Well, I decorated the tree yesterday afternoon. Bill was right when he commented about Hemlocks losing their needles. I vacuumed up a substantial layer of small branches and needles after finishing the decorating.
Still, this morning the tree is not naked, so if we treat it right, maybe most of those pretty needles will remain through Christmas.
The tree needed a little help in the "shapely" department, a snip here, another over there.
Daylight background reveals that it's not exactly White House or Rockefeller Center material, but we like it. We can admire its holiday magic and still see the beautiful outdoor background between the limbs. That treat has not been possible with our more bushy trees the past couple of years.
I put the angel that Bill's mother Ora gave us a long time ago on the top. I don't know how long she sat on the top of Louisiana Love Christmas trees, but she's doing for us like many of the Christmas decorations do for everyone each year: connecting family to the past and remembering folks no longer here to celebrate the season.
This Dec. 20 is a significant day in our family. Every year I'm always glad when it has ended---safely for all we know and love.
As I mentioned yesterday, this is the 24th anniversary of the day we watched our house burn down. As I read the front page of today's paper, detailing all the disasters, including two devastating fires--one the Idaho Club Lodge, the other a home north of Sandpoint--memories of our own catastrophe were all the more vivid.
Knowing the community, however, the hands of generosity will be busy. An understatement!
Since our fire, this day continues to make me nervous. Five years ago today, Willie rolled his grandfather's pickup after driving it for less than two miles. It was just a month after Harold had died. Willie and his grandmother worked out a deal for him to purchase the pickup, which needed snow tires.
With his dad a couple of minutes behind him, Willie headed to town and Les Schwab Tire Co. to get the tires. It was snowing and slick. Bill came along just south of Selle Road to find a smashed canopy on the highway but no pickup. He looked to the right and saw Willie climbing up the hillside from the pickup. The S10 was totaled. Willie was shaken, as were we all.
We were so thankful, however, that he was not hurt. The day did get better, however. We later drove into Spokane and picked up Annie at the airport upon her return from six months in New Zealand.
In closing, my message to all family and friends: please be careful today and make it a "good news" day.
And, to Coach Mark Few and his cagers: GO ZAGS! BEAT UCONN!
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