My short trip up to East Tennessee is already over — and so is Christmas. It was a nice trip all in all. I had a great time hanging out with my family even if they did (it’s becoming an annual tradition now) invite me to go shoot guns with them. Which (annual tradition part two) I declined.

My brother and I went out one night to hang out with some of his friends who play in a pool league, and spending the evening in this pool hall was one of the most entertaining experiences of the trip. There were dozens of pool tables, ashtrays in each bathroom stall, and plenty of drama among the pool players. My brother and I don’t play (at all), so we just hung around and offered witticisms.



The rest of the trip was more low key and far less smoky. We planned and cooked dinner for our parents (who are not into cooking), watched some movies, and slept in every day. The best thing about Christmas, though, was the snow! It was flurrying slightly when we got out of midnight mass, and by the time we woke up the next morning there was a thin layer on the ground. It continued to snow all Christmas day and into the next day. By the time I was safely back in Alabama I heard my hometown had accumulated several inches of the cold stuff.



Winter is my favorite season and snow is my favorite type of weather, so I was pretty thrilled. After Christmas dinner while everyone else was napping, I took to the streets on a four-mile walk and took plenty of pictures.

Snow is the best Christmas present! This almost makes up for the fact that I never really get to experience winter where I live. In other news, I must decide what to spend my gift money on. I’m thinking one of these camera bags and/or a pair of Vibram Five Fingers.

How was your Christmas, if you celebrate it? If not, how was your weekend?