“This is definitely not softball weather.”
You think? Yesterday when I heard this it was 20 degrees Fahrenheit outside. Brrrrr. In fact, after selling Christmas tree half the day on Saturday I can promise it is not ‘anything outside’ weather. I’m just now warming up. Even with the sun out, my tree selling experience provided a whole new insight into my father. You see, when I was young my very entrepreneurial dad did all sorts of random jobs. I may have mentioned that for a while he owned a pet store. (It was so funny I even stole a character trait from this for my next novel, MOLTO MAYHEM.) But this was simply the tip of the iceberg. He also sold toys to carnival organizers. And every year at this time, he and a friend of his would set up a Christmas Tree stand. HE said it was the hardest job he ever did… and now I understand why. The good news is that people were all in a happy, festive mood. We had hot apple cider to drink. Candy canes to eat. And holiday music to sing along with. However, by the time they had spent an hour searching and arguing over the perfect tree, their good mood had disappeared as fast as the apple cider. By the time the customers made it back to our tent, cold, tired and frustrated, I imagine all they wanted to do was get to the warmth of their home and begin decorating it. I admit the trees were beautiful though: Big and perfectly shaped. And, since the farm was owned by a local family rather than a business, there were a plethora to choose from. The lovely family had donated the Christmas tree sales to our charter school, so that is how we found ourselves outside, in the 20 degree weather, tying trees to the top of cars. Thirty-seven trees later we tripped our way back to the car, shivering as we headed to our next stop, the church pageant. And I finally also gained a new appreciation for the annual retelling of the birth of Christ. I always thought the best part was listening to the kindergarteners sing. This year my heart was warmed, though, not only by the sweet, sincere children, but also by the thermostat. Happy Holidays! Deanne In this freezing cold weather my thoughts are with those who don’t have a way to stay warm. Do you have blankets or coats to donate? Leave me a comment with how you stay warm… or help others stay warm, and I will place you in my December drawing - $10 to the non-political charity of your choice. Every comment on any of my blogs enters you. So stop by and say hi all month long and then check back at the end of the month to see if you won.
2 Comments
“What smells?” Ummm, yes, that would be elf on the shelf. Granted my daughter’s elf is rather feisty and loves to hide in crazy places. But apparently the floor lamp was a really bad idea. So, my daughter comes downstairs this morning, ready to search for him and instead finds his whole side burned to a crisp. To be honest, as sad as I was for her, I was just happy the whole thing didn’t turn out worse. Note to parents…. Keep an eye on that elf and do NOT let him hide anywhere near heat! This, though, is what the holidays are really all about. We plan and plan. We strive for perfection- the perfect tree, the perfect turkey, the perfect Christmas eve vignette. And yet still, things go wrong, and it is only through magic that the Holiday reaches its own, unique, and often memorable, perfection. It reminds me of a Christmas dinner my sister prepared. She was (and still is) an amazing cook. And so, though she was only in high school, she pulled together a lovely Holiday dinner. The meat was out, on the counter, ready to be served. The mashed potatoes were in the bowl next to it, along with the vegetable and the rest of the meal. She reached up into the cupboard to get the plates down and… The entire shelf fell. Since it was the top shelf, it hit the one below it, which hit the one below that. China shattered everywhere. The kitchen counter and all the food was covered in shards. I remember sitting in the dining room next door and listening to the cacophony of crashes thinking, Oh no, this can’t be good. I don’t remember what we ended up eating for that holiday dinner… but all of these years later it is still a favorite family story. Hilarious in its sheer magnitude of destruction. As the holidays get into full swing and your own plans begin to unravel, I wish you the magic, which, just like in the wonderful children’s book The Little Princess, by Frances Hodges Burnett, “won’t let those worst things ever quite happen.” I’d love to hear your “worst things” holiday stories. Leave a comment and let me know and I will enter you in my December drawing where one lucky commenter will win a $10 donation to the non-political charity of their choice. |
Subscribe to my blog:
About Me...Deanne WilstedLink here to Betting Jessica on Amazon.com Archives
June 2020
Categories
All
|