I got up at 7 a.m. on Black Friday and was in the car and on the road with my aunt, uncle and mom by 8:15. No, we weren't going to the early bird specials at the mall; we were going to Dresden, Ohio.

What? You say you've never heard of Dresden? Pity. Allow me to be your tour guide.

Maybe the name Longaberger rings a bell? You know, the baskets? Maybe your mom or aunt is into them. If they are, you'll know it, because collecting Longaberger baskets becomes an addiction, and they'll probably be all over the house. Well, they make those baskets
in Dresden. My aunt is a home consultant and Friday was their Christmas light-up night, so we figured, what the hey, let's take a road trip to basket land.

When we got there, this was the first thing we saw...

This is the Longaberger corporate office. No, you're not going crazy. It's a basket building.

After getting an eyeful there we went to what they call "The Homestead," which is really just a basket-crazed mall with everything baskets. Aprons, jewelry, silverware, plates, sweaters, soap,
umbrellas, pants, scarves, hats, flip flops, jelly, coffee, stuffed animals, notebooks, flowers, fabrics — you name it, it's there, and it's got a basket on it.

Looking back, this does seem somewhat like a cult ... but moving on.

So we stick around all day, waiting for this Christmas parade, only to find out there is no parade. Well, all hell broke loose. We ate dinner at the basket restaurant (the tables have basket weaves on them) and got all uptight about there being no parade because someone
complained and how we have to be sooooo PC anymore and so on. We were miffed.

OK, so we go outside. It's freezing. Some 18 year old, who can't sing, sings a Christmas song, and then they tell us they're going to have fireworks. "Christmas fireworks?" I think to myself, "Sure, why not." As we freeze our little babushkas off (and if you don't know what those are, ask your grandma), we wait, then BAM! The fireworks start. There I was, watching fireworks and listening to Bing Crosby croon about Happy Holidays — and I couldn't help but feel I should be wearing shorts and flip-flops. It was weird.

And then I got ice cream, because it just wasn't cold enough for me. And then we went home.

Well, time to recap. What did we learn here.

1. Always, ALWAYS get the free food samples in the kitchen store.


2. Don't get attached to stray cats that hang out around the restaurant. They're precious, but you can't take them home with you. :(


3. Don't try to fall asleep when your uncle's car navigation system is talking. "In...600...feet....take....exit....now." No, you take an exit, Miss navigation-system-talking-lady.

Happy Holidays! (I'm so PC right now I can't handle myself.)