Happy New Year 2011 - Saturday Writing Essential

Giant huckleberry drop? Why not!

Nere, in good old Sangamon, my friends and I are settling in, for the long-haul, of winters fury. I find it ironic that a cold front, which sent us back into a winter "deep-freeze" actually held off, until 11:00 last night. Something new, though. It seems that our "First Night" celebration which, for YEARS, has had a climax with fireworks, at the stroke of midnight, Central Time, changed this practice, due to parents complaints. Simply put, parents did not want to have to keep children up, until midnight, to see fireworks. For "First Night", though, early firing was not a problem, since sunset is around 4:45 p.m.. a 6 p.m. shooting had more than enough dark sky, to light up. Now that New Years DAY is here, most people I know are sleeping in, after a hard night of "celebrating". Now, we begin the "long-haul", of cold days, and early sun-sets, as we, slowly, work our way towards spring. To my neighbors, and myself, neither Martin Luther King day, nor Valentines day, mean much, at all, with the winter "days" beginning as late as 9:00 a.m. (when we actually SEE the sun), and being over with just a few hours later.

And here is something funny, which, I hope, will bring a smile, to peoples faces.

Some of my neighbors have a wonderfully funny habit, when it comes to the seasons.

When the ice cold, of winter, hits town, these people say that, if a person likes the winter, they had better enjoy it, while they can since summer is "just around the corner".

In the heat of summer, these same people are, often, heard saying that, if a person likes the warmth of summer, the person had better enjoy it, while they can since winter is "just around the corner".

If I could find any personal fault, with January, it would be the snow, and ice. Since many local businesses do not clear their public walkways, of snow, or ice, I have, already, gone "dancing", in front of one store. By "dancing", I mean hitting a patch of ice which sends my bicycle sailing out, from under me, and both of us end up on the ground, for a moment. Me, to catch my breath, and my bike waiting for me to re-mount it. I am lucky, though, since I, usually, "dance" only once, or twice, each winter.

This is what I "love" about the month of January. Freezing temperatures, blizzards, and plenty of ice. That, and the intense "cabin fever" that people get, when everyone is staying inside, for warmth. As with most of my neighbors, the Countdown, to Spring, has started. This is my contribution to the article: What does January mean to you.


Oh, and P.S.: EVERYONE: Starting today, and going through January 7, remember that this is CHECKUARY.

According to H.B.O.'s Not, Necessarily, the News, from years ago, CHECKUARY is, officially, the first seven (7) days, of each new year. These are the seven days when people keep writing LAST YEARS number, on personal checks. For example:

Today is: Saturday, January 1, 2011 How many times will you find yourself writing notes, or checks, with the date of January 1, 2010? Not on purpose, but out of a year long habit of writing 2010 on everything.

Try counting how many times you will forget, and write (for example: Tuesday, January 4, 2010), when the actual date will be Tuesday, January 4, 2011.

Dont be surprised if you get slapped, a few times, when you remind people, especially family, that they have just written January, 2010, when it is January, 2011.

I have gotten slapped, a few times, myself, for this.

I just think that CHECKUARY is a fun joke, to play WITH people.

Happy CHECKUARY, 2011, to one and all.

My family is from PA and I've spent enough time there that I'm familiar with Huckleberries. My son, though, didn't have the foggiest idea what I was talking about when I read him that first para.

Very nicely done. Thank you for taking the SatWE challenge and I'm pleased to feature the first 2011 post on Gather Writing Essential.

Umm, I live in Philly. Where does one find huckleberries? I've heard of them. I've never seen them. lol

Head west and when you get to Pittsburgh, hang a right and go up into the hills.

Becca, I have to know - did "baked goods" include huckleberry pie? I think they look like blackberries, so it just seems reasonable - they should have had free huckleberry baked goods, or, a hotdog drop. lol

Cool piece. That's the first time I heard about huckleberries dropping. Glad you had a good time.