You’ll never guess what I am doing >>> a week before Thanksgiving. I am actually putting up our Christmas decorations. (Of course, the graphic probably gives it away…)

In the past, when our children were young, I would never have thought of doing this “fun activity” without their little hands helping me strategically place their favorite ornaments on the tree. Those days are long gone.

My daughter is coming home next week for the Thanksgiving holiday, which is already upon us. I thought that if I gave myself a few days before she is due to come home, I would be finished and have the house back to normal. However, it is taking me more time to get this chore done. (Yes, I’m afraid that I now consider this all a chore to get done!)

Everything seems to be a lot more difficult to do. Either the tree has gotten lower to the floor, or I have gotten a little older! I used to be able to kneel down to arrange the lower branches. (Yes, I have an artificial tree >>> I don’t see the point of cutting down a beautiful pine just so that I can drag it out to the curb at the end of December. Besides, I use the pine scented candle/melts to make the house smell like perhaps the tree could be a real pine… perhaps…)

This marks the first year that I have used a chair to sit on while arranging the limbs and lights at the bottom of the tree. This way I don’t hear my knees making all-too-familiar creaking noises, and hopefully I won’t be sore tomorrow.

It is also taking me more time to go through all of the decorations that both my son and daughter made while they were growing up. I have toilet roll tubes painted up as toy soldiers, little ceramic cups made into pipe-cleaner poinsettia vases, toothpick stars, paper plate doves, pony bead streamers and candy canes, and other home-made and school-made treasures which I reserve to go on the most prominent limbs of our tree.

So, as you probably can guess, it’s not the actual decorating that is taking so much longer this year, it’s the memories that these wonderful heirlooms are triggering in my mind, of the days when decorating our house for Christmas was indeed a fun activity.

I just finished one of my Christmas mystery books, but have decided that since frosted windows and swirling snowflakes are really what I was missing, I’m going to go ahead and make my way through some Snowed-In/Snow Bound mystery books in my TBR bookshelf. There will be plenty of time for my Christmas theme mysteries a little later.

I am currently reading my first of Phoebe Atwood Taylor‘s Asey Mayo mysteries. I know I never read mystery series books out of order… but never say never. As I have never read any of Taylor’s mysteries, you might be surprised to see that  Death Lights a Candle is the second in this particular mystery series. Yes, that’s right! I am breaking one of my own “Rules to Read By” >>> and so far, I am enjoying it. The gathering takes place in a huge estate in Cape Cod, during a blizzard in March. Lots of snow, snow, and more snow.

As for the audible book in my car, I am reading Ellery Queen‘s The Siamese Twin Mystery. The gathering in this book is at a large house, but so far there is no sign of snow, icicles, or one cup of  hot chocolate. But, that’s OK with me>>> I didn’t expect it to be a Snowed-In/Snow Bound mystery.

I would love to know what mysteries (Cozy and not so Cozy) you all are currently reading. Please post a comment if you don’t mind telling us…

It’s that time of year again, when I start hounding my son, daughter, and husband for their Christmas and birthday wish lists. I know it sounds like I am way too early on this particular task, but with all of our birthdays ranging from November to January, this just seems to be the time of year that best suits me – as well as them.

My husband, being the November birthday, was ready for me this year. His list was actually posted by the middle of October. Most of it consists of Kindle books, downloadable music, and a hark-back-to-the-past REAL charcoal barbecue! Yep… the kind we couldn’t wait to get rid of – when we finally could afford a gas barbecue!!! I don’t know if this is simply a case of a Baby Boomer’s nostalgia, or the fact that Peggy and Bobby Hill (from one of our absolute favorite 1/2 hour television shows King of the Hill) finally got to taste a “real” barbecued hamburger while Hank (a propane sales man) was in Austin for Bill’s birthday. Either way, he gets the Baby Boomer look of “better days” just talking about one of these back-to-the-past charcoal barbecues!

As for me, I have finally decided that it is time for me to join the 21st century! I have been on the fence about getting a Kindle since… I guess since they first hit the market. My husband finally convinced me to take a look at his Kindle. Yes, he had to actually convince me! I was so set in my ways >>> I did not want to leave my “real books” and wouldn’t even pay attention to his Kindle until recently… I believe the exact time was when I (again!) complained about trying to read my Mass Market sized “real book” while lying on my side in bed. He pretty much had to beg me to just try his Kindle… fait accompli!

We bought the Kindle Touch, which is not even out yet. Since I’m not big on advertisements, we are paying $40. extra to not get any ads on the device. (I already get way too many ads in my e-mails!) I have to admit that I am pretty excited about getting the Kindle… I am simply tired of little, itty, bitty font.