Good Morning and welcome to the most hectic day of the year!

Here's hoping the U.S. Senate gives us all a Christmas gift by voting for some measure of health care reform today. When the system is so broken, even a watered-down vote would be better than none.

So, to get you in the mood, here we go:


and...



Finally ...

Good Morning and welcome to the week before Christmas!

Now, the fun begins.
That's right, now is the time to get that holiday shopping done.
Sure, some people probably have it finished by now. Some actually have it finished a year in advance (or at least six months).
Then there are the rest of us. A week to go and it's time to get serious.
Now, we can pinpoint what everybody needs (wants?). Now, we can find the best sales as retailers are trying to make their overinflated sales goals (thanks corporate America!).
Ready. Set. Go.
The last few years, I've waited until Dec. 24th to get it all finished. It might not take as long this year. Then again, with work, school, work, dinner, lunch, breakfast ... man, the day gets filled up quickly. Add in a terrible head cold and the last thought may be of holiday shopping.
Then again, there's nothing like deadline pressure (thanks newspapers). The parties start this weekend, so it's finally time to get it done.
Now, what was I supposed to get for everybody?

Good Morning and welcome to a new week!

For many, this time of year is incredibly stressful. The upcoming holidays combined with the start of winter (yeah, it's way too dark at 5 p.m.), can make the head feel like it's going to explode.
The mailman doesn't exactly help things out. Now, I know it's not his fault, but all those holiday catalogs now falling out of the mailbox only serve to rachet up the stress a few more notches. (Remember back in the day when there was one catalog, the Sears Wish Book? We waited all year for one. Now, they come every stinking day.)
Now, I know there are all these stories out there about the economy getting better. Retail stores are counting on it being real. One of the main reasons we get Christmas decorations and music blaring through the malls in September is because stores need this time of year to make their profit (overinflated as corporate honchos might make it).
The catalogs, though, are something else.
There are catalogs for everything from the fishing fan to the xylophone player in the house.
This weekend came one with so much overpriced junk it was mostly laughable. Aside from the remote-control, talking R2-D2, there was a personal ice-making machine. Now, ice is probably the easiest thing in the world to make. Why on earth would you need a personal ice machine.
What, you need to put it on your desk so you can have fresh ice every day? Can't walk to the refrigerator to fill up a cup? Can we get any lazier?
Later in the book, tucked on the bottom of one page was a Lionell train. Now, the holiday season makes those of a certain age (and many older) pine for the setting up of a model train. Their fun to put together and watch go around.
This train came with it's only table and 'outdoor' track scene. The train went around in a figure 8, through mountains and past a miniature train station.
The price on the bottom: $12,400.
That's not a misprint. $12,400.
The catalog quickly went into the trash.

Good Morning and here we are back writing!

Oh well, did anybody really believe the Phillies were going to win the World Series again this year. They had too many pitching problems and couldn't get those key hits in big situations.
The Yankees are a better team right now. The Phillies are right there, but don't have that extra push like last year. By the way, winning one World Series means anything else for the next five years is just gravy. Enjoy the ride, now move on.
Speaking of moving on, less than a week after Halloween, it's already Christmas season.
Yeah, I know, for may shops and stuff, Christmas season started last February. At least it's November and seeing the lights does add a warm feeling. It might seem a little early (and I'm still holding out for a few more warm days), but time does move quicker now.
Or something like that.

Good Morning and welcome back to the only place where the weather is always sunny!

No wonder everybody is getting sick. We have a brutally cold and windy day, followed by a 60 degree day, followed by a cold, windy day, followed by a mild day. You can't get out from under that cold or flu with this kind of mix.
Speaking of mix, there are a lot of wonderful holiday light displays out there. Unfortunately, one of them isn't at Rose Tree Park. Ever get the children all fired up to see something, get close, see it and then rush through without stopping.
That county light display is, well, disappointing. That's about the strongest word you can use here without getting in trouble. A van full of Christmas-overdosed children didn't even want to stop to see the lights.
By the way, what's the deal with the wood cutout of the courthouse? Never once has a child told their parents they wish, just once, to be able to see a mock up of the county courthouse with some lights thrown on trees.
If this is the best our tax money can pay for, I, for one, say forget about it.
Better yet, why not just ask some county residents for ideas.
Take a ride around the check out the display on Chester Pike in Norwood. That's impressive with a talking Santa Claus, skating penguins and a real holiday feel.
Get in the car and check out the house on Drexel Ave. in Drexel Hill. During Halloween they had the best display around and have only done about the same for Christmas.
The county should get back to finding a better way to spend our tax money than just throwing some lights up on trees. It's rather embarrassing.
Speaking of embarrassing, this is worth one more look:


If you have any cool links or photos, send them along to onlindelco@gmail.com

Good Morning and welcome to the two-week call until Christmas!

As a child, I used to get excited about Christmas. The thought of gifts was one thing, but it was also the thought of cookies, no school and getting up late that was just as exciting. Well, the gifts helped enhance that, but, still, December was always a blur of activity.
I never really noticed if my parents got a little stressed out or not. There is a much different perspective as a child. In that world, everybody has sugar plums dancing in their heads all the time.
How could they not? I mean, there were lights, trees, singing, cards, cookies. Come on, it's Christmas!
Now, seeing it from the opposite perspective, I want to apologize to my parents.
Children, especially one 6-year old I know well, are always a little bit hyper. They are solely focused on the moment. They want it now, can't wait five minutes and get angry if you force the wait.
This December, though, has been a real eye-opener. As the air turned colder, the hyper volume has turned up. The walls can't contain it. Schools can't contain it (just ask the teachers). The world can't contain it.
It's not the endless crowds and shopping that get parents crazy this time of year. No, it's the amped-up level of excitement. It's the constant sugar high. It's the running and yelling that puts them over the top.
Then again, it's Christmas. So, OK, go nuts. Just don't tell your mom or teachers I said it was OK.


If you have any cool links or photos, send them along to onlinedelco@gmail.com

Good Morning and welcome to another wet Tuesday!

All right, since we all need something, how about a game-plan for Black Friday, or the day everybody hits the road and sits in traffic before fighting for a parking space at the mall.
Here's the deal, there are too many people out too early in the morning. Most don't get up on a normal day until around 7 a.m. But on the Friday after Thanksgiving, they are hitting the snooze button at 3 a.m. in order to get that $10 VCR.
Here's the thing, while there are probably some decent buys early in the day, this year stores are going to be trying to get you out the whole season.
Besides, those early-morning buys are mostly junk you wouldn't buy at the Dollar store, but seriously need them on Black Friday. Last week, one store offered a $6 turkey pan. Well, you get what you pay for. Many were soon complaining the non-stick surface was adding some extra flavor (and black spots) to their dinner.
Here's the deal. After eating dinner Thursday, sit down and map out exactly what you need to buy and for who. Then check out which stores have the best buys and focus on those. Better yet, wait a day and forget about the crowds.
By the way, if you are in the children's department at Macy's, just put the stuff back on the hanger. Just because you don't like something, doesn't mean you should throw it on the floor.


If you have any cool links or photos, send them along to onlindelco@gmail.com