Prognosticator of Prognosticators

It hasn't happened for a few years, but Groundhog Day fell on a Saturday this year.

Now, we love Groundhog day, we love the folklore...we love the traditions...we love the movie.

 So, it is only fitting that we spend this glorious day where they shot the movie.

At 5:30 this morning, we walked out the door, dressed in our long handles (Vivi's word for Long Johns) each of us armed with a travel mug and drove an hour up to Woodstock, IL.

Woodstock is the location where they shot the movie "Groundhog Day" starring Bill Murray.  And just like the movie, they make a huge production not only out of the day, but the whole week before Groundhog day.

There's a pancake breakfast, a dinner dance, an official breakfast, a walking tour, a chili cook-off, and they show the movie in the local theater all weekend.

But, the most important thing to us was the prognostication.  We wanted to stand in the freezing cold and watch silly dressed men take a rodent out of tree trunk, pretend to talk to it and tell us whether it's going to get warm enough for me to shave my legs.

The very best news was, according to Woodstock Willie, he absolutely, positively, did not see his shadow!!  Break out the razors, it's gonna be an early spring!


My very good friend, DeeDee and her family came with us.  Groundhog day is a very special day for them.  That's when the youngest member of their family came into the world 8 years ago. 

We had a wonderful morning, watching the ceremony, dancing to the Polka music, and then off to a fabulous breakfast at a local diner.  We couldn't stay all day because the girls had dentist appointments this afternoon.

This is what happens when you get up at 5AM to see a prognosticating rodent.

But next year, it falls on a Sunday!!!  I will be completely Groundhogged out!!!