Backyard News, 11.26.11

* Goodbye Black Friday, and welcome to Small Business Saturday. The only Linglestown deal that I'm aware of is at St. Thomas Roasters – spend more than $5 today and Geof will give you a coupon good for a free brewed coffee of any size.

* Speaking of shopping, I gave the midnight start of Black Friday a whirl and only lasted 41 minutes at hhgregg at Paxton Town Centre because the checkout lines wrapped around the store.

I went back during the 10 am hour Friday and purchased the last one of the item that I targeted. While checking out, a store employee said the midnight start attracted triple the number of shoppers as compared to last year.

* Before too much time elapses, congratulations go out to the midget-division team of Linglestown Colts youth football program for winning the league championship. The pony team also gets a shout-out for being the runner-up in that division.

* Saw it on Facebook – In response to Lower Paxton resident Jay Purdy spending hours untangling Christmas lights: "It occurs to me there are some advantages to being Jewish."

* I have some days off from my regular job next week, so check back for township news and details about the start of the holiday season in the Linglestown area.