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I am glad you chose to visit! My blog is a compilation of the many hats I find myself wearing. On any given day I may be an encourager, an instructor, or just a lady who is venting. You, dear reader, will probably identify with my triumphs and my tribulations! These snapshots fit into my Life Scrapbook I have named A. McInnis Artworks. I hope you will find something worth your while.


Monday, November 15, 2010

So You Think It's Too Early For a Tree?

I think I'm getting cranky in my old age.. take today as an example. I knew when I put up the Christmas tree in the library that I'd have all the naysayers talking..."It's way too early"...."It isn't even Thanksgiving"...."I hate it when Christmas is rushed." But I try to do a different tree every year and it takes quite a while to come up with a "theme" and make all the decorations. Plus, take out a week for Thanksgiving and we only get to enjoy the tree about three weeks.

We recycle our ornaments and use tons of stuff from Dollar Tree. Let's see, we've had a candy cane tree, a snowflake and gold tree, a purple and copper woodland animal tree, a candyland tree (my favorite) and this year a plaid primitive tree. If I can locate pictures I will explain how we managed to dress them with relatively little cost. I also think you'd enjoy knowing how we used the different components from $ Tree.

I come up with my theme a year in advance, that way when everything goes down to 75% off...I'm the first in line. I've been known to mow down grown men who dare to reach for something I've hidden on a previous scouting trip in the store. Once a lady thought she was getting the last teddy bear music box oven (a bear jumps on the door, opens it and a little cake is inside all the while it's playing carols.)....but I'd been hunkered down in line outside in the cold for over an hour. "I think NOT," I thought and guess what? I was right. I would have made a defensive line coach proud. That's what I mean...cranky and a little brash in my old age.

Well, today, I was ready for all the naysayers. When I arrived at school, I went to my desk and sat down (for the only time all day except for a Subway at 2:00) and neatly printed a little sign.
I folded it and put it in my pocket.

I began the decorating process with my two library aids...both males and as much as I like them....they make the bull in a china shop look graceful. We "took out" (as in smashed) a huge fluorescent light bulb before the 8:15 bell, dropped an oscillating fan that I had them direct the air flow at me because I was sweating bullets, and was caught sticking paperclips into the cord socket trying to dig out the blown fuses...that was before one of them stepped on a string of lights, crunching them flat. But I got a full period's work out of both of them. Bless their hearts. Back to the story at hand...

Things went pretty well until a well meaning principal that harasses me every year about putting up the tree early happened by. "Here he comes," I thought. I was ready this year...
"It's only November 15," he said looking at his watch, "and you are already putting up the tree. I think it's way too early!"

"Really?" I retorted. "Well, guess what?" I said. I slid my hand into my pocket, pulled out my note (which BTW was used several times today), opened it and flashed it at him just like a flash card. It read, " I REALLY DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK!" with a smiley face at the end of the sentence. I ceremoniously whirled around and walked back to my task. I heard him laugh as I drove out of sight...oh, no I'm sorry I'm getting that last phrase confused with another Christmas story...

5 comments:

grey rose (they/them) said...

Angela. I LOVE YOU!
It's not too early! We have always had "real" trees, but this year an artificial, our apartment only allows that:/
anyway, I would have had ours up and festive weeks ago....if not for the three foot high, curious, rough and tumble fella....

PS tomorrow I pick a giveaway winner, enter! I have two more coming this month too! xo

Angela McInnis said...

Yes, the little fella will LOOOOVVVVee it this year! There is nothing like having your house decorated, getting up early, having some coffee, turning on the tree lights and just enjoying the moment. BTW, Hannah, one of my fondest memories of your family was the annual Christmas open house your parents had in their home for the whole church! Love to you.

grey rose (they/them) said...

Of course he'll love it-and want to destroy it! Ha!

Open house! I miss those, fond memories for me too:)

Unknown said...

Really funny. You'll see if the principal learned his lesson next year. I agree, it's too much work for just 3 weeks. My mother and sister already have their trees up. My mother who wouldn't have even considered that when I was a child. Our tree went up about mid December and often came down on Dec. 26 and at least once (although she denies it) on Christmas morning.

Mrs. Jinny Bailey said...

I personally love the tree coming up! I love Christmas!