Christmas 1977 - I was 23, Daniel was 16 months old and I was pregnant with #2Sunday afternoon my sweet son (child #4) came over to bring the Christmas tree upstairs and hand boxes of decorations down from the attic to me. Right away I tested the lights on the tree because there was one strand last year that kept going out. This year only one small section of lights was working. I decided that all the lights would have to come off and I would buy new ones.
Let me tell you, I cannot think of one thing that I hate doing in this life more than putting on or taking lights off the tree. In the past, I have been known to cry like a baby after spending hours putting lights on the tree (which I tested first) only to find that they wouldn't work when I was done. Yesterday, after struggling with unwinding them only to feel as though I was getting nowhere, I abandoned the job to reconcile my checking account instead (another thing I don't enjoy). Don't ask me how long I have put doing that off. Are you seeing a pattern here.....yes, it's true....I put off jobs I hate until later all the time. That is why I have so many things that need doing around here. I chose to wash dishes and load the dishwasher afterward, in order to have an excuse not to take the lights off the tree.
So, tonight...no more excuses I told myself. Get up and get those lights off the tree. Half way through the job, I realized....wait a minute....this is not the smaller tree I bought last year. This is the old tree. The one that is too heavy for me to slide it back against the wall. At first I thought I would just use it since it was upstairs anyway. Then I realized....the new tree only had one strand of lights that needed replacing...I was not going to go out and buy all new lights for a tree I don't even want to use anymore.
So I called my son up....guess what...do you think you could...thank you....you're the best! The sweetie said he will come by before work tomorrow and switch trees. Bless his sweet heart!
Since I had partial strands of lights hanging out of the tree everywhere, I went ahead and took them all off. Once off the tree 3 strands still work. I'm thinking that I'm just going to throw them up along the mantel and over the entertainment center Charlie Brown Christmas style....messy, no fuss decorations...that's the ticket for me this year.
out my back door
my view in front of the house
the trees are so pretty
my long lasting begonias are so dead
Some one from Steubenville, Ohio sent this lovely card to Miss Anna Kanfmann who lived in Pennsylvania. The postmark is March 28, 1908. I imagine she had a rather shy admirer who just couldn't bring himself to speak to her. So instead he mailed her postcards from time to time. Perhaps one day he will even sign one.
My reading glasses...which I wear over my contact sometimes. I have about 4 or 5 pairs...one at work, one by the computer, one by my by my living room chair, one on my craft desk and one pair lost in with needlework somewhere.
For Protege....the hand. (I'd like to see your red sofa please)
Love this cool 1950's clock radio....now I'm coveting that too. The cup and miss-matched saucer makes me smile as well.
Christmas 1977 - I was 23, Daniel was 16 months old and I was pregnant with #2
Elijah's palm, forefinger and thumb...Rachel's little finger is the yellow, green and red feather because he was done cooperating.
His work was fun.
He sometimes poked gentle humor at our roots.
He never forgot the wonder of youth.
He celebrated love.
And family traditions.
And reminded us not to take ourselves too seriously.
listening to the Macy's parade on television while I cook in the kitchen