My Christmas has changed so drastically this year I’m having a difficult time wrapping my brain around it and getting my butt into gear. Previously, at this time, I’ve already decorated my house indoors and outdoors, cleaned the house, have all my presents wrapped and ready under the tree, planned Christmas Day since I usually host my family and have my parents plus a few other family members stay with me. Ok, so I’m pretty stressed but it’s always in a good or fun way. I enjoyed having 25 to 35 family members to my house for Christmas Day.

This year all I have to do is get myself to Minnesota with enough time for my nephew/godson & I to make our Christmas project for his parents. Course, I left it to almost the last minute. He’s fourteen now and the little craft projects that are cutesy for a middle school child just don’t quite seem to fit the bill this year. So, I thought up this original project and subsequently spent an inordinant amount of time at Lowes the last couple days. I think I finally got things figured out and hope this works. If it turns out cute and nice I’ll post a pic after Christmas, if it’s a bomb well you won’t see it.

Then, my Mother calls and thinks of something she’d like me to pick up at Publix. See, in Minnesota there are no Publix. It’s a toothpaste and the difference isn’t in the brand but in the size. She can only get a 4.5 oz. size vs. Publix carries 6.something oz. How many does she want? Oh, pick up 20. So, I go to my first Publix today. They only have 3. The manager says, I’ll have more on Wed. But, I’m leaving vewwwy early Wed. morning so that won’t work. I then proceed to the next Publix in Cool Springs. BIG MISTAKE. OMG! Holiday traffic hell. This is exactly the situation I try to avoid at all costs. Some people get claustrophia in caves or elevators, I get claustrophic in Christmas holiday traffic. Move, move, get the hell out of it. Whew. Finally, I get to the interstate. Guess Mom will have to do with the 3 I got.

I have an inkling by the time I get my Explorer packed it’s going be to filled to the top. I keep thinking, oh, I should bring this. I’m thinking about being ready for winter. Not the southern winter, but REAL winter. You know, temps in the sub zero ranges. Get my Nanook coat out of the closet. I saved it just for visits to Minnesota at Christmas. Then there’s the extension cord to plug into the block heater for the vehicle and also my extension brush for clearing snow off of the vehicle. The list seems endless. Life just is more work in a frigid environment. I like the cold of Tennessee, it’s a wimpy winter but then, that’s why I moved.

Personally, I would rather do the 1,000 mile drive in one day. Don’t ask me to explain my compulsion about making the drive in one day. I can’t explain it. But, what unnerves me is the thought of driving I90/94 through Wisconsin at dusk/early evening when the deer really like to congregate along the interstate. It’s like their time to Partee`. Unless you have driven this road you have no idea how many deer there are. So, the weather looks pretty good and I think I can make it in one day for this time of year. I have no problem when it’s during the spring, summer or early fall but once the DARKNESS encroaches I get spooked. On the positive side, I’ve got 3 audio books to listen to, Tommy Franks book, Rick Atkensons book and David McCulloughs “John Adams”. That oughta last me awhile when I can’t get anything on the radio (which is about half of the trip) and I get sick of listening to music.

Thanks for listening to my travel and holiday rants.