Today is gray and damp. It is 37° and will only get a few degrees higher. I’d like some sun. I don’t think that is asking too much though I should be glad we are not freezing like much of the country is. I have to go out today. Jack needs treats. The last of them were eaten by the devil incarnate, Nala. The dogs too need treats. I think I do too.

I’m getting my tree. It is the latest I have ever bought a tree. I wasn’t even sure I should put one up, but I have a plan. Glass ornaments on the bottom. Nala is never attracted to glass unless it is slathered with peanut butter or the like. My favorites, the cloth ornaments like Sherlock, Mark Twain and Captain Hook, will go up high. I’m getting a small enough tree so I can put it on the chair in the corner of the living room. My fingers are crossed.

One of the decorations I found yesterday is a stocking which has bones and toys on it, and at the top it says, “Good dog.” It is hanging over Henry’s bowl.

Last night my house was beautiful. All the outside lights were lit. I moved the extension cord from the wet outlet which didn’t work and added it to the plug on the other side of the fence. Inside the house, colored and white lights twinkled. The scrub pine has multi-colored lights. It stands in its usual spot in the corner of the dining room. In front of it is one of my vintage plastic Santas lit by a white bulb inside. On the table is my block Christmas tree, on a lazy Susan. There are rows of children’s blocks, and each row has a Christmas saying. That took me so long to make including the hunt for blocks. My hands were constantly covered in glue, but now the tree is covered in white lights. In the living room, my small pine cone tree on the table also has white lights. Colored lights hang from the mantle. A larger plastic Santa is lit and stands on the hearth. A gourd is lit from inside and the light shines through small holes. On the table sits a lone candle. I sat in the living room last night amid the lights. I was delighted.

Today’s weather is winter, 38°, but the wind makes it feel colder. Luckily, though, I’ll be home all day. I have the sniffles so I’m going to baby myself. I’m too busy for a cold. Maybe I’ll outrun it. I do have a few errands but tomorrow is soon enough though I am a bit disappointed I won’t be getting my tree today.

I brought up some decorations yesterday, three trips from the cellar, but I’ve barely scratched the festive surface. There are bins and more bins to look through. I love finding decorations I haven’t used in a while.

I am my father’s daughter. Yesterday I sliced oranges so I could dry them to make ornaments. I also sliced two fingers. They bled profusely. I used tons of band-aids then went to gauze, and that finally stemmed the flow. This morning I took all the band-aids off both fingers. The finger with the smallest slice started to bleed, but one band-aid was enough. I’ll get the first-aid supplies ready. I have apples to slice.

Nala is wearing a Christmas neckerchief. It is red with decorated trees. I’m hoping Santa Claus will be taken in and not recognize her. Maybe he’ll think she’s on the good list though we know better.

I don’t remember how old I was when I found out about Santa Claus. I just remember not being disappointed or upset. Christmas was still Christmas, and I didn’t have to worry anymore about the naughty list. What a relief that was.

My mother made Christmas an extravaganza. We all helped decorate the house. When we were young, and my parents didn’t have much money, the cards went up and we stenciled the picture window with Santa and trees. The windows facing the street all had orange lights. The tree was beautiful and full every year even if it wasn’t. We decorated cookies and made ornaments. Santa never disappointed.

My mother always put out a set of four small ceramic Santa mugs. Their handles spelled noel. I don’t know what happened to that set, but I found a set just like it in an antique store. I bought it, and I put it out every year just as my mother did.