Still no Tree

 Still haven't put up a tree. I think it is a mental block. It seems I can find all kinds of stuff to do instead. I did order photo Christmas cards. They are still sitting at Walgreens. 

Meanwhile we spent 2 1/2 hours with a cable television technician in my living room on Friday because my husband has to be able to watch local weather at 5 a.m. and the nearest city to the west of us doesn't have the capability to stream. At the end of the afternoon I never thought would end, the technician decided the issue was our 8 month old giant television and recommending brands I should buy my husband for Christmas. He did leave a new cable box. We waited about 20 minutes, plugged in the new box ourselves and the television and cable is working just fine.  They eliminated all local offices so in order to trade in a box on our own, we would need to drive an hour one way. Next time we will drive an hour one way, get a new box, go out for lunch and drive home.  Or cancel cable. 

I saw our local Mexican restaurant was decorated for Christmas. Hello Saturday.  

So I suggested we take me out to dinner. 

Yes I am drinking a margarita. He is drinking Pepsi, yet took this photo. 

Mr. Merry having a fabulous time. Actually, he was. We were "early birds" and he was able to order off the lunch menu. His favorite is Huevos Rancheros with their homemade tortillas served separately so he can make them himself. He just looks cranky. 

Talked him into going through our fairgrounds which is about a block from our house. The Jaycees had set up drive-thru displays with help from area businesses, churches, civic groups and schools. It is free, but they did take donations for some adopted families for Christmas. It was very cold so no one left their cars. 

Often displays have costumed characters. But it was cold. 

I think the FFA built the this house this year. 

All photos are taken through car windows. 

I'm thinking this was from a local ATV dealer. 

Our favorite was the high school choir singing Christmas carols.  The acoustics in the pavilion were incredible and you could hear them from the turnaround before you reached them. And their voices blended so beautifully. 

And our second favorite. The city got a new garbage truck. 

You may remember the town's Halloween decorating contest. Well, we aren't having a Christmas contest because people need no encouragement to over decorate.  

Here is a house that I took 25 pictures of as the colors and shapes change to match the Christmas music. We have at least four houses in town that have set up these elaborate computer displays.   

The next series of photos are one house. I will tell you the story after the photos. 

So. This family has a company that made septic systems. Then the dad (older than me) invented some kind of free standing system that can operate anywhere. And somehow some sheik or dictator or king in a middle eastern/African country found about about them and that they can operate in a desert surrounded by nothing and now the family owned company and the family has millions and millions of dollars.  And they hire a company to come every year and decorate their house.  

Obviously the whole town is aglow. We seem to have lots of money for electric bills! I will say there is a high fatality rate for the blowups due to high winds. 

I will be back with my completed dollhouse photos in my next post.  Hope your holiday preparations are progressing!