“Some called it a thorn bush. We called it our Christmas tree.”
Old man winter has raised his hoary little head, at least that’s what I’m told. It seems everyone who drops by starts off the conversation by saying how cold it is. I, dressed in socks, slippers, flannels and a sweatshirt, try my best to look sympathetic. I admit, though, when I look outside, I swear I can see the cold.
The banging has stopped. The house is all shingled. Yesterday Rosana and Lee, my cleaning people and my friends, came to put the house to rights. I had asked them to give me more time, and they were wonderful. Thanksgiving is finally gone, packed away until next year. Everything is back on the walls. The dirt from the shinglers’ boots is gone, and my kitchen sparkles. So do I.
The pain doesn’t make me scream anymore. Now I just ahh, ouch, moan and occasionally drop an expletive. I know a day of activity, such as yesterday, will make the next day a difficult one. That’s today, but I’m careful and following the half hour rule. With fingers wishfully crossed I’m hoping that I’m making progress. I figure not scaring the birds from the trees is a good sign.
Everyone always had live trees when I was a kid. The only artificial trees back then were the ones I saw in magazines. They had widely spaced white tinsel branches and a round disc of colored lights rotated in front to give the trees the colors they lacked. I think they were supposed to be avant-garde, and a black cocktail dress with a pouffy bottom half was part of the dress code if you wanted to sit near the tree. All of us, my friends, my sisters and I, still prefer live trees. The house needs to smell of fir. The lights and decorations on the tree glow and shine and seem to warm the winter nights.
My parents often couldn’t agreed on a tree. My dad preferred a cheaper tree which always had gaps between the branches. My mother wanted the perfect tree. When I was little, it didn’t matter to me. I just wanted the tree. Besides, we always found something to fill the gaps. I remember we had a cardboard Santa drinking a coke, and it always hung down and hid a good portion of the gap.
A friend told me no tree should be more than $15.00, and he knew how to solve the gap problem. He’d cut off most of the back branches, drill holes in the front part of the trunk and then he’d put the back branches in the front holes. The tree went in a corner. It always looked full and beautiful.
My trees never have gaps, and they are as tall as my room. My mother taught me that.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: Christmas tree, pain, winter cold
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
December 10, 2010 at 3:14 pm
I´m glad there´s no screaming any longer 🙂 I can tell You that it´s way easier to get hip replacements 🙂 🙂
My mother reasoned much like Yours and the price didn´t matter when it came to Christmas trees 🙂 No gaps were allowed and it should have a perfect shape. I have the same idea too.
But my cottage is to small to have a tree indoors so I usually tries to at least have a juniper on the table.In my old apartment there were to long brown colored marks on the ceiling because I bought a tree that was at least half a yard to high 🙂 🙂
Have a great day now!
Christer.
December 10, 2010 at 3:21 pm
Christer,
This year I won’t have my perfect tree, but I will still celebrate. It’s the day, not the trappings though I admit I love them.
My friends just brought me a poinsettia so my living room has some Christmas.
December 10, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Our trees are always full. This year is so special with Jeromes first birthday and Christmas that I bought a small tree just for him. It’s decorated with bears and he loves to pull the bears off the branches. So I think he is getting the signals right. Glad you are having some Christmas in your house after what now seems a really intensive surgical procedure. Most back surgeries have patients up and walking around after 5 days. You need to exercise that heart Kat. Get off the couch and start pacing. Merry Christmas!
December 10, 2010 at 6:37 pm
Z&Me,
I wish it was my back which is the issue. I was up and around after three days then the sciatica hit. My doctor told me every nerve affected by the surgery is screaming. That would be from the bottom of my right butt to my ankle. He said no one can know when the nerves will adjust. They don’t like change. I literally drag myself off the couch every morning as my right foot will face only forward or I’m in agony. I am up and about too many times according to my visiting nurse; she says I have to pace myself. I can’t just sit, but I have to use the walker as that one leg is useless. The good news is I have stopped screaming in pain which means it is lessening in intensity. This is the worst pain I have ever felt, but I’ up and around anyway..
December 10, 2010 at 6:28 pm
Oh, so glad you are back to enjoy the holiday season, Kat!
Some years back I worked with my girlfriend setting up trees in various big-box retail establishments in my area. The job ran from September to about November first. I never put up so many artificial trees in my freaking life. I got so tired of all those trees I vowed I would never put up an artificial tree in my own household (I live by myself).
I went out and bought an artificial palm tree. So there! 🙂
December 11, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Hi Colleen,
I am so thrilled that it is getting better every day.
I have a palm tree that sits on my deck all year long. People can see it lit from the roads near my house. I love it. (there is even a flamingo which sits in front of the tree!)
December 11, 2010 at 8:03 am
Hi Kat,
Sounds like improvement is happening slowly but surely. Keep up the good work.
My dad used to do the drilling routine with the Christmas tree as well. He was always the particular one with the tree decorations. The lights had to be on the ends of the branches and the tinsel had to be placed carefully and precisely, one thread at a time and not thrown on willy-nilly. I pull my tree out of a box, already decorated. I have a real wreath and a Yankee Spruce candle for smell. Ta-daaa! Decorating is done. 🙂
December 11, 2010 at 12:04 pm
Hi Caryn,
Today is the best day so far. I even made coffee and brought it in my thermos to the table where I read the paper. It seemed almost normal, except I was proped by pillows.
My father was the worst with lights. He never put them away right, and he had tangled messes every year. He’d put the lights anywhere just to finish. I took over the lights when I was in high school.
December 11, 2010 at 8:30 am
Curious: what about post-op physical therapy?
December 11, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Ralph,
My doctor said the back surgery doesn’t need any therapy, and I can understand why. It hurt only one day. The visiting nurse thinks I could use a meeting or two to learn how to get in and out of the car without hurting myself by aggravating the nerves.