"Oh, Christmas Tree”

Yesterday we cut down our Christmas tree on a tree farm (I mean Mark cut it down; I just laid hands on him).

After four years of a fake tree, it was time to have the real thing. You know? The kind that sheds needles; the one that your cat jumps on and goes crash in the middle of the night; the one you have to give a drink of water to when it’s thirsty, and the one that everyone says, “Wow, that’s a big tree!”

Yep, eight feet tall (and growing!).

Funny how the trees look so much smaller on a 10-acre lot than in your own living room. We narrowed the 600 trees down to three, two, and then one.

“Oh, that’s it…there’s our tree!” I shouted.

Mark turned toward me and said, “No, that’s the Charlie Brown Christmas tree.”

I have a soft spot in my heart for the trees that everyone passes by: the one that has a huge “bald” spot, lop-sided, and half dead. They come calling to me.

But…

Hubby won the first round of "Christmas Tree Bingo" and we settled on a somewhat irregular Norway Evergreen (instead of the usual Douglas Fir). I think. Who knows, really; they all start looking the same when your hands are blue and your feet are numb.

Cutting it down is the easy part, stuffing it in the back of Dave’s truck (our neighbor) was another Houdini act. Their tree makes ours look like “Tiny Tim.”
Unfortunately, our tree doesn’t fit in the living room and is taking up most of the dining room. We moved the furniture around so our cat "Bianca" can take flying leaps off the second story balcony and land on the tree top!

Or maybe we'll let our neighbor's kitten, Lily, do it...she's already had some practice jumping off the second story balcony!
Today we are putting on lights. No simple task with our “disabilities”; I can’t use my arms and Mark can’t use his legs (the odd couple!).

When we have it all dressed up, we’ll invite you over for some cookies and cocoa—okay?

Can you tell I’m distracting myself? Jon left for college this morning (and will return in two weeks). I made his favorite treat for the road: “peanut butter balls.” They require no baking!

Here’s the recipe:
3/4 c. Quaker oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
3/4 c. instant nonfat dry milk
3/4 c. chunk style peanut butter
1/2 c. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. raisins or nuts

Combine oats and nonfat dry milk, stirring until well blended; set aside. Beat together peanut butter, honey and vanilla; stir in combined dry ingredients and raisins. Mix thoroughly and shape dough into 3/4" balls. Keep refrigerated.

Sing, “Oh Christmas Tree” while you’re rolling the balls!