Sunday, December 9, 2007

The 12 Posts of Christmas, vol. 3

We have a tree. Well, actually two trees. The Brave Astronaut family and the OSG family trucked off to this tree farm to murder some nature and drag it indoors for a few weeks. Unfortunately, the Brave Astronaut lost his spirit in some good mud and a cold, wet December day. While the OSG family was successful (found a tree in record time), I could not find the "perfect tree," which is my quest every year. I may have also been acting a little childish . . .

We tromped around to no avail. I know there was some concern for OSG's fingers and I must report that while he left with the same number he arrived with, he did get a nibble from some geese, a donkey, an alpaca, and some tongue from a gentle calf. So we got back in our cars and headed for home. We made a stop for a late lunch at Beef Shakes, where we got some really good BBQ ribs, some amazing fries, and all around good food and atmosphere. Mrs. OSG and the Brave Astronaut had milk shakes, neither of which were beef-flavored.

Upon arriving home treeless, I headed out to find a tree cut by someone else. I found a local lot and found two good trees. They are up in their stands, hopefully drinking some water, to be decorated tomorrow evening. The remainder of the evening (what's left of it) will involve some laundry (did I mention the mud?), some other decorating and perhaps getting the curtain rods hung in the living room.

5 comments:

Lana Gramlich said...

Call me a bleeding heart liberal, but I can neither kill a tree nor bring a fake one into my house (I'm staunchly anti-plastic these days,) although I have bought real ones in the past (that I donate to local parks or whatnot.) Guess it's a good thing I don't celebrate most of the "traditional" holidays. Do y'all have any kind of Xmas tree recycling program up there? Down here they use them to shore up the rapidly vanishing wetlands.

Special K. said...

Childish, you? Really? I'm glad y'all got some tasty ribs and shakes after that harrowing experience.

Just curious, why two trees? Is that a tradition?

Brave Astronaut said...

Lana - for years Long Island used to use trees to help the dunes on the beaches. I will never give up my real tree, and I console myself with the fact that a real tree does actually decompose, unlike the artificial.

K - The second tree goes in the bedroom. It's nice to have a little ambient light in the room (another reason why I go colored lights over white) at the holidays. I am leaving today to head home and get started on the serious decorating. Look for pictures here soon.

Anonymous said...

keep forgetting to tell you...if Santa doesn't bring the Bryson book, I have it, it is great! growing up in a small town, I can really appreciate it.

if I don't talk to you before, good luck on the 30th! the boys will be in PA and I will be saving Woodbridge from its damn self!

Lana Gramlich said...

BA; Decomposition is better than not, certainly. :) Some years ago an acquaintance of mine (who thought he knew EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING,) bought his 1st fake tree. It stood in his living room, bare. When I asked why no one was decorating it, he told me he had to let it "fall" for a few days. I nearly busted a gut (on my way home, anyway.)