So...NO...we haven't gone on date #2 yet. That probably won't happen until after Christmas because there is just so much to do and so little time.
No, instead of a date, we attempted to decorate. After 35 years you would think this would be a smooth process...but for TH and me it turns into an annual fight of epic proportions that the neighbors pull up lawn chairs to witness.
I lie...we don't even live in a neighborhood with lawns (we have the only front yard on the entire block), but I guarantee that the residents in the high rise apartment bulding across the street enjoy the view from their ringside seats.
It all started on Saturday at the Christmas Tree lot. Now we have only been home for Christmas maybe three of the last eight years, so it's been a while since we've had a Christmas tree. In that time, we've had some renovations and installed built-ins, leaving no place in our home for a tree. At best, we can accommodate a small tree on a table....that much we agreed on.
Now we're at lot #1, a local lot with ridiculous high prices and no wreaths, when the first fight begins. TH has already declared that we are not hanging any lights on the house because he does not want any nails in the new siding. Therefore, I tell TH that I want a large tree in the front yard, in addition to the little tree that will sit in our sun room. TH counters that the inside tree belongs in the living room....not the sun room. And he attempts to nix any idea of an outside tree because our street is too windy. We leave the lot with zero trees.
In the car, on our way to the orange big box store, we each make our case for the tree location inside the house. Neither of us will concede our position, and TH is not relenting on the outdoor tree either. At lot #2 we continue our argument and, seeing that they don't have any wreaths either, I storm off to the car. When TH asks where I'm going, I tell him there's a new big box store (the blue one) across the street.....but when we drive there, they are not open for business yet.
So now we're tired, cranky, and still have zero trees on the car. Luckily, it is an unseasonably warm 50ish degrees in December, so there's not the usual urgency to pick out a tree before our fingers freeze. Our next stop: Switzerland. We need to retreat to neutral corners, so we stop at Emma's in Quincy where they are still serving breakfast and we can make a decision without raising our voices.
Now we're on to lot #3 at yet another orange big box store. They didn't have any wreaths either....apparently there is a shortage in the northeast? In record time, however, with no drama or discussion, we select one large tree and one small tree, some pine roping, a new tree stand, and we're on our way home....almost.
We're in the parking lot, trying to figure out the best way to load two trees on my little Saab and our first attempts were pretty comical. Just then, a woman approaches us and offers to drive the trees home for us, and she points to her pick-up truck parked at the far end of our row with her own tree. Wow! A real live Christmas Angel. We thank her profusely but turn down her generous offer because we don't live locally....but her genuine act of kindness warmed our hearts. Thank you kind lady....we will try to pay it forward!
We manage to get the trees home safely. Since it's still seasonably mild outside, we get to work placing the large tree in the front yard. TH puts the tree in the stand and anchors it down with large cobblestones. We tie the tree to our fence and it appears quite secure. Everything is moving along smoothly.....until I bring the lights out of the attic.
You see, TH is a multi-colored light person, and I subscribe to the school of white lights only. In the past, we've always compromised with white lights for decorating, and multi-colors on the tree. However, this is the first tree we've put outside and TH insists that the tree cannot have white lights. But since we're not hanging lights on the house, this round goes to me and my outdoor tree gets white lights.
That was easy...but we weren't done yet. We still needed five wreaths for our front windows and door. So it's off to lot #4 where we finally found wreaths. Yay...it just wouldn't be Christmas without pine wreaths. But the wreaths would have to wait for another day to hang because it was getting late, we were tired, and we had plans for the evening. And we hadn't decided yet where the inside tree would sit.
On Sunday, it was still warm outside, but we had a driving rainstorm. The wreaths never got hung, but TH put up his tree, exactly where he wanted in the living room, with multi-colored lights. He won that round, so Yes, I'll admit he was right. The tree looks beautiful, even without any ornaments.
Now it appears I've been accused of husband bashing on this blog...No, not by TH...he hasn't read this yet nor does he quite know it exists. (I did mention it, but very briefly and then I probably changed the subject). But please read on so you'll understand why I'm still married to this man.
As I mentioned, it was a torrential downpour all day. And thanks to that aforementioned high-rise and the ocean just a block away, our street is always like a wind-tunnel. So of course you know what happened....by mid-afternoon my outside tree had toppled over. TH wasted no time in saying, "I told you so!"
Before I even had a chance to respond, do you know what this sweet man did?... this same man who absolutely hates being cold and will wear his winter parka for six months?...he put on his coat and went outside in the wind and rain to fix the tree. He spent close to an hour out there securing that tree so that a hurricane wouldn't blow it down. I wouldn't even dream of complaining that there are now six thick coax cables extending 8-12 feet from my tree in every direction. So much for my elegant white lights (lol)!
But wait, can I tell you what else TH did this week? On Tuesday after work, I ask him to drive me to Newbury Street to purchase a gift card for our daughter-in-law. The year before we gave her a gift card to a hair salon there, but I can't remember the name, and I don't want to ask her because I want it to be a surprise. I also can't quite remember where exactly on Newbury Street it's located, and since I don't remember the name I can't google the address, but I tell TH I will remember when I see it.
So here we are, in the rush hour crawl downtown, cruising Newbury Street starting from Berkley Street, checking out every basement store on the left side because I'm convinced that's where it was. We reach Mass. Ave. and still haven't found it. So TH rounds the block onto Boylston and drives all the way back to Berkeley, and we start again. In the meantime I've texted my son, but he can't remember the name either.
Now we drive Newbury again, this time checking both the left and right sides of the street, because my memory cannot always be relied on anymore lol. I offer to have him park the car and I'll attempt to find it on foot, but TH refuses because it is about 17 degrees outside. We reach Mass. Ave. once again with no luck. However, this time I am convinced that I know where it is....I just didn't recognize the name. So TH circles the block again, this time using Comm. Ave. in hopes there is less congestion there (there isn't). But of course you know I can't resist pointing out how elegant the WHITE lights are on Comm Ave. and Newbury. Not a multi-color bulb to be seen!
Back on Newbury, I enter the salon where I believed it to be....and sure enough they confirm my suspicion when they tell me the salon has changed names/owners. I leave without purchasing the gift card because I don't know if my daughter-in-law's stylist still works there. When I tell TH, he simply puts the car in drive and asks, "Where to next?" What a guy.
I didn't dare ask him to pull over again, but can you believe we drove past Pinkberry's THREE TIMES and I didn't get a yogurt? I am a Pinkberry junkie, and I overdose on it when I'm in California. I can't believe we've had one in Boston for several months now and I've yet to treat myself. (However, I will admit I've been to the Hingham store twice)!!
If you haven't fallen asleep yet, I have to tell you one more wonderful story about my husband. Do you remember those wreaths that I had to have on Saturday? Well, by midweek, they were still sitting in our front entranceway. I just hadn't the time to make the bows and get them hung. Of course you know I found the time on Wednesday evening.... With TH's help, we managed to hang the two upstairs from inside the house. But the downstairs windows need to be accessed from outside, where it was 11 degrees with a windchill below zero. Without my asking, TH put on his coat, pulled out the ladder, put aside his fear of heights, and hung the wreaths.
I really do love this guy....I think I'll keep him around!
Merry Christmas.
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