Got the Nov 9 edition of OrrViews today. On page 18 there's an announcement about the Thanksgiving praise service and auction on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, at the Kidron Salem Mennonite Church. Immediately, I was back in that old, cold schoolhouse across the road from the church, watching all the people bidding on the items that had been donated. Then it was off to Grandma Lehman's house, where planks of wood on saw-horses served as tables that stretched from the kitchen, through the dining room, where they made a 90 degree turn to the right and went into the living room (I think I have that in the right sequence), where they made another 90 degree turn to go into Merl & Flo's bedroom (depending on how many folks in the family - and their extended families - made it to Kidron for the feast. The most exciting part of the afternoon was the gift exchange (oh, PLEASE let me get Lolita's or Jeannie's name).

But my favorite part of the day was driving back into to Orrville. Every year I waited with bated breath to come down into town and up South Main Stree to behold the glorious beauty of the strings of colored lights strung back and forth across the streets, with the Square lit up like a fairy-land. After we'd turn west onto Market street, I'd look out the back window of the car until I couldn't see the lights anymore, allowing my excitement that it was, actually, FINALLY time to start celebrating and talking about Christmas, to fill me. It was all going to be good for the next few weeks.