The light of freedom, sweet freedom

Last night, I was so freaking tired that I wrote the title here, then decided I couldn't do it, closed my eyes and went to sleep. I had worked really late trying to finish up some stuff I had committed to getting done before vacation and, if I didn't want to go in to work today, I felt I needed to stay and bang it out. The end result was worth it, because I am now free of responsibility until January 3rd. Wahoo!

Today didn't quite go as planned due to a minor family emergency, but it beat the 9 to 5 grind, that's for sure. And, with one final purchase late in the day, I completed my Christmas shopping. Wa-double-hoo!

Once back home, I had a chance to watch a show I had recorded on TiVo a few days ago from HGTV called Outta Control Christmas. If that's a channel you get, and you like Christmas lights and displays, this is the show for you; there's one more showing scheduled for Christmas day.

Usually, each year we make an effort to drive around and check out the lights in our area, sometimes planned, sometimes unplanned (and swervy) as someone catches a glimpse of glimmering lights as we're headed somewhere. But I have never, ever, seen anything like the stuff in this show.

I think one of the most impressive is done by a guy in Salt Lake City and he calls it Christmas Utah. If you don't get HGTV or you're just not into watching (it is a little corny at times), at least go click on the link and check out the photos for the 2004 display. The Harley-riding Santa is too cool, though it's better "in motion." This guy is good.

My least favorite is early in the show, and it's a guy who calls himself the King of Holiday Inflatables. I had actually visited the Web site earlier in the season and I, frankly, wasn't all that impressed then either. There's just something creepy about a yard filled with nylon like that. The pyramid of snowmen is pretty creative, though. But you have to wonder if, when all those SpongeBob inflatables started disappearing last month, whether the local constabulary decided to take a cruise past this guy's house first.

This is the first year since we moved back out to California that we were really able to decorate our house outdoors. We could before, but because we lived in the back half of a duplex, it really wasn't worth it because we had only a small area to work with and pretty much no one but us could see it. Because I was sick, we didn't get things up here as early as we would have liked, but we did get out there and get some decorating done before it was too late.

But, oh, the ideas I now have for next year! I may to have to start a fund now to pay for the extra electricity I think we may be needing next December...