O Christmas Tree

Well, after some struggle, I managed to put up my tree. It was very different...in the past few years, I have gone on some type of quest or another for the perfect tree in the woods with friends. This year I bought one in the parking lot of the grocery store (EGADS) and I have to say, without a doubt, it is the nicest looking tree I have ever had the privilege of decorating. It cost me $25, but was well worth it. I bought it on Monday night, as a the quest partners were purchasing theirs and had access to a truck to bring them home, however, I didn't bother with it until tonight and had hoped to wait until tomorrow so I could get my neighbor to trim the trunk before I brought it into the house.

Then I heard the weather forecast...snow, snow and more snow, then some rain, and some more snow. So I thought I had best get the tree into the house tonight, before it was buried in snow. And my neighbor wasn't home, so I was forced once again to perform a chore that I hate...sawing. My shoulder is a wimp...old injury that flared up again this past month. I damaged the rotator cuff and separated the shoulder wayyyy back in 1997 when I was learning Jujitsu...damn breakfall rolls. Anyhow, the sawing just about did me in. The phone rang at one point, and good thing too as I damn near passed out. Not only did my shoulder hurt, I was so out of breath it wasn't funny! I had to get some draws from my puffer after that. Damn asthma.

But I persevered and the tree was sawed off, dragged off into the house and then ahhhhhhhh...the family tree was up! I had bought a new stand last week because I just couldn't face that same old butt ugly metal one I had since I got married. Its red and green, has four legs that sit under the band and if you don't get them all in just right when you put it together, the damn thing falls apart. So I bought a molded plastic one instead and it was the easiest thing...shove it in and turn the screws...and I did it alll by myself. The tree is indeed a handsome 7 footer...

I then cut the string holding it all together and praying that some critter wasn't going to crawl out of it...it had been sitting on the ground since Monday. But the branches gently fell, and the tree regained its beauty.

It was certainly different this year though, when I decorated. I have passed on to Amber all of her decorations that people have given her over the years, so I don't have them to trim the tree with anymore. I do have some favorites though, like the ones I made from photos one year into these double pyramid things that I just love. It looks different without her ornaments, but not terrible. I thought I would be sad, but oddly enough, I wasn't. She will have her own tree this year and can trim it with her decorations. Christmas has moved on and spread out to yet another generation. It seems like just yesterday she was crawling under the tree, looking for gifts with her name on it, or laying under it, looking up through the branches.

Where did the time go...