They're back!

After years of leisurely flirting with fall, or rushing ahead to hang out with spring, winter took its job seriously this time around.

I can’t remember when I saw so many lows — and sometimes highs — in the teens. And don’t get me started on those “feels like” temperatures. (Do we really want to know?)

All of which explains, a bit, why I waited until last week to take down our Christmas lights. I froze on the front porch while I worked, but it was way past time.

This Christmas past I made the switch to artificial greens. We’re storing them in the garage, and I wanted to label them somehow, so I'll know which piece to swoop where come December.

I thought about my notes for how to string the lights. “Facing the street, start at left corner near the window ...” That makes sense to me, but it seemed a bit wordy for a label on the greens.

I asked my husband if he had any ideas.
He paused and said, “I would use east and west.”
Oh, I laughed … and should have guessed.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that men tend to give directions using those compass points. Unfortunately, unless the sun is rising or setting at that moment, I don’t have much chance of knowing which way I’m supposed to go.

Throw me a landmark, please!

Turns out science has noticed it, too. A brief Google search turned up references to about a dozen studies exploring that navigational difference between the sexes.
 
I finally made those labels today: “Left: window to stair post,” etc. Commonsensical landmarks, at least for my brain.

Together, my husband and I stashed them in the garage … on the north side.

Marriage is all about compromise.