about that tree...

It was another lovely evening of vignettes at This Old House, and for my loyal fans gained in another venue, I thought I'd write a wee Christmas offering from the artist's colony we call home. But, Rachel's picture of the tree prompts me to offer this, here.

We meant to get a Christmas tree installed much sooner than we did. We also meant to get it from good 'ol Freddy, while racking up enough purchases to get a free Thanksgiving turkey. But, Thanksgiving was a little early this year, and other purchases were more expeditious.

A most odd, and actually annoying, experience ensued that nevertheless resulted in getting a tree, delivered. It was delayed by a week, involved Serious Improvements to the tree stand (?!?!?), creating still yet another project for E the Longsuffering, but here we are, big honkin' tree in front parlor, once again. Ole! Hopefully the venerable lampshade on the valuable lamp will get a replacement shortly. If a tree falls in your parlor, and no one's around to hear the sound, well, it still might take out your stiffel...

So, the tree's been milling around for a week, got a strand of lights on it a night or so ago, and a star on the top. Lame. C'mon, people! Where's the 'ol xmas spirit, eh?

Well, here it comes. I got actor-roommate to commit last night to helping. While heading off for a holiday party, our young darling Amelia Earhart figure and male consort said they'd do a wee bit of trimming. Good. I came home, holly in hand, put on some xmas tunes, placed the ladder, and started stringing lights.

And stringing lights.

And stringing lights.

It still looks kinda' bare, in spots, but that's SEVEN strands, already. huh! Glad they're leds...

E the Longsuffering arose from the depths, and was amused that we'd discovered one new ornament was a second star tree-topper. E was less amused, when he went to look, that ALL the night-light (aka nite lite) light bulbs on the Infamous Staircase Storage Area were burnt out. GAA!! It's our running gag. You look there for something, and if it's not disappeared, it otherwise Not Quite Right. So, there was like FIVE burnt out bulbs. How annoying!!! Well, it was his turn. Inside of this month I've gone for a flashlight to find all five AWOL, or told someone the match jar was there, and it wasn't (why can't you just take the last book of matches, and leave the jar? why take the whole blooming jar?!?)

Anyway, the stars, in his estimation, on his first assessment "looked like they were going to take five paces". When he said this, I immediately collapsed into my chair, peeling with guffaws and snorts. Glad he fixed it. As Designated Curmudgeon, he was a little off-put by having two lighted stars... but I like it. It's symbolic. We all follow our own lights around here... and what's it to 'ya, anyway? Due to how the tree was 'shaped' at the Daisy Hill Xmas Tree Farm or where-'ere it came, it had TWO appropriate points to affix something too. A bit to far apart for most angel-skirts...

So, the roommates made short work of the tree. It took about 1.5 plays of the xmas album to get the tree to its current festive level. And then good 'ol A decided as a gesture to re-install the surround sound system. What a guy. And E decided to put up some more greenery. I even got the wreaths up, finally, finally. whoo! What a little florists' tape can do. Another roommate, flying out at an regrettable hour, took breaks from packing to cheer us on, offer beer to those so interested. Didn't hurt the festive spirit.

During all this the Curmudgeon Emeritus (we have one of those) was having some fits with his hearing aids, which, on his random entries and exits into the cheery scene made it all a little dada-esque. Most interestingly, after shunning the room for upteen months, he did, indeed, make an entrance to view the house tree, and enjoy the twin stars, and symbolism. I still need to work on accepting the unmatched plaid.

And then A turned off the switch, and all the leds promptly turned off. And the tree stayed upright.

o christmas tree
o christmas tree
your astronomy is curious

o christmas tree
o christmas tree
your light-show not del-e-terious

your household is a busy one,
but once at hand, attend you some

o christmas tree
o christmas tree
stay upright, please, we're ser-i-ous