So we'll see how long I can keep this up. Starting with Christmas Decorating and all that THAT entails.
It's a rainy, spitty Sunday and wet leaves are sticking to everything outdoors. What a day to be putting up a Christmas tree and the outdoor lights! We bought the tree yesterday (Whiskers, Tails & Ferals tree lot -- we never miss a chance to help out the homeless kitties) and set it up so we could see how the cats reacted this year. Easy peasy: Chloe peed on a towel I had under the tree to sop up the splashes from putting the water in the tree stand, then Daisy strolled in and peed on the tree. So before we could do ANYTHING to the tree, first we had to treat the peed on areas with Natures Miracle and off to the pet store to find some kind of cat repellent to spray on the tree (and God I hope we don't have to spray it on the gifts UNDER the tree).
The cat repellent smells awful, but the smell fades after a while (or maybe we just got used to it).
Then the outdoor lights -- the hanging stars we put under the eaves are probably 15 years old and they still work. We have special hooks in the eves just to hold those strings of star lights. Then we string little white lights along the railing using the trusty staple gun. Every year I find some new "bargain" to add, which usually turn out to be cheesy and cheap. One year, lighted snowflake path lights which turned out to have plastic stakes that broke when you tried to push them into the ground. This year it is a set of spiral trees (they are only about 14" tall) that were so cheesy that one of the spirals broke when I was trying to untangle it, and it missing one of the stars that is supposed to be on the top of the string of (five) trees. But I was pretty proud of myself for putting them together. That is usually not my forte. One thing I have noticed about retiring: Most of the time, I have WAY more patience than I used to (ok, except when I am on the road with idiots to the left of my, jokers to the right). Any way, outside lights on = CHECK.
In addition, we had to put up the Christmas Village. Now this is one thing can't add to in any significant way, because we have enough buildings to fill the top of the entertainment center (that still holds or non-flat screen, non-HD but perfectly good TV). But almost every building has some personal meaning, which I really like alot. There is the Bijou Theater that Jill gave me, to remind me of the theater in Ashland where we went to the movies on our bygone Shakespeare weekends, the City Hall to remind Rod and I of our way too many years in the employ of the City of Napa, the bus depot (one of my personal favorites) to remind me of my former profession as a transportation planner, administrator, and manager -- and I even have a little bus and a guy siting on a bench reading the paper waiting for the bus to go with it). There is also a 50's style diner to reflect the style of our kitchen, and finally Rod's New and Used Cars -- complete with a showroom window for my husband Rodthecarguy (yes I intended that to be all one word). There are a few other buildings -- an Inn, a Florist Shop, a Bakery and a Dressmaker, I have lots of little people and trees to spread around too and even an ice rink with skaters and a carousel. They went on AFTER the buildings all got arranged so that the ones with the shortest cords were closest to the outlet. We took pix to keep in the box (which Rod meticulously packs away each January) so that we know how to set it up in a flash from now on.
On top of the TV are the photos we had taken of Chessie and Bailey with Santa. TOO CUTE
At the left side you can see the bus in front of the diner, which is next to the bus station.
So BACK to the decorating. I actually don't know why we bother since nobody comes over here except car guys heading directly for Rodthecarguy's shop, but there is just something about taking these things out once a year and the memories they evoke ........ this music box that I coveted but could not afford until it went on sale the day after Christmas back in the 80's, these stuffed pig and mushroom ornaments I made the first year in the house in Guerneville in 1971, the one Amy made with her photo in a Santa cap at the age of five, the ones Peter Tracy bought for me back in the 70's, the ones that were handmade gifts, the ones that Bill and I bought at a senior craft fair in Lake Tahoe that first vacation we took after Janelle's accident in 1982, the ones I bought half price at Herritt's (which no longer exists) at the after Christmas sales. Then there is the Reindeer bowl I bought at a junk store in Tacoma in 1981 for $10 that sits in the middle of the dining room table, and the "Race Car Santa" holding his helmet and standing next to a racing slick tire labelled "Reindeer Tracks".\, bought in honor of Rodthecarguy. Last year I bought one for me -- an old Hippie Santa with his love beads, headband, peace buttons, and tambourine. Finally, there is the old world Santa Lamp I bought in Sonoma, and the stacked snowmen candle lamp that was a gift from Sue Dahlgren on her last Christmas on earth. Even the reindeer candle ring that was a gift from my former boss has a special place in my heart.
So even though nobody might see this stuff except for Rod and me, I still love it and need it to feel that "Christmas Spirit". Now I can start wrapping presents!!!!!!This is a picture of me in my (politically incorrect) silver fox coat and (still politically incorrect) black rabbit fur hat that I bought in Berlin from an ex Russian army officer next to the replica 1902 Cadillac surrey all decorated for the 2010 Napa Christmas Parade, which is held at night with all of the lighted floats and cars. This parade is held the Saturday after Thanksgiving every year. See the Metropolitan to my left? It's a '59 convertible and I totally covet that car!
First blog posting is now complete. Time to put on my slippers and watch "Desperate Housewives".
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