Warp Speed

We're at warp speed now - do you feel it? I do! The days all seem to be running together and moving ever more quickly toward the end of this year. Where does the time go? I certainly know this week seems to have flown by...and I feel like I say that every week, ha-ha!

Rain, rain...go away...

Weirdos are everywhere - you never know when you'll end up behind them at a red light.

The week started out rainy...and it rained and rained and rained....all the way through the week until Wednesday night! I don't know about you but rain for days on end drives me nuts! Everything was gray and gloomy and the drive(s) to and from work were a soggy mess. Of course, I decided I absolutely had to run errands and couldn't wait until the rain went away - thank goodness for a good pair (or two) of rain boots - although I sometimes question the design of the umbrella! Happily as the sun set on Wednesday the world finally decided to dry up and the rain went away in a blaze of bright pink, peach and orange. 

A gorgeous sunset - after the rain finally ended.

Cupcakes though. Yum.

The work week seems like it was bustling - to borrow a word from so many Christmas carols - there is a certain hustle and bustle to everything here at the end of the year. In the midst of my busyness on Thursday, a woman came in and deposited something on the front desk and disappeared out the door before I had any clue what was going on. When I finally slowed down a bit later and peered around my computer to see what she'd brought - it was cupcakes! Y'all - the woman had brought us cupcakes! It was a thank you for letting people access our parking during their live nativity production over the weekend - and I do love those kind of thanks you, ha!

Beef stew is so delicious. So delicious.

When you need ALL the coffee. 

The weekend didn't slow down either - but let me regale you with this little tale - perhaps it will make you laugh. As the weekend neared, I was looking over old pictures to finish a blog post and discovered a picture of me waving two fried dill pickles around while eating at The Melting Pot (which is pizza...not fondue...) and once I saw that picture, I just needed those pickles. I casually mentioned going to eat at The Melting Pot on Friday night and once we were seated at our table, I also casually mentioned that I'd sure love to get some fried dill pickles...for old times sake. Y'all, I don't know if it was because I'd not had them in so long or what...but they were the best fried dill pickles I'd ever had. And they made me oh so happy - even if they probably didn't do my waistline any favors. Oh well.

Waiting on horses & hounds....

Let the fun begin....

I have no clue how they were so well-behaved!

Horses for days...

We got up bright and early (for me; on the weekend, this is any time before 9 AM) and headed across the valley to Middleburg for the annual Christmas in Middleburg celebration - most interested in seeing the Horse and Hound Parade at 11 AM. The Horse and Hound Parade is put on by the Middleburg Hunt Club - as in, a group of people who go on legitimate fox hunts - you know, the thing you see in Mary Poppins? The parade is very short but it features some 40+ hounds with the lead horse - and they are followed by over 100 horses. The parade is especially fun to witness and way back in 2009 it snowed the day of the parade, which led to some pretty amazing photos that you might even want to call iconic. After the parade, we wandered around town some before grabbing lunch at the Lone Oak Tavern (good food - smoky environment) and then doing some final baking for our cookie swap on Sunday.

The smallest kitchen helper.

Cookies. So many cookies.

A delicious spread of treats!

I got up even earlier on Sunday (oh me...sigh) and headed to the early service at my church before making a Wal-Mart run, grabbing breakfast at Starbucks and then heading home to put finishing touches on house cleaning and food for the cookie swap! Our friends arrived at three with trays laden with delicious cookies and we passed a couple hours playing games, trading stories of Christmases past and eating delicious food (if I do say so myself). When all was said and done, we were left with too many delicious cookies and a good times spent with sweet friends. We certainly hope to make this an annual tradition and hopefully it can grow with each year too! 

Watson was apparently just as worn out as we were because he spent all evening sleeping away on my bed....before moving downstairs to get in his own bed! So - that was the past week in a nutshell. I can't believe there are only four weeks (not even four full weeks) left of this year! Time flies when you're having fun!

Tired after a long weekend of Christmas-related festivities. 

Just in case you were curious - the "iconic" Hounds & Horse Parade Photo from 2009.