Cellar Scribblings

[serious crayons]

Not for me however, I start putting away Christmas decoration sometimes after Epiphany and stretch it out till the end of January. I love my extra lights way too much

Here in Denver the tradition is to keep your Christmas decorations and lights going until the end of the annual Stock Show and Rodeo. This year it ends on January 23.

My tradition has been to buy trees a week or so before Christmas -- so close that last year I got a big Frasier Fir for free because they were shutting down the lot. But then I leave it up at least through January. A Minnesota winter needs as many cheery lights as it can get!

I didn't get a tree this year. My building doesn't allow them and I don't like artificial ones, so I was either going to get a real, life one like a Norfolk Island pine or smuggle in a small real but dead one. Or possibly look for one of those vintate shiny metal ones, which I do like. However, my apartment was still a mess with my son's stuff and then people got COVID and ...

Next year, hopefully. Next year I'll put lights on my balcony, too, the way I used to put lights on the tree and bushes in front of my house.

[Jeff Wrangler]

My tradition has been to buy trees a week or so before Christmas -- so close that last year I got a big Frasier Fir for free because they were shutting down the lot. But then I leave it up at least through January. A Minnesota winter needs as many cheery lights as it can get!

I didn't get a tree this year. My building doesn't allow them and I don't like artificial ones, so I was either going to get a real, life one like a Norfolk Island pine or smuggle in a small real but dead one. Or possibly look for one of those vintate shiny metal ones, which I do like. However, my apartment was still a mess with my son's stuff and then people got COVID and ...

Next year, hopefully. Next year I'll put lights on my balcony, too, the way I used to put lights on the tree and bushes in front of my house.

Nowadays they make shiny trees you can use lights on. I have a 2-ft. tree that actually came with lights on it.

I was shocked to discover that I apparently have had it for ten years already. I found a photo of it in a box of prints labeled "Christmas 2011."  (     )

[CellarDweller]

Hiya BetterMost friends!!!!

I hope everyone is doing well!

I have slayed the Monster, and the report is now done with for another month. 

My intent was to work at the office today.  When I woke, it was dry outside.  I took my shower, got dressed, had breakfast, got online for a bit, and then went to leave for work at about 7am.  Much to my surprise, the weather took a turn and we had freezing rain. 

I warmed up the car and cleaned the windows, and then decided to work from mom and dad's place (a 5 minute drive with no hills) rather than a long slow drive to my office with a few different hills.

On the way, the radio was saying that a few major roads were treacherous and advising people to stay home.

So far, the day has been quiet, I'm always thankful when that happens.

[Front-Ranger]

It's great that we have options now!

I was thinking back to winter days when it took 3 hours to get to the office. And 3 hours to get home!

[CellarDweller]

Hiya BetterMost friends!!!!

I hope everyone is doing well!

We are under a weather emergency here in NJ.  They are predicting 3 - 6 inches of snow overnight into tomorrow.   

I will be working from the apartment instead of the office or my mom and dad's place.  This works for me, as I can use down time to take down the Christmas stuff.   Today is typically the last day to have them up, with it being "Little Christmas" or The Epiphany.   I have the lights turned on as I type this, for one last night of enjoyment.

[serious crayons]

It's great that we have options now!

I was thinking back to winter days when it took 3 hours to get to the office. And 3 hours to get home!

So on top of a 40-hour week you were commuting 30? Wow!

My commute (plus parking in a ramp, walking a few blocks to the building, going up the elevator etc.) was an hour round trip. SO glad not to have to do that these days! Especially when today's high was 1 degree F. I SO hated going back into the parking ramp after work in the freezing pitch dark.

Today I had to leave the building and arrive to a school, about 40 minutes each way. Freezing but sunny, my car heats up nicely, so the drive wasn't bad.

 

[Jeff Wrangler]

Today I had to leave the building and arrive to a school, about 40 minutes each way.

I understand this is becoming common usage--the language evolves and all that, so, please, let's not go there again--but whenever this comes across my desk, I edit it to "in" or "at," as seems appropriate. Same deal with "arrival to"; I see that fairly often.

I'm classifying this with using an apostrophe to make something plural. I see that, too. Just yesterday, I saw it in an article attributed to CNN. In this case it was a proper name, "the Sutherland's." 

In my work, if the editors don't like it, they can change it back. (I used plural here because almost but not all the editors are cis-female.)

[serious crayons]

I understand this is becoming common usage--the language evolves and all that, so, please, let's not go there again--but whenever this comes across my desk, I edit it to "in" or "at," as seems appropriate. Same deal with "arrival to"; I see that fairly often.

Oh no, you could feel free to edit mine! It was a mistake -- I would say "arrive at" as well. I must have reworded the sentence and forgot to change it; maybe I started with "drive to."

I'm not sure I've come across "arrive to" myself, even as common usage. And while I am often a proponent of letting language evolve with common usage, I have my own b?tes noires about common usage, such as the use of literally to describe something that's not literal but figurative.

Except maybe as in, "I leave work, go home and arrive to find the house a mess."

[Jeff Wrangler]

Oh no, you could feel free to edit mine! It was a mistake -- I would say "arrive at" as well. I must have reworded the sentence and forgot to change it; maybe I started with "drive to."

I'm not sure I've come across "arrive to" myself, even as common usage. And while I am often a proponent of letting language evolve with common usage, I have my own b?tes noires about common usage, such as the use of literally to describe something that's not literal but figurative.

Except maybe as in, "I leave work, go home and arrive to find the house a mess."

I see a lot of "arrival to" at work, as in "arrival to the emergency department."

I found something on line about using arrive in a sentence, but unfortunately the link is on my work laptop, so I can't post it here right now. I do remember, however, that "arrive to find the house a mess" is perfectly OK because in this case arrive doesn't refer to a place.

[CellarDweller]

Hiya BetterMost friends!!!!

I hope everyone is doing well!

I worked from home on Friday, in my apartment rather than my parents' place.  We didn't get the full 6 inches.  I believe we got more about 4.  It was light and fluffy, very easy to clean off car and surrounding area.

One benefit of working at the apartment was that I was able to get all of the Christmas stuff taken down and packed away.  I was done with that by 3:00 or so on Friday, so I was able to relax this weekend, since everything is done.

Laundry day tomorrow, while I'm at mom and dad's place.

Other than that, not much is going on.