f r e s h s t a r t

Friday, December 01, 2006

 

At least

Although the snow shut down O'Hare and Midway this morning and slowed things down around the city, at least the Christmas tree lots that have sprung up on empty lots and in the corners of grocery store parking lots don't seem so out of place. When I returned to Chicago after Thanksgiving they seemed a little out of place, with the super-warm-for-November weather, but now they're probably all covered in snow.

Our little Christmas tree came from my hometown. My Dad measured my car's trunk and informed me that the biggest tree I could get would be between 5 and 6 feet tall. Mom, Dad and I drove out to Charlie's Tree Farm, the scene of many past arguments between my sisters and I, where I then had the joy of selecting a tree without having to lobby anyone else to vote for the one I liked the best. Dad cut it down for me, Mom paid (thanks Mom), the staff put it on the shaker to get rid of loose needles, and then bound it in twine for the trip.

Putting up and decorating a tree is a group effort. Upon returning to Chicago I dragged the tree upstairs. I unsuccessfully tried to put the tree properly into the tree stand. I realized that my roommate wouldn't be arriving until the next day, and that the tree would be needing water if it was to retain its pleasant green color instead of dying and turning into a pile of brown needles. So Dana received what she called the weirdest phone call of the weekend, and came over soon after to hold the tree up while I attached the stand.

The tree is now covered in white lights, but is still lacking ornaments. Mine are packed away somewhere unknown, but Lindsay plans to buy some while out shopping tonight. As I said, these things require a group effort.

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