Last year, Charlie and I went to the Holiday Lantern Tour hosted by Hale Farm & Village. Last year was nice, there was snow on the ground, and it continued falling through the tour, but it was bitter cold. This year, there wasn’t any snow on the ground and it was muddy as hell, but at least the cold wasn’t bitter. The premise of the tour is that you step out of 2011 and into Christmas Eve, 1861, and get to visit different places around the village on that night.

I’m a huge reenactment nerd, my favorite history-lesson era is the pre-Revolutionary War, I love most everything about Victorian times, but I also enjoy the Civil War era, so the Lantern Tour is right up my alley. It pretty much cemented me getting a reenactment costume (that I was going to get this year for Halloween, but didn’t pan out), which I will not only wear for Halloween, but probably also to 2012 Yankee Peddler.

Last year, as my memory token, I got a pressed-glass ornament, this year, I got a hand-blown drinking glass made on the farm that I will use at work. I’m thinking about also ordering a basket for my blankets in my bedroom, and maybe a ceramic pitcher that I can use as a vase for flowers.

Onwards, to the Friday5!

1. In 2011, what did you do far too many times?
   Rationalized too many bad choices.
2. In 2011, what did you rediscover?
   I both discovered and rediscovered Zentangle. Since finals week, I need to re-rediscover Zentangle. But now that I have a 5-day weekend, I think I’ll b able to do that.
3. What 2011 event will you still be paying for in 2012?
   Closing out some debt. Nothing major, but it will still be there through January.
4. In what unexpected place did you find a friend in 2011?
   The Internet, that great Small World in the ether.
5. As 2011 comes to a close, what in your life is trending upward toward a much better 2012?
   I made an oath at Yule this year that I was going to pursue more me-positive things, truly believing that by doing so, the Universe would answer. I fully expect to hold up my end of the bargain.