Christmas in Centreville
by Mary McCarthy
The holidays are here again in our cozy little town. Lights line the streets, wreaths grace the old courthouse, the quaint bridges, and the gorgeous new iron entryway to the cemetery. On Lawyers Row, a whimsical "Scrooge and Marley" sign hangs on a historic law office, and this year for the first time, beautiful trees line the brick sidewalks; decorated by girl scout troops and other local organizations.
Beautiful!
But the true beginning of the holiday season kicks off with the Centreville Christmas parade this Friday, December 4 at 6 p.m. The parade leaves the high school, travels down Kidwell, up Commerce (to a grandstand with judging in front of the courthouse), across Broadway and ending on Chesterfield across from the Board of Education. Being on the parade route was one of the reasons we bought our house!
It's the cutest small town parade anywhere, and this year the big man himself will be hanging out in the courthouse square. Thanks to the local Centreville Alive group, Santa has set up his workshop on the vacant lot between the old barber shop in the spot where they tore down that old building (across from the courthouse). It looks great! And kids can visit Santa before, during and after the parade.
If you miss Santa on that busy night, he's in town for Breakfast With Santa the next morning! He'll be in Corbaley Hall (on Homewood Ave, next to Centreville Elementary, behind Mother of Sorrows Church on Chesterfield) on Saturday morning Dec. 5 from 9-11 a.m. There's also a Gingerbread contest, White Elephant sale, silent auction, bake sale and luncheon featuring the popular local favorite Chicken and Dumplings (or crab soup!). There's even a Secret Santa workshop so kids can pick out gifts for their family members and get them wrapped!
Also goin on in town Saturday is the Heck With the Malls sale, with tons of cool craft vendors and artisans at the Arts Council building and specials at all the shops in town.
I'll be there (specifically- running the Secret Santa at Corbaley Hall!) Hope to see you around town during all the fun holiday cheerfulness...it's the most wonderful time of the year!
My Brain Went on Vacation and all I got was this Filthy T-Shirt!
by Cyndi Paxton Johnson
I can count the number of actual vacations I've taken in my lifetime on one hand. Recent years the count goes down to one finger! It seems "Vacation" has become synomonous with visiting relatives, or working around the house. Now that we're self-employed "weekends" have virtually disappeared, as well. We're always trying to do more, and there's ALWAYS more to do. A vacation seems as realistic as a self-cleaning refrigerator and self-emptying trashcan. (and if you find one of these treasures - LET ME KNOW!)
Turns out - it doesn't matter how much WE want to WORK! Our wonderful, complex bodies know what they need - and are in a position to get it! This past week, for example, my brain went on vacation - without me. It did NOT request vacation leave - nor leave a contact number! I hope it's having a wonderful time, exploring new worlds and new civilizations. Yeah - since I'm stuck here - brainless - I've been filling the hours with Star Trek re-runs. Luckily, I had to wait around anyway - for the Sear's repairman. Our BRAND NEW hi-tech washing machine is broken.
So I sit here, waiting for the repair-man in my crumpled, slightly stinky shirt. I'd like to write something catchy, inspirational and memorable. Uh........nope. I've got nothin'. Hopefully, my brain will return soon - refreshed and ready to take on the world!
And I hope it brings me CHOCOLATE!!!
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