Like "Scrooge" in the story by Charles Dickens, I was walking the streets of Chicago once again. Unhappy as usual. Passing a public school I heard what sounded like Christmas music. The air was filled with the joyful sounds of an orchestra.
Being a dark and cold night, I elected to enter the school, if for no other reason, but to seek a little warmth. Even myself, with a heart of stone was overcome with what beheld me. Happy people. Voices raised singing beautiful Christmas Carols. Is this Chicago? Is this a dream? Little children excited at the sight of Santa and his helper. Thinking this could not be "real", I undertook to take a few pictures with my ever present camera. If this was to be a dream, at least I would perhaps have some pictures to preserve the moment.

Just when I thought we would be out of "FORBIDDEN" things to worry about, I was most unfortunate to read an article in Wednesday's Chicago Sun-Times.
The article was in regards to the Chicago Bears Football Game to be played in Chicago Sunday evening.
Listed in the article were items considered possible dangerous weapons. Each person will be "patted" down and not allowed to bring in these items:
(1) Balloons and beach balls (in winter???)
(2) Confetti
(3) Noise-making devices such as horns and whistles
(4) UMBRELLAS...my favorite
Yes, Chicago is a very dangerous city. We cannot be trusted to carry such dangerous weapons as balloons and beach balls (in winter).
"Confetti", I guess is considered a WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION. Very recently the Chicago White Sox won the World Series. In their honor the City Of Chicago gave them a ticker tape parade downtown. I was there. It was very "dangerous". Tons of "Confetti" were falling from the tops of the skyscrapers. A report was never issued regarding how many casualties resulted from the "Confetti".
UMBRELLAS must be on top of the most dangerous items. I am still confused why I was kicked out of one of our art museums for going in with an UMBRELLA on a rainy day.
CHICAGO...Love it or leave it!

Chicago, being so close to Siberia, is at the present encountering the most depressing time of the year. With only a few minutes of sunshine a day we have to adjust our bodies to the darkness which will now be part of our existance until May or June, when once again we will be blessed with the return of the sun.
Oh, the wonders of technology. To combat the loss of the sun, Chicago is in the leading edge of creating a world of "Make Believe".

It snowed last night in Chicago. In any other part of the world this would be viewed as just another non-event. Not so in Chicago.
Snow in Chicago brings out the wild, dangerous animal instinct of those of us living in this urban jungle. All through the year most of the "humans" living in Chicago exist in a peaceful, "love thy neighbor" type of lifestyle.
To normal humans, snow is snow.Sometimes beautiful. In Chicago, snow is a threat to life. The first snow flake forces us to think of our neighbor, or neighbors, as the "devil".
Most drivers in Chicago park their cars in the street. More than likely in front of their homes. Fear overcomes our body when we see snow falling. Hate comes to view in our eyes when we see snow engulfing our parking spot.
With shovel in hand we remove the snow which has covered our parking spot. This could take one or two hours. To protect this little piece of heaven when we leave, we put something in the cleared spot to protect it from our foes (neighbors). The object could be a garbage can, a chair from our living room, even forcing the Mother-Law to sit outside to guard that spot. This cleared spot in winter is priceless. It will be guarded even if it requires the shedding of "blood".
This message has to be cut short. It is my shift to guard that little piece of "heaven" I just cleared of the sin from up above, SNOW.