Cold weather

The cold weather has arrived early this year. It reminds me of the stories my dad would tell of Mount hood getting so much snow on the magic mile that they had to plow an opening for the lifts to go up the hill. The season started before Halloween. Two feet at Ski Bowl before Thanksgiving. If only we could ski.

I honestly doubt Riley will ever ski again. We are passed that window of time where you can introduce a sport to your children and have them fall in love with it. What they will remember are those early morning hours. Having to get up at five AM to leave the house just after six to make it to the mountain for the first run before anyone else gets there. No lines, but for the boys, they did not like those early hours.

Trevor may take it up again. He has just gotten so big that I worry if he falls he may really do himself some damage. The bigger they are the harder they fall. Its one reason you need to start early learning to ski. Toddlers only fall two feet when they topple over. Trevor would make a good snow boarder perhaps. Perish the thought.

Today Trevor is out practicing for the Macy's Parade on Friday. Its 23 degrees outside. I stopped by Wilco and bought him the required sweatshirt all in black. I also got him some heavy duty long johns, both top and bottom. I found a knit skull cap and removed the logo so he could wear it under the Santa hat. I tried to find gloves that would not interfere with the musical instruments. I am not sure they will work, but we'll see. Trevor is carrying the crash symbols for percussion. He only hits them rarely.

He is to be at the school at 5:30 am to catch the bus. Tom will drop Trevor on his way to work. I have to work myself. I know one of the other moms who is going. She will take lots of pictures.

Riley is now old enough to get his permit, but he is beginning to shy away from the idea. The weather is a big turn off with the cold and ice. He could be one of the first in his class to get his license. We even have a spare car. Tom says he wants to take Riley out first. Fine with me. but I think it would be better if I took him to a parking lot at one of the schools over this break and had him practice in preparation of his father. He has driven a golf cart and bumper cars. Riley thinks driving the Cadillac will be fun. Tom doesn't drive the Caddy in this weather, so that will have to wait. The Caddy has rear wheel drive.

Tom was excited to get the Christmas tree. the store next door from my work just got their delivery. I texted Tom and told him to get the $30 tree. He has the jeep, which can hold the tree. He comes home Tuesday with the tree.

I am laughing. The boys say "What tree?" . The tree is a table top size. It is maybe three feet. I say its an adorable Charlie Brown tree, but it is nicer than that. Its a Noble but it is so small it looks like just the top of a tree. Tom looks sheepish. He said he couldn't fit any of the bigger ones into the car. I don't know about that. I have been bringing trees home for years, jambed in to the back.

This one even has a nailed on stand. We may have to replace it by Christmas it will be so dried out. Tom loves the convenience of the stand and how quickly it is decorated. I don't have to use half of our decorations as the tree is pint size.

It is somewhat my fault. I have been getting the five to seven foot trees and then setting them up on a coffee table for the illusion of a bigger tree and having lots of room below for presents. Tom's tree fits on a side table. I don't even have to put the table in storage as I need it to put the tree on it for height.

It all looks lovely in the end and it was so easy. The mantle is decorated with artificial garlands and our toy soldiers. The stockings are hung. We haven't even reached Thanksgiving.