It's not a winter wonderland...........

As we walked towards the Walmart automatic sliding doors, we hear the faint music of a holiday Christmas carol. I can't remember what it was. I just know thinking to myself, "It just doesn't feel like Christmas." As we get closer, the music gets louder. We cross the yellow painted pedestrian crossing. I am in short black shorts and a pink tank top. It's 70ish degrees outside. No jacket. No smoky breath as you exhale from frosty temps. No closed, zipped, buttoned jackets to protect you from freezing temps. Just warm weather on a December day. Just wasn't giving me that Christmas feeling.

As we got inside, it was a madhouse of shoppers. Nothing different on a typical Sunday morning. I got my necessary items and we shopped a bit around to just look and wish, I guess. As we turn a corner, Bobby stops me. "Listen, " he says. I look at him queerly. "It's Elvis, " he says. "So," I respond. Then Bobby replies, "He's singing a Christmas song." I just shrug. "So," I thought to myself.

We check out. We get to the van. I start it since Bobby isn't able to drive just yet. (A totally other story.) As we pull out and start our way home, I just dream of a cold front to come through. It's hard to get in the Christmas spirit without a cold wind, some snow on the grass and trees, and a hot mug of coffee or chocolate.

Sometimes I think of my friends up north who get inches or feet of the white stuff. They own snow shovels or skis. Betcha each one of them owns a parka. Who the hell in Texas owns a parka? Who the hell owns a snow shovel?

So I sit in my overly warm van with windows rolled down to let in the coolish breeze and think of a cold Christmas. A white Christmas? Won't happen.

So in all, I bet it must be nice to get out of a warm van, into a sub-30 degree atmosphere, walk to a Walmart with Christmas music blaring and hear the sounds of the tinkling bell that a freezing volunteer Salvation Army soldier flicks with a wary wrist. It must be nice to turn around and see the other shoppers with their warm coats, hats and mittens huddled together to share their warmth. It must be nice to see those same shoppers with cold, red, chapped cheeks slapped by the Jack Frost's hand with warm smiles on their faces. It must be nice to see the snow that has been shoveled to the side of the road so those same shoppers can get to that Walmart. It must be nice....

...but that is only my dream.