Dec 27, 2017 3 min read

As you’re reading this, I imagine you’re bundled up in your warm, fluffy bathrobe or flannel pajamas sipping on hot morning coffee, since many folks are on a holiday vacation this week. It’s certainly looking and feeling like winter outside now, and the season officially arrived Dec. 21.

The temperature was changeable this fall, making wardrobe choices difficult. Trees seemed to hold on to their foliage later than normal, as well. I mulched leaves as they fell and kept looking at one tree that was holding out on dropping them. I just knew it would fiddle around and wait until winter when it got cold. When they finally fell and blew into a flower bed, it was cold and rainy. I considered letting them rot into muck. But when the first afternoon of winter brought sunshine and tolerable temperatures, I grabbed the rake and stuffed them into the trash can.

When I found a hidden stash of leaves behind the shed, I was too tired (or lazy) and cold to try to bag them. Only then did I remember a neighbor telling me we could now rake them to the curb and crews would come around and suck them up with a vacuum. I checked with the powers that be and confirmed that, yes indeed, some nice street department employee will come by with the vacuum truck and suck up the leaves.

I cheerfully raked the last small pile to the street then stared at them. Would anyone vacuum them up over the holidays or would they just blow back into the yard? By now, they’re covered in snow. Hopefully the crews will get to them after New Year’s, or perhaps the plow trucks with get them. Next year, I plan to use my leaf blower to push all of the leaves to the curb and hopefully won’t have to rake or mulch very much.

On another note, a mystery has been solved. I have been searching for a missing plastic storage tote containing Christmas tree ornaments and decorations from my old place. I thought it was in my storage unit, but we emptied that a few months ago and, after searching high and low, I still couldn’t find it. I had scoured the attic, shed, garage, closets and entire house to no avail. When I opened the shed to get the rake last week, I looked around one last time and noticed a plastic storage tote way at the top of the shelves, buried under an old metal cooler. I climbed the ladder and popped it open to find my missing Christmas ornaments and tree skirt. I started laughing, making a mental note to remember where they are for next year. I was way too tired to redecorate the Christmas tree.

Have a Happy New Year!

Kristin Emery can be reached at kristinemery1@yahoo.com.