Waiting...

Every morning when I open my eyes I look out the window.  Every morning since the beginning of October - or maybe even end of September.  Ever since the trees lost most of their leaves and the sky got that "wintry" look.  Ok, I don't really know if it's a true wintry sky cause I don't actually know what it looks like come December or January.  But it's overcast, grey and dark.  So it must be collecting lots of white fluffy moisture up there, right?

Because every morning I'm checking to see if it snowed. :)  And every morning so far... not yet! :(

Snow reminds me of a new word I'm learning:  "winterize".  Everyone keeps talking about needing to "winterize" their camper or "winterize" their house.  I have yet to find out what it means... I'm just keeping my eyes open going to watch for how people do that!  I thought you just had to turn the heat on! :P

Being officially November now, I'm unashamed to say I listened to Christmas music ALL DAY!

CHRISTMAS TIME'S A COMIN'

Snowflakes falling my old home is calling
Tall pines are humming Christmas time is coming.

Can't you hear them bells ringin' ringin' joy to all here them singin'
When it snows out I'll be going back to my country home
Christmas times a' coming Christmas times a' coming
Christmas times a' coming and I know I'm going home.

Holly's in the window home where the wind blows
Can't walk for running Christmas time is coming.

Home fires burning my heart's yearning
For the folks at home when Christmas time is coming.

This song, sung by Steve & Annie Chapman, was my favorite for many years growing up!  Even into my teens.  You see, I liked it because I liked the words "country home".  Growing up overseas we called Hong Kong "home" and the States "home country".  With a dreamy look in my eyes as I sang along, I thought this song was written for just such a person as me - they just switched the words to make them rhyme better.  And the part "when it snows out" I thought was a phrase like "when the cows come home".  In other words, it would never happen because we lived in the tropics; the way it was very unlikely we would go to our 'home country' for Christmas.  We knew that Christmas for people in America meant going to visit family... for us of course, that was not feasible and this person who wrote the song dreamed - just like me - of the year it would finally come that they would go 'home' for Christmas.

My dream was finally realized when I was 16 and I had my first Christmas (that I could remember) Stateside!  (It was one of the best ever but that's a different story!)  Anyway, somewhere around then I realized that the song really meant COUNTRY home, as in, home out in the country.  It burst my bubble somewhat and I was actually genuinely sad when I found that out.  But even now this particular Christmas song holds a special place in my heart, if only for the memories of being blissfully naive thinking it was written just for me!  And now... I guess it IS written for me - my home's in the country!