O Christmas Tree

Recipe for a charming Christmas Tree (in 10 simple steps):

Ingredients: 1 Real Live Christmas Tree (either pre-cut or u-cut is fine, any variety- I chose
a Frasier Fir)
1 Christmas Tree Stand
Water
Christmas Tree Lights
Ornaments
Christmas Music

Step 1: Choose your tree. Ideally, u-cut farms are the best because they are usually the cheapest. Plus, it is a lot more fun to go traipsing through living trees, trying to find the most perfectly formed tree. However, time and means may not allow that. Thus, a pre-cut tree from a Christmas tree lot is also acceptable.

Step 2: Get the tree home. (Make sure the vehicle of transport has sufficient cargo space to convey the tree from one place to the other.)

Step 3: If you do not already have a Christmas tree stand, go out and buy one (simply leaning the tree against a wall is not going to be a very stable arrangement- it will most likely fall down within 24 hours).

Step 4: Fill the stand with the water.

Step 5: It is recommended that, before placing the tree in the water, you cut about 1 inch off the trunk to eliminate the "scab" on the bottom of the trunk. *WARNING:* If you do not have a saw to do this, you WILL want to go out and buy one. Otherwise, bad things can AND WILL happen. (If you really want to know, you'll just have to ask...)

Step 6: After cutting off the end of the trunk, quickly place tree in water and screw into place. You may want to try to make sure the tree is not crooked or leaning.

Step 7: Once the stress of putting the tree up is over, turn on your choice of Christmas music.

Step 8: While music is playing, wrap lights around the tree according to your desire.



Step 9: Hang ornaments on the tree as you please. (You may include some sort of tree-topper, like an angel or a star, if you wish)





Step 10: Sit back and enjoy!



(Sorry, this photo ended up a little dark...)


Of course, you could take the short cut with an artificial tree- a little less dangerous (especially the saw part), they don't require watering (which would keep overly curious cats from constantly trying to drink the tree's water supply), and they ultimately might be cheaper since you don't have to buy a new one every year. But then you have the hassle of having to actually store it...

Well, real tree or no, happy decorating!

Operation!

So, does anybody else remember when that word used to freak me out? (How's that for a random phobia, Stevie-boy? How many Spocks and Heart Attacks does the word "operation" get? ;)

Anyway, now it may become a word that freaks out Tonks, too. Okay, so maybe not really...
But she has finally had the big operation which technically changes her from a "she" to a "sterile she." (No, having a hysterectome does not make her an "it," contrary to popular belief- she still has all the machinery that characterizes a female--she just can't get preggers)
She made it through surgery just fine- in fact, she was ready to bounce off the walls again by the time I picked her up in the afternoon. Of course, she is now somewhat limited for the next little bit, thanks to the bright blue fashion statement you see around her neck (apparently, this is actually called an Elizabethan collar- Somehow, I don't think Queen Elizabeth ever wore anything quite that blue around her neck... but who am I to nitpick over such minor details?)
Still, she finds plenty of opportunities to provide wacky, hyperactive entertainment, which is now all the funnier because of the collar...

I promise a more substantive post soon (I have fallen so behind on life over the last month, it is really just tragic- but things will get better soon!) In the meantime, enjoy these pics of dear little Nymphadora!