boy as they staked plastic presents into their front yard.

How did I witness all this? Because it is 4 weeks until Christmas. It was 79 degrees.

And I was cutting my grass.

I.
Was cutting.
My Grass.
4 weeks before Christmas.
In 79 degree weather.
Listening to "Joy To The World".

I am having a hard time wrapping my brain around this right now.

20 comments:

kimmyk said...

LOL, when we lived in Georgia it was the same. Crazy ass people gearin up for winter putting chains around their tires anticipating that ONE day when it would snow and everything would close...only to have the snow disappear by noon and just in time to hit the pool when it opened. INSANE!

I hate living in Ohio, but I will say it's nice to see snow on Christmas morning. (that's the only time too!)

Maybe if/when you go home for the holidays-Max will get to see and play in snow.

Anonymous said...

This story is a tear-jerker for me. It fills my heart with joy. Not all the Christmas stuff, but the fact that you were cutting your grass. I wish I could be cutting my grass at Christmas time.

Anonymous said...

Oh man I totally understand and can relate. Though I had such a great time putting up our tree this past weekend and decorating, I was bummed when I started thinking ahead 4 weeks. Started thinking ahead to a "GREEN" Christmas. I used to live outside of Erie, PA, and now I live outside of Charlotte, NC, and listening to Christmas Music and Opening Presents, and the Roaring Fire, and the whole Christmas experience, it all just seems too non-christmasy.

- Jon
- www.daddydetective.com

Anonymous said...

My strategy is to ignore the temp outside; just crank up the a/c inside and wear sweaters, drink cocoa, play the holiday music-- you get almost the same effect (until you realize you have to run to the store and you go outside and are greeted by a blast of 80 degree air).

Effie said...

Teehee--I was thinking of you when I was shoveling the front walk of snow this weekend "I wonder how Bill, Lauren and Max are handling the lack of snow...."

Love the end of the letter "Make sure I have lots of presents"

Unknown said...

Oh, but just wait -- I visited Florida (from Illinois) one year on Christmas. It. was. LOVELY.

Lois Lane said...

Looks like you guys had a great turkey day! I wish I could cut my grass and listen to Christmas music. Instead I'm freezing and doing the teeth chattering thing while watching the sleet hit my window. Stoopid Chicago!
Lois Lane

Anonymous said...

Hee, this amuses me.

eclectic said...

I am SO with you on that one, Bill. When we lived in Lake Mary, the holidays never felt like Christmas. There's just something wrong about having to prune flowers in your yard and sprinkle Dursban on the ants' nests on Christmas Eve.

Hope the season overcomes the weather and you're able to truly enjoy Christmas even without the snow.

Unknown said...

Oh wow, man. That's tough. I don't know what I'd do in your sit. I live in N.E. and we had 4 inches of snow for Turkey day. No mow, leaf blow... quick before the snow!

Charlotte in Pa said...

But dude... you could GO SEE MICKEY MOUSE! And really... Disney at Christmas? THE BEST! I hope you find some Christmas joy. Just think - if you were in Philadelphia (I live just outside), you'd be wishing you were somewhere warm. The grass is always greener, and all that crap. Oops... did I mention grass? Sorry!

Anonymous said...

I'm with you, 9 years in California and I expereinced the same every Christmas. I saw a picture A guy sent of him in his shorts and tee, cutting the grass,and a note 83 degrees Jan 23rd. His buddies returned a picture of them in front of a roaring fire, drinking hot toddies and a note - 12 degrees Feb 19th

It's perspective - maybe you can get an inflatable Santa in a swim suit!

Kami said...

LMAO!

Cat said...

Good LORD! Forget the grass mowing, what I want to know is who's gonna start the petition against your neighborhood Yuletide Overdecorator?! I mean, sure, candles in the windows are pretty, and a little holly and mistletoe never hurt anyone, right?

But there is a line, people! And that line falls somewhere between, oh, the third string of blinking Christmas lights you place on the peak of your garage, and the life-sized, mechanical, Santa-suited Snowman waving to passing motorists from your neighbor's plastic-present-dotted lawn!

Unless, of course, YOU have ten mechanical reindeer grazing on your lawn as Joy to The World plays on continuous loop from the speakers hooked up over your garage door. In that case, never mind.

Christopher Trottier said...

Now that is funny.

Tammy said...

Welcome to the south, my friend.

Unknown said...

You aint kiddin'! I live in the valley in Oregon, and it never snows here. And the grass is never dormant. Mow, mow, mow, in leu of ho ho ho. Have a good one.

Seeker said...

Jeez, thanx for the encouragement... I live in Chicago: the armpit of winter weather.
I can relate to your tropical Christmas, though, having spent many years in Brazil where summer break runs December through February, and the 4th of July is in the middle of winter.
Never quite got used to Christmas on the beach.

TheStolenOlive said...

Welcome to the South.

Try waterskiing on Christmas Day in Lake Waco (Tx). We used to do it every year until my grandfather sold the boat.

Unknown said...

I DO live in Philadelphia Pa and my grass needs cutting, but it's too cold to do it. Why does it need cutting? Because it's been so freakin' warm up until now that it didn't stop growing when it was supposed ot.