So, I’m excited about the holiday season. It does seem like the actual holiday is taking forever to get here, however. Even though I know I should be more of a grown-up, I can’t help but be enthusiastic. I’m dreaming of my grandmother’s homemade fudge and divinity, of ambrosia … and chocolate pie and dressing and turkey and … and …And who cares about the presents??
One thing I do know is that I love decorating. My favorite place during the holidays is my grandparents’ house, dripping with lights and tinsel. It’s just not so easy for them to decorate nowadays. They are getting pretty up there in age, and they will never admit they can’t do something — even at age 87. But, it’s tough climbing ladders, toting things, positioning those eight tiny reindeer and aligning those life-size candy canes down the front walk.
And what to my surprise did I spy on the List while doing research for a podcast? There are people who will actually come out and DECORATE FOR YOU! How incredibly fun! I want that job. Can you imagine getting up in the morning and your job is to be a veritable Clark Griswold? Rad!
Happy holidays!
Twinkle VanWinkle is a Southern punk-rock belle transplanted to Indianapolis, and is
List-en up! producer for
Angie's List. She enjoys thrift store treasure hunting, dusty old records and is a connoisseur of hot sauces.
So I saw my first snow before February yesterday. Every relative I had below the Mason-Dixon line called me and asked if I was in line “at the Wal-Mark’s stockin’ up for the blizzard.” And honestly, yes, the thought crossed my mind. Maybe even more than once.
It’s exciting for me to get familiar with a new climate, albeit the cold end of the climate at this point. The Blue House is endearingly chilly, yet delightfully cozy, with everyone bundled up while working away. I like it in a way. More excuses to drink hot chocolate.
My car on the other hand does not like the weather. Every morning Nadine, my little car, whines and moans. You can tell she thinks that it isn’t time to be this cold. It’s not time to scrape the windshields. She huffs and puffs as I turn the key, trying to get her engine going. I don’t know much about weatherizing an older vehicle, but I bet the List can give me a few ideas to ease Nadine’s creaky sprockets on future — even colder — Indy mornings.
Twinkle VanWinkle is a Southern punk-rock belle transplanted to Indianapolis, and is
List-en up! producer for
Angie's List. She enjoys thrift store treasure hunting, dusty old records and is a connoisseur of hot sauces.
I’m new here at Angie’s List as the new podcast producer. I’ve got lots of things to sort out, and getting used to a drastic weather change is one. I’m from the Deep South and the balmy winters of Mississippi have not prepared me for big city cold weather. My jackets are wimpy; my amount of sweaters equals almost zero and gloves? Pshaw! This is not apparel for sitting on the veranda sipping ice tea! I scoff at such apparel — well I did until now.
This brings me to the point where, as a 30s-something adult, I had to turn on a furnace for the first time. I rented an older home in a historic district of Indy and I love it, but this heating system is enormous, and dealing with natural gas has always freaked me out. It should be easy right? WHATEVER! With years of Southern fear and guilt bred into me, the dramatic “Lighting of the Pilot Light” was a big deal. A ritual, if you will, leaning over a prehistoric space heater, letting the gas run through the line and waiting to spontaneously combust. I can hear my mammaw saying right now, “ You’re gonna burn yoursef’.” or “Oh, lawsee, you’re all gonna die of carbon monoxide poisoning!”
The thing is, I was terrified of this monstrous furnace and lighting the pilot until a little research working on one of the November Angie’s List podcasts featuring heating and cooling service providers. We interviewed a local HVAC guy about furnace maintenance and his info on yearly check-up tips eased my mind about fiddling with the flame on my furnace. After a cold night, I got over that fear quick, successfully getting my new found giant warm fuzzy friend lit with a little help from the List.
Twinkle VanWinkle is a Southern punk-rock belle transplanted to Indianapolis, and is
List-en up! producer for
Angie's List. She enjoys thrift store treasure hunting, dusty old records and is a connoisseur of hot sauces.
