Bringing Home the Tree

... hot chocolate at the end of the night ...
... actually practising up for Christmas morning when it is on the menu ...

We had an intense planning meeting on Sunday, figuring out how to maximize the time left between now and Christmas.

Bringing home the tree was at the top of the list of important things to do and tonight Thomas drove us to the parking lot where the traditional tree has been selected over the years.  Driving with a new driver can be the thrill of the season all on its own.  And increase that exponentially by the number of people in the car who already have their permanent licences.

Half of the family wanted a tall, fat, bushy tree – one that would fill the vestibule.

Catherine wanted a tall skinny tree, one that would leave lots of room for us room where we can sit or play with games.

Eric and I sided with Catherine – a tall skinny tree.

Hebe might have thrown the casting vote, but she was still mad at me and elected to stay in the van.

Sometimes a family trip that is meant for happiness only works for 6 out of 7 people.

She wasn't having any happiness.

Rebecca playing "country roads take me home ... "

If you have sent us a Xmas Card 
it is up on that rope on the far wall.

No one is going to receive a card from this household.

We are so far behind on our lists of things to do that
I think we should just forget Xmas and go straight to Easter.

I had chased her with some snow previous to her getting mad.

Not to leave others out, I had made direct hits with the snow on Thomas and Eric as well.

But Hebe was mad and going to leave home when I threw some powder in her direction.

She marched off down the block.

I had to run ahead of her and throw snow that would direct her back to her mother, and thus into the car for what hopefully would still be a happy bringing-home-the-Christmas-tree excursion.

Hebe doesn’t recognize that with my age comes a generally slower pace and that it wouldn’t be hard to stay out of my way with just the smallest spurt of energy.

... wrapping the Xmas tree for transportation home ...

I spent the afternoon making pizza crust that had spices incorporated into the dough.

And then I made Grandmother Jarvis’s famous lemon square, so really, how could anyone be mad at me.

I did tell Hebe that the way I made the lemon square was way better than the way her other Grandmother makes it for her, even if it was her recipe.

Mine is filled with more love, I told her.

No wonder Hebe was mad at me.

... the snow begins to settle on Catie's hair ...

It was a lovely warm night and the snow was softly falling.

Strains of “Tannebaum” were being hummed in the car.

At the same time, Catherine was singing “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”.

The only words that I could remember were “I’m Getting Nuttin’ for Christmas”.

I couldn’t remember all of the words and so have come home to the Internet to refresh my mind on the lyrics.

If I can just get Hebe to join in with “somebody snitched on me”, I will think tomorrow will be a success.

She did let me stroke her little hand tonight.

She was really tired and had lost most of her gumption.

Arta