HOLIDAY SMATTERINGS
Recently, I spent the better part of the night in a tree. Under one, that is. And okay, it was more like twenty minutes. It just felt like the better part of the night. Time to procure the Christmas tree, it was! The rain began some time during our (the team of Davis & Davis, AKA, me and my dad) meandering around the store for a new tree stand and once we got around to the tree lot outside a downpour had set in. Followed promptly by heavy winds. Schedules dictated it to be then or never however. Hefting five unbound trees outta the way to reach what appeared to be the tallest one available in the very back, we then set to securing it to the roof of my car. After much rooftop finagling, we arrived home drenched, soaked through and through. There we were standing at the base of the stairs about to begin lugging the tree up three flights when all at once the door on the second landing opened and a little man stepped out. I motioned for my dad to wait a moment so that the man could pass. Instead the man looks at the tree and says, “Need help with that? You on the third floor?” And without even waiting for a response he grabs hold of the trunk buried amongst the sopping branches and whisks it right up to my door. Amazing! He wore a pair of those nylon pants that have the two white stripes running down the outer side of each pant leg. They were red. His t-shirt was red as well and he had on white socks. He looked like a little Santa helper!
ANY HOLIDAY THAT ALLOWS FOR A FLIPPIN’ TREE TO SEEMINGLY GROW UP FROM THE FLOOR INDOORS IS OKAY IN MY BOOK
Soon enough, I was belaboring that stubborn trunk of a tree to sit right proper in its shiny new stand without much success. After having my dad step on my hair one too many times as it wouldn’t stay up and out of the way, and after a few “Timber!” shout-outs and restraightenings, it came time for the reward: Decorating! While watching the first holiday movie of the season, Less Than Zero. Twice in one year is far too much, all about watching people you love destroy themselves. However, it was at the top of my randomized Christmas movie list. Must still watch White Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life, Die Hard and Love Actually. Now several weeks later, our tree has a stamina problem. It’s quite crunchy to the touch, and the branches that once stood out as branches should, slope downward in a sad defeat. Any holiday that allows for a flippin’ tree to seemingly grow up from the floor indoors is okay in my book, though, droopy or not.
With the tree, has come a teeny, tiny spider problem. Twice I’ve been walking by only to glance over and catch an itty-bitty, white-ish spider scaling its way down and down. One was crawling along the arm of the leather chair the other day. Another hung out by the phone. Maybe it’s all the travelings of one very productive little spider. In any case, kill it/them I cannot. Shhh, don’t tell Bean. She knows of my affinity for spiders -fear- yet still odd affinity, and how I prefer them to be relocated outside versus disposed of. If I’m the one to have to do the relocating, though, call me useless. It began as a kid when finding one lurking in the shower (always the shower!), I’d call up a brave neighborhood boy to come in and relocate it for me. Bean is not in the relocating business however, preferring a firm smashing technique applied with gusto.
Red, orange, green, white, light blue, dark blue, purple, pink
She has returned home recently with offerings of dill pickles and a big peanut butter cookie from my favorite deli-style restaurant. Sustenance for the continued wrapping of presents. Problem: I love surprises. Love them! However, apparently, Amazon didn’t know that I like GOOD surprises because the majority of gifts for the giving were ordered some time back, and yet, have not arrived! I’m halfway to freaked out about now. They were shipped the 15th, today is the 23rd is it not, so arrive already! They’re past their “due by” date. Be good to me Amazon, you’ve been so up until now.
Has anyone else ever seen yellow Christmas lights on display while out and about? I have not. Red, orange, green, white, light blue, dark blue, purple, pink … no yellow in any store, though, I’m sure I could find them online, yes? This year, I saw the BEST color ever – it’s like a cadet blue/slate grey-kinda color. It reminds me very much of Edward Scissorhands and the greyish-blues used in his home. NEED those at some point. I envision a perfectly eery and ethereal winter scene to be created one day.
I’m taking credit for making it snow twice already. Nothing too substantial yet.
How could I have had so many Christmas cards to write, yet feel so lonely? That special Christmas feeling has not yet arrived, maybe counterbalancing last year’s early arrival, though I’m sure it will show up soon.
My favorite moment this season thus far was when driving home from an outing with my dad and Bean. We were sitting at a red light. The windows were still defogging. There’s my dad in the backseat writing out “Merry Christmas,” backwards, of course, on the foggy window. Writing on a car window. Countless times was I punished for such a thing growing up, as that’s just not what one does and it makes such a mess on the window and so on, he’d recite with relish. So, to see him doing that very thing, I nudged Bean to look. When finished he looked up to see us watching, smiled, and said how he’s never written on a car window in his life to which I said, “It’s about time then. Kinda fun, isn’t it?” That was better than any present he’ll buy me this holiday.