measi's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gus, trees, and sleepless nights (note: I am aware that my graphics aren't working... my gold membership has expired... I'll be fixing that on Monday when I get paid...) The tree looks quite nice, I have to say-- the blend of new and old ornaments makes for a very sentimental tree. Erich's first attempts at Christmas art as a young child are on the tree, and so is mine. The ornaments we remember staring at as young kids are up there. And then there's a blend of new ones that he and I have received from my family. It's a tradition in my family that the host family of Thanksgiving purchases an ornament for each guest to put on their tree... a twist on the party favor idea. :) We have a TON of ornaments, actually-- not all of them went up. Quite a few of the ones that I have from home need some repair because they're small and wooden, and pieces have come loose (but were saved to repair). Krazy Glue will do the trick... but with Gus in hyper mode this year, it's better that they just remain wrapped up with their parts in the box for this year. I'll put them together next year when he's calmed down. One thing for next year I'd also like to start is a tradition my parents had when they first got married (and lasted through when I was about 11... because I made the last one we had in the box). Each year they made at least one beaded ornament for the tree. Most of them were still on the tree last year when I was home, actually-- and a few of the patterns from them look very similar to the ones on this website (under the satin ornaments). They are a bit expensive, and they take a lot of time, but they're beautiful when they are completed-- and every year when I'd unwrap the ones I'd made, it just made me proud to have my own ornaments on the tree. Even last year, when I found the ones I'd made, I was amazed-- my rows of beads on them aren't very straight, but for an eleven-year-old (and younger), they're amazingly well done. They're not cheap, though-- so it's something that can only really be done as a one-per-year sort of deal, unless I make them and give them as gifts... which maybe I'll do one year. Maybe I should look on ebay for ones that people have found still unmade in their sewing rooms and boxes... Gus, however, has decided to take it upon himself to take down the ornaments on the tree one by one... and the lights themselves, if he can manage. The bottom branches continue to be his domain. Now they just have sparkleys on them to keep his attention longer. The ornaments are slowly hiking their way up the tree. By Christmas morning, I don't doubt that nearly the bottom third of the tree will wind up being bare simply because we've put ornaments up higher. I might have to just buy a cheap set of ornaments that we can keep at the bottom and never worry about the cats knocking around at all. *shrug* It' s the glass and heirloom ones that I worry about, which comprise the better part of the tree right now. Granted, Gus will probably calm down by next year quite a bit-- Fizz and Colley take occasional bats at branches, but nothing serious. I think Gus is getting considerably more aggressive these days... and he's *cough* getting rather well developed. So he might be getting a snippage sort of present this year... I still have to get my cards and a lot of shopping done in the next few days... mostly the stuff I know I need to mail off right now. Stuff for those around here I can wait until the last minute to send if I need to. But cards need to be addressed quickly-- I'll start working on those tonight and hopefully get a good chunk of them out in the morning. I have a NaNoWriMo post-writing event tomorrow from 11 to 1, and then am busy with friends the rest of the day. Busy, busy, busy. And now work calls... *sigh* 10:56 a.m. - 12 December 2003 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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