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tis the season to be jolly!

So, are you having fun yet?!

I have never been one to take medicines but I popped 3 Ibuprofens about an hour ago.  I'm not sure if it's from carrying my Christmas tree into my house or too many shopping bags quickly through the mall.  It could also be from trying to fit very large evergreen branches into my very small bedroom windowboxes.  I was arranging the boxes from inside because they are high up, the ladder is heavy, and the ground was icy.

The windowboxes should have been done 2 weeks ago with the others but it didn't happen.  So, when I did get to it this weekend, I had to boil some water to pour thru the frozen soil to get my decorations in.  They are beautiful - simple balsam branches and red bows.

We got the tree home on a very cold night.  A nice fresh cut was put on the tree and then it was plunged into a bucket of hot water.  It sat in it's bucket on the stoop while we madly cleared the way inside - what piece of furniture gets removed from this already packed room?,  get rid of the cobwebs,  sweep, and chase the cats and dog away.  I centered my tree stand, filled this too with hot water and set the tree up.  It was still very cold and was staying very stiff and closed up.  In the past, I've let the tree "relax" a bit before I'd throw stuff on.  This year, I thought I would get the lights on while I could still reach around it.  It made it so much simpler!!   Everything is red and green and I love it!  It's very old fashioned and warm.  I attached a few bolts of plaid ribbon with wire, some paper Santa garland, and of course every homemade ornament ever collected.  The only untraditional thing about this tree is my son's "red disco light ball" accompanied with my "Christopher Radko" 2000 ornament perched on top.  I should mention... after displaying this beautiful ornament on New Year's, I carefully wrapped it back into it's original box with the tag still on it (I never collected Beanie Babies but I guess I had that syndrome going..).  So, with great ceremony, I was thrilled to hang it on my tree this year.  The spectators-there were a few-commented that this ornament looked just plain silly with the tag still on (they even started calling me Minnie Pearl).  So, up the tree I went to remove the ornament to remove the silly tag.  I had probably handled about 200 ornaments already  that night and hadn't dropped one...  Yes, I broke my Radko ornament - my husband quickly salvaged and glued - it still shows "2000" - I wired it to the tree while mumbling to myself that it definitely was worth more with the tag.

As for tips on managing the mall in December - I have none - shop online!

12/11/00