My foot felt better today. So what did I do when The Steve Wilkos’ Show was over? Go to the mailbox? Buy those Christmas Cards I’ve been meaning to get? Nope. Not even close. I went back in the storage room to get the Christmas decorations down. I learned nothing from being bed-ridden for the last few days. That’s part of my stubborn charm, though. This time I saw that I could not reach the box of decorations with the tree in it.
I went back out to the living room. Dennis and his friends were parked in the chairs, watching a movie. I scouted out the biggest of the crew. “You, fuzzy-wuzzy, come ‘ere,” I said and motioned at his guitarist to follow me. He shrugged, got up, and followed me to the storage room. “They just aren’t as discreet as they used to be,” he remarked. “Very funny. Kneel down,” I said. “I like where this is going,” he remarked. I rolled my eyes and sat down on his shoulders. “Lead me over to that stack of boxes,” I said. He slowly stood up and we swayed to the stack of packed boxes. I grabbed the one labeled “Christmas ’98″ and he lowered me to the floor. “My back hurts now,” he whined. “Well mine doesn’t, so I’m going to go set up the tree,” I replied and hurried to the living room with the tree.
I gathered the kids around and we hooked all the ornaments, Dennis hung the lights and I plugged them in. They’re extra bright. I love them. I unpacked wrapping paper, tape, special scissors, ribbons, tissue paper, and some gift boxes. The kids helped string our ornaments. There are sets that Dennis made, sets that I picked out, and a set that came with the tree. I remember buying that tree and the ornaments. I was pregnant with Pogo. It was the tree Dennis and I bought the first Christmas we were together. We planned to spend eternity together.
Last, Dennis and I strung the German glass ornaments we splurged on that first Christmas we were together. They’re just simple red, blue, green, and gold balls and bells, but Christmas will never be the same without them since we put them on the tree that year. We do it every year no matter what. The tree was beautiful. I took some pictures.
This is one of our special ornaments.

Another one. They’re not hairy, they have very fine glitter on them.

Looking up. The wires you see at the top are from the little birds we put on the tree every year.



Pogo and Dennis made this when she was about four years old. She caked these styro-foam spheres in glue and then dipped them in his glitter stock. they’re beautiful. I have a set of two of them. Pogo used to always put them on the tree.


Dennis made the star from fishing line and large craft beads.

More hand-made ornaments by Dennis.

I have a set of Christmas Light Bulbs that I bought at the same time as the glass ornaments.

Three-dimensinal snowflake.

Full-length. Note the hand-made candy canes Dennis made.

The lights on the tree are twinkle lights. I really hate that because Dennis is seizure-prone and those twinkle lights get him every single year. I thought they broke when they started twinkling. I moved the tree to put some of the gift boxes under it, and the lights went off. I was a little ticked off, and was going to adjust the plug when they came back on. Then went off again. Then came back on. Then I seen the dim twinkle bulb on the string and I realised that I was dealing with twinkle lights. Yes, I’m weird like that.
Happy Christmas all.