with “Let It Go”
Monday 17 January 2025
Nearly three years ago or so we began seriously contemplating reorganizing our life, divesting ourselves of the responsibility of our house in the mountains and ultimately establishing a home base near one of our offspring. Once we’d narrowed the future address down to northeastern Ohio, we began shopping for the perfect small town. Walking distance to restaurants, quality health care, proximity to good shopping options, and recreational opportunities were among our highest priorities, and shortly into the search we added proximity and quality of library services. Before long we identified Medina as our target, sold our house, then hit the road for some full-time travel. Then late in 2023 we rented an AirBnB for three weeks to see how we liked living in downtown Medina and by early November we were in love and started the process of leasing an apartment close to Public Square. What we weren’t quite aware of at that time was quite how vibrant the Medina Community is. There are a handful of organizations dedicated to making magic happen here, especially Christmas magic. In fact it’s been named one of the top Christmas small towns by HGTV. We caught a good amount of the Christmas magic here last year but decided that for late 2024/early 2025 we’d plan our travels to allow us to be in Medina for all the important winter holiday events here. The season kicks off with Candlelight Walk (video here)the weekend before Thanksgiving and we were there amid the umbrellas at the gazebo in the center of town to watch the Christmas Tree Lighting, back again the next day with family to share in the festivities, and out and about the following day to vote in a gingerbread house competition and tour the historic John Smart House decorated for Christmas. Early in December we were regaled by Alex Bevan’s A Child Looks at Christmas Eve (video link here) at Medina County Regional Library. Family joined us again just days later for Tea at Miss Molly’s (video here) then the Irish storytelling, music, and dance of Tomáseen Foley’s ‘A Celtic Christmas’ (trailer video here)at the Medina Performing Arts Center. Another night we were entranced by the Medina Show Biz rendition of A Christmas Carol at the Haddad Theater. We finished up this portion of the Christmas season with a fun talk at the library on The History of Holiday Treats and a Christmas celebration with family in Canton before heading to western Massachusetts for Christmas with family there. However that wasn’t the end of Christmas in Medina for Mark & Dana Klaus owners of Castle Noel organized The Promise of Christmas, an effort involving local businesses, civic organizations, and area residents to bring families, children, parents, and grandparents from Hurricane Helene ravaged to North Carolina to Medina for a weekend long Christmas Celebration. We joined in some of the festivities including a Christmas parade and an amazing fireworks display. Then finally we’ve finished up the Winter holidays with Medina’s 31st Annual Ice Festival which began with a Fire and Ice Competition, experienced a significant snow on Saturday AND Sunday, and is winding up on President’s Day today. We feel so privileged to be a part of this amazing community.
Glad you are happy in your new home and your travels are exciting. Hope this winter and the cold temps are not too bad for you way up there in north country. At least you can snuggle and keep warm. lol. Next time you are in Florida to take a cruise let us know and maybe we can get together.
Love & Hugs