HERE ARE A FEW THINGS I HAVE LEARNED IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS I THOUGHT I'D PASS ALONG. . . .

1. Never, never, ever "Dream of another white Christmas"! 2. That "Winter Wonderland" will forever be banned as a Christmas theme. 3. What dark really looks like, and what complete silence really sounds like. 4. If you have pine trees in your front yard, stop right now and go cut them down. 5. Candles do emit a certain amount of heat. 6. You can read by a propane camp light when you have to. 7. My library does not have enough books. 8. Propane is my friend. 9. That you can never own too many pair of sweat pants and shirts. 10. The difference between a freeze and a hard freeze. . .one was outside, the other was in our kitchen. 11. No one needs a freezer in the wintertime. 12. Under no circumstances live in an all-electric home. 13. Ice cycles make good drinking water. 14. Swimming pool water makes good toilet water but you better have lots of 20 gallon buckets. 15. A four-wheel drive vehicle is no longer an option. 16. The real reason behind "Early to bed early to Rise." 17. The answer to every $100.00 question in the "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" board game. 18. When the weatherman says "It's Coming" you better listen. 19. Never try to dry your hair over a propane burner. 20. I may really lose my cool the next time somebody says, "If we could just go back to the good old days"