Timber!!!!

Here we are, a full 31 days past the new year. A whole month. Puxitawny Phill will poke his head out of his hole tomorrow and tell us how much longer we must wait for spring to begin or winter to end, which ever comes first. My personal first sign comes on New Years day when my husband ushers the Christmas tree out of the corner and into its box (we decided last year to go artificial.) The traditional Out with the Old. But as previously stated, it's 31 days later and my Christmas tree still sits in the corner. I took the decorations off weeks ago, unplugged the lights two weeks ago. And yet, there it still sits.

My sister laughingly, said "it's a loverly tree, you should keep it up and just decorate it for each holiday and season." I contemplated doing just that as a way to spur Ducky into breaking it down and boxing it up. I'm mean surely that would do it right? No, I plugged in the lights again (it's prelit) and he just wanted to know why I lit the tree.

Well surely he'll come to an embarrassing moment that will egg him to finally yell timber,and then have at 'er. No that moment came and went last weekend with the usual Saturday morning visit of our very neighborly friend, Mr. Whisker. Always a joy, he shows up coffee mug in hand to discuss the latest real estate market trends, weather, computers and what nots. After that visit I think the tree may stay forever.

"We once, kept our decorated tree up for two or three years." Mr. Whiskers is apparently of no help. Those two or three years must have left a devastating mark on him. Did I mention he had to leave Washington state for some dark nefarious reason, and that he is now married to a different woman? A delightful Jehovah's Witness (pinky swear spit.) I'm not saying he married Mrs. Whiskers (au deux) just because she's JW (that would just be rude) she's a very lovely lady. But there being no threat of a Christmas tree being propped in the corner hung with snowmen in July must have it's attractions. Mr. Whiskers must have felt my dispare, because they drove out of town for the week immediately upon delivering his bit of post Christmas cheer. I'd burn his mail that I am picking up for him daily, but that would be a federal offense.

There's no time to decorate for Phil, I mean where do you buy little stuffed ground hogs? But Valentine's day is coming up. I have spun glass hearts in my Christmas ornament box (an apparent gift of forethought from my sister years ago) that I can take back out and use in tribute to this lover's holiday. Maybe go buy some pink and red gossamer ribbons and little cupids. I mean really, if you can't beat then join them. A few birds nest, maybe some silk crocus, daffodil, and tulip to celebrate spring, and of course coloured eggs and a vested hare or three. No ducks, there will be no cute little ducks, because well Ducky would take that as validation of his success at not removing the former Christmas tree.

My husband has a friend who puts up her Christmas tree in October, no lie. Mauve also keeps it up months later. It's an epidemic. Egg nog anyone?

Cele