Need to get in the Christmas spirit?

We plan to haul out our Christmas decor this weekend but in the meantime, I needed something to get me in the mood to decorate. Thank goodness for YouTube! I found these to be quite the inspiration! (Although I have to remember that Paul has that electrical engineer/PLC background that could lead to something similar - heee! highly doubtful though, the HOA wouldn't like it and energy to run it is too $$ for all that)



And 1 more

Fall in the 'burbs

I think we can say that fall has officially arrived. We had a couple of hard frosts, all our garden plants have been pruned/cleared and we've had to turn the heat on. But I think the tree color changes really prove it - check them out:

View from the front door


View from the laundry room


On my drive to work last week - we actually had some rain! (the following pictures I did take while driving with the monster Sony camera - very, very carefully)


It cleared up by the time I headed home




In the 'hood



On Saturday, we took a little hike to Blue Jay Point County Park. We wanted to see some fall colors and the level of the lake. Let's just say that Falls Lake looks really, really low. We even saw one boat stuck on a 'sandbar.'







Paul surveying the low lake level


A bridge & choice of paths


Lots of color in the trees




Driving back on Highway 98 - looking at the really low lake

Ouch! (gas prices)

Hello high gas prices! Just 2 weeks ago I was able to find gas for $2.63/gal (well, for regular any way). Today I needed to fill up my Subie and man, did I have some sticker shock!

At BJ's, with my membership card, it was $3.15/gal (for premium) and $2.98 for regular. Without the card, $3.06 and $3.25! Further down the road, gas prices were well above the $3 mark. Geeeeeeeeeez. It's not even close to Thanksgiving yet - when more people travel by car than any other day of the year. I shutter to think of what prices will be then...

The City of Raleigh has a sense of humor

I made a quick visit to the City of Raleigh's website this morning to check on something and came across the following picture on the front page:



It made me laugh a little. It's a tiny bit funny, I think. Well, it does completely suck that we're in a crazy drought.