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Some years we get our tree in real wintery weather, snow and cold and wind.
Some years we are stomping through mud. Some years the weather is mild.
We had some very cold and snowy times getting trees when we lived in upstate
New York, but there were a couple of painfully cold times here in Rhode
Island. Nothing quite to compare with New York, but more than cold enough.
This was one of the very mild times. Today was around fifty degrees and
sunny with just a light breeze. |
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We went to the farm where we have gotten our trees the past few years only
to discover that this year all of their tree business was located at the
plant nursery/greenhouse location of their daughter's business (yes, she
calls her business The Farmer's Daughter) so we had to retrace our journey and go a few miles in the other direction.
We could have gone for a wagon ride as part of the price of cut-your-own-tree
but we skipped that because there were acres of trees within easy walking
(and carrying) distance.
Once we had located our tree, Jill made the first ceremonial cut but then
let me do the rest of the sawing. This was a very big and very heavy tree
-- I was very happy when -- about halfway back to the parking lot -- we
got the opportunity to put it on a wagon being towed by a small garden
tractor. They then run the tree through a bailing machine, which makes
it a lot easier to get it onto the roof of your car.
I trimmed off more of the bottom when we got the tree home and then we
brought it inside (and having it bailed makes that process a lot easier
also!) and got it into our tree stand. Which then turned out to leak --
I had a vague memory that it had sprung a small leak last year, but it
was much worse this year. So, off I go to buy a new stand. I decided to
get a top-of-the-line model -- it actually cost more than the tree had,
but I figured I'd rather have something sturdy, that would last, and also
that would safely hold the tree. Brought it home, took it out of the box
-- discovered it was defective -- back to the store, got another one, came
back home. We moved the tree from the old stand to the new one and found
that the new one worked very well. Success!
Tiger is always curious at first about Christmas trees... but after a few
minutes he just ignores them... until ornaments are placed on the tree.
He has been known in previous years to swat at low-hanging ornaments with
his front paws and, after succeeding in knocking one off, to chase it around
the floor. Thus, we hang all fragile glass ornaments and any ornament with
sentimental value high enough to keep them from being targets. Tiger, of
course, is moving into senior citizen status for a cat and is less inclined
to play the part of a predator than in his younger days, but I think we
will still keep the fragile ornaments out of his reach. Decorating the
tree will take place on Monday and Tuesday evenings. (Jill's tonsillectomy
is scheduled for Wednesday morning.)
I did this week's Sunday Brunch questions: Precious Metals and Gemstones
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1) Which stone is your birthstone? Do you like it?
April -- diamonds and quartz. I thought that's what it was, but I had to
look it up to be sure. Do I like it? I dunno... never thought much about
it. I mean who cares? It's rather foolish, isn't it?
2) Do you prefer silver or gold?
I'm not sure. I'm not into jewelry
3) Name the jewelry that you wear whenever you leave the house.
Wedding ring (unless I'm going to be doing yardwork, etc.)
4) What is your most precious and valuable item of jewelry?
Wedding ring.
5) Do you carry insurance on any of your jewelry and if not, why not?
No. The only jewelry I have is my wedding ring and, although our rings
certainly seemed to be expensive when we bought them, their real value
is sentimental. I don't wear any other jewelry. I wear a $25 Timex digital
watch that I bought in Hawaii six years ago when the digital watch I had
been wearing stopped working. It's a runner's watch with a stopwatch function.
I really like the watch, but I seem to have to replace the wristbands on
an annual basis. I have some inexpensive cufflinks stashed away somewhere
that I've not worn in many years. I might have a college class ring somewhere.
(My high school ring was stolen in a burglary many years ago.) I also have
an heirloom pocket watch that I value but which has been in a drawer for
years because I've not worn a three-piece suit in at least a decade. |
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