At Least its Beginning to LOOK a lot Like Christmas

I wish the weather would make up its mind.  This year I would actually like to participate in Christmas. I even want to go out and get a tree.  which for me is HUGE.  Im pretty much a Christmas scrooge (message of God's gift of His son to save the world notwithstanding) The last actual tree I got was in 2003. since then I've been using a chintzy fake tree I got at Rite Aide the year my mother found out she was really sick.

She was always a HUGE Christmas fan. She could wrap anything and make it look so professional, and she loved getting people gifts. I think it was frustrating for her to spend the last six years of her life with such a humbug, but we put up with each other.  Don't get me wrong, I wasn't completely without Christmas cheer, just not to match the degree of her enthusiasm.

It was the week before Christmas when she finally got the news that she had cancer and most likely a year left to live.  She had just moved back in with me from the hospital.  My house wasn't decorated (in fact it was a mess, the plumbing had backed up while I was out and I spent a lot of the night cleaning up water that had gone down the hall to my bedroom.  to make matters worse, her stuff and my stuff were everywhere so she had to sleep on the couch (and I on two chairs pulled together)  I decided that for this time, she needed something to make her happy. I was going to get her a Christmas tree.

Except, no matter where I went, there was not a tree to be had. the lots were deserted, there wasn't even a charlie brown branch in the garbage.  My good intentions were foiled by my poor timing.  I had wanted to get a tree, decorate it quietly while she slept and have her wake up to Christmas, but it was not to be.

So I went to Rite Aide, I don't know why but it wasn't for a tree, but as I walked in, just to the right side of the door, there it was,  an artificial tree, marked down from 79 bucks to 50.  It was a sign!  or at least it was a Providence-- fake though it may be.  I took it home an the next morning mom had her Christmas tree.  I think I was actually more excited about it then she was.

Thats been my tree for the last seven years.

For some reason this year though-- something changed, and I walked into the living room just before Thanksgiving, and the ghostly smell of pine needles stung my nose, and though there was nothing there, I realized it was time... time to get a real tree.  Time to actually... well actually decorate the house!  What's this? who am I and what have I done with Carole?

So Im contemplating getting a tree, though I do confess its a bit difficult to think of Christmas when the weather is so helter skelter. I wish the temperature were more in the Christmas spirit and quit blowing hot and cold.  I hear its supposed to maybe rain on Wednesday-- so I will settle for that, and get my Christmas tree on the way home tonight.

oh wait... I better find my tree stand first. Okay-- tomorrow.  Even though its supposed to be five degrees warmer by then.