to go to Anclote Key for the lighthouse open house. Butch dropped Trish and me at the kiosk on the docks and headed on back home to finish getting the tree and decorations out of the attic. Trish forgot a hat so we crossed the street and bought visors. When we got in line at the kiosk, there was obviously some kind of complication. Apparently the boat that was to take us out to the island had lost its stirring and was marooned. They would have to be towed in to the dock. So I called Butch and he came back to the docks to get us.
We dropped Trish back at home in Pointe Alexis and on the back to our place, we took a detour through our "attitude adjustment," which is known to others as Fred Howard Park, a Pinellas County beach park. And what would have been a lovely day for the boat ride became a lovely day for a ride through the park. The following pictures were taken from the passenger side window as we rode through the park and out the causeway to the beach.
And when we got home, we got the rest of the stuff out of the attic and put the tree in its stand. I got no further when the first light strand I picked up wouldn't light. I decided it could wait until this morning. And I tackled it after THREE cups of coffee to fortify me. In less than an hour, I was swearing like a sailor and had a blister on my right index finger from trying to pull those blasted little bulbs out of their sockets to test them in a working string. Butch saw the injury, told me to go bandage it, and then took over. We never did get that string working. I did, however, get others working and after a couple of hours, the lights were on the tree.
I stopped for a glass of Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry. Just to calm my nerves which were about shot. I had a little dog "dogging" my every step. I had stepped on him twice. He was already upset because we had moved his bed and put the tree where his bed is supposed to be, He kept trying to walk under the tree to find his bed even though we had shown him where it was a dozen times.
Next came the strings of pearls, my Victorian dolls and other lacy ornaments, and then the crystal and Hummel ornaments. Then all the glass and porcelain. And, VOILA! A decorated tree. I didn't have one last year because my surgeries prevented me from being able to do the bending and lifting; and I told Butch he didn't have to try to do it for me in addition to everything else he had been doing for me. So this year, I am doubly glad to have it up.
Soooo...I will leave it up until after Epiphany. After Christmas, I will buy a new, pre-lit tree and this tree which just turned 25 years old will be discarded. And all the new tree and the decorations will be stored in a closet as I had some anxious moments watching my husband climb a 6 ft. ladder to climb up into the attic. Apparently, he needs to access a different part of the attic instead of the area he can get to with the pull down staircase in the garage. I didn't ask the obvious question. I wasn't looking for a fight. I was just happy to have the stuff down safely.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
