Every year, I go to the M-66 tree lot close to the "old" neighborhood to get a small Fraser fir. They've been there what seems like forever. Since we have dogs and a cat, I get a smaller one that I can set on a corner table -- our 2 ferrets taught me well. There is nothing like walking by the tree at 3 a.m., only to have a pointy-nosed rodent stick its face out at you from a branch. I was half asleep. She was supposed to be in her cage. Yes, screaming commenced, which of course sent Cleo scattering through the tree, dragging lights and ornaments along with her. Fun times.
These trees last so long that in February I could put hearts on them, if the husband had the patience to look at it that long, unfortunately, he's done by January 2nd. One year, I managed to keep it up so long that we missed the tree pickup, so it ended up in the corner of the yard. The birds loved it. That tree never dropped its needles, and it turned the most beautiful rust color I've ever seen. Almost hated to cut it up and throw it away.
And every year, I like to string lights along the porch. Wouldn't you know it, the day that was on the to-do list, the temperature bottomed out. A simple task that usually takes a little over an hour turned into a four-hour-long jaunt to the Arctic. I convinced myself that running inside to unthaw my fingertips (where oh where did I stash the gloves) and then out to tackle another strand was better than waiting a day for the torrential rain.
That night, I kept looking at the porch, trying to figure out what was wrong... but couldn't. The next day, I decorated the fireplace. The cedar roping that I'd had for a whopping 4 days was already dying, thank you, Menards, for the freshness (snark). As of today, it crumbles if you touch it -- obviously not lighting any candles up there. Clean-up is going to be a nightmare requiring the shop vac. Again, spent time trying to figure out what was wrong...
countless colored glass ones, 5 strands of beads, not to mention the beaded ornaments Grandma made every year for as long as I can remember, my glass ornaments, and a few dozen sequin-covered ones from Pier One (I really miss that store), and there's not one lousy twinkle.
While the brightness of the LED lights is spectacular, it's pinpoints, no glow, nothing, just pinpoints of near blinding bright lights, if you can see them. On the fireplace, the only lights that really stand out are the old incandescent white ones, you can barely see the pinpoints of the LEDs.
To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. My son showed me the light strands I need to get if I want twinkle/sparkle. Yeah, well, call me cheap but I'm not spending that kind of money on strands of Christmas lights. I say that either after the first of the year, or next year, we hit places like Ollies, Goodwill and pick up ye olde fashioned incandescent ones. Or I could unstring the lights in my office and use those...hmmm...
Hopefully, your decorating is much more satisfying than mine has been!
Oh, and if you're looking for a Christmas read, check out the anthology the local writer's group put together. There's 4 stories in the anthology. One is my attempt at writing a contemporary. It was different, to say the least.
Until next time - take care and be well (there's a real unfun flu going around where I am, ick).
