Fredonia Falldown: Falling Trees and Santa

This picture really doesn't describe what happened last Thursday. Let me set the scene. I was in the basement on a conference call - the girls were at ballet. I heard a very loud crash accompanied by the sound of shattering glass. It was a distinctive sound and I immediately knew it was the tree.

This tree had been a problem tree from the start. Despite our best efforts to get the darn thing to stand straight, it refused. First leaning this way, then leaning that way. I am not a perfectionist and I was perfectly willing to let the tree be what it was....a slightly tilted, but still beautiful symbol of this special season. Then the C R A S H!

I ran upstairs (my phone on mute) and was shocked by the ensuing disaster. Not only were there the teeniest tiniest pieces of glass EVERYWHERE, water was seeping out of the stand and onto our oriental rug. On my hands and knees (still clutching the muted phone between by cheek and shoulder), I heaved the tree upright again. My knees were wet, my neck was achingly trying to keep hold of the phone and I was starting to break out in a sweat. Because now what?

I had stopped the water from spilling but, you see, the tree had fallen in the stand and now I needed to hold it upright and try to adjust the bolts to keep it in place. The bolts were not turning. I tried my best, let go and backed away. That was when the tree came crashing down on the other side.

I stood staring at the outfall; broken ornaments everywhere, a wet rug and a horizontal tree. I politely excused myself from the work call and immediately dialed Alan. I left a desperate message - I was frustrated.

30 minutes later, he pulled into the drive and rescued both me and the tree.

Onto better recent events...I took the girls to visit Santa on Friday.

Please take note of Vaughan's sweet face! She wanted nothing to do with Santa last year -- and I have the photo to prove it.

She couldn't get enough of him this year. She followed him around the tea room, tugged gently on his arm sleeve and asked repeatedly for "Holly Pockets" (aka Polly Pockets). Santa fell in love with Vaughan. As enamored as she was with him, he was just as equally enamored with her.