There are only a few favorite things about waking up at "0 Dark-30" every weekday morning. One is of course...being able to come home early in the day and spend time with my daughters. Another is -- and I'm finding this especially enjoyable this time of year -- not having to sit in rush hour or mall traffic. 
I counted 3 cars on the Camp Hill Bypass this morning at 2:30 on my way to work. 15 hours later and it's a mad house -- if not a parking lot!
No dealing with 2 cars stopped in the middle of 7th Street to - what appeared to be --the drivers exchanging gifts. And there was plenty of room on the shoulder - -but with no regard for the other drivers -- they forced us to wait until the other lane is free and swerve around them to continue on our journey. And then there are the two drivers on Jonestown Road loudly exchanging a few harsh words with each other -- with me and my two young children in the van in the lane between them. I had to explain to my daughters that "the nice man was explaining to the other man how to properly eat a banana, honey",
with my finger poised above the 9-1-1 button on my cell phone ready to alert police to a case of road rage that was about to develop --- and oh yeah, that two other drivers were also arguing with each other.
When the dog bites, when the bee stings -- I just remember that when my alarm goes off at 2am -- most of you have visions of sugar plums still dancing in your heads
-- but I have the morning drive mostly to myself.
Merry Christmas and Happy Travels!
