A bit of thought . . .

I'm not that fond of certain words,

Some really make me cringe.

I'm not that opinionated;

But one or two will prime a whinge.

The main offender's 'awesome',

It almost refused to be typed,

It's used with barely a thought;

A mock superlative, that's been 'hyped'.

Don't get me wrong -words should be used

To express sublime emotions;

Just not 'that' one - it sounds so false

Just 'thrown' in as a notion.

Now! 'awe inspiring' is better

And there's plenty more to choose

So when you're about to say it

Think 'what else could I use'!

Always using exaggerated nouns.

Is not really that convincing.

Doesn't convey in its best form

What you are truly thinking.

So now, I must also rethink

Those words I often mention.

So they don't become meaningless

When meant with good intention.

I wanted a real tree!

Last Christmas - gosh that sound so long ago; I hummed and hawed about either dragging our artificial but ever so realistic 7' tree from down the loft, to take up its usual position in the living room, pretty much blocking the bottom half of the room, OR buying a real one. A proper fir tree in all its needle splendour. The garden centre assistant somehow managed to convince me "you don't need a 'non-drop' tree, just look after it properly and it'll be fine"!  SO, we man-handled it out of the car and into the living room and attempted to place it in the special clamp/water container also purchased. Having almost creased ourselves manoeuvring said tree, crashing into the book-case and getting spiked with the needles several times, it was placed and looked fantastic. "The true smell of Christmas" commented my Husband! I dressed the tree with our 9 year old son and da-daaa! clicked on the lights. Gasps of oooh and arrrr, and hardly a needle shed. I glimpsed down at my arms and hands to see  nettle-type wealds appearing; not itchy, but vividly there.

You've got to admit though, it was worth all the faff!

 Move onto January 2nd 2011 

 As we were taking off the decorations and most of the lights; it became very evident that despite constantly topping up with water, the tree had really started to droop and had shed needles in abundance! I could not take off the remaining lights - so helpful husband took over. We figured that the only way to take the tree out of the house would be to exit via the patio doors, a mere couple of step away. At this point there was still water in the base of the stand - not for a lot longer however. As it was being dragged unceremoniously through the door, all the water escaped, the voile curtain track got pulled down and the needles took over the whole of the bottom end of the living room.

As you can see, it was a shambles. Me to husband "you have every permission to say I told you so, even though you didn't"  and hysterical laughter ensued as I tried to work out how the hell I was going to clear up!

After one lot of hoovering

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The tree has left the building

Note to self - drag the artificial tree down from the loft next Christmas Kath!