Monday, December 10, 2007

Preparations 5 - tree quest

It's Christmas here this Sunday. My in-laws arrive for their own personalized celebration and so all decorating deadlines are pushed forward by 10 days. Normally this would not be a problem. Hubby usually starts emptying the loft of all things festive on December 1st and begging shamelessly for me to put it all up. I agreed to do it this weekend, if they helped me clear up the house first (you may call it bribery, I call it incentive).

They whizzed around and soon all was ship-shape, so off the menfolk went to pick a tree.

The selection of our tree seems to appeal to some cave man instinct within them. They just love it, in the same way they hate almost all other forms of shopping. And without me grumbling away as the voice of reason, they get away with buying something that is really much too large for our hallway and has to be manoeuvred into the house in a kind of bizarre tribute to an episode of Monster Moves. Trees, Televisions, Trucks - bigger is always better in blokeworld.



But our favourite tree guy was SOLD OUT. On December 9th?? We are on a tree waiting list. I kid you not. Which means my new decorations are still homeless and my old friends still in boxes.

But on the plus side, I did get the marshmallows scraped off the baking trays and packaged up for Johnny's Montessori teachers.


And my Magimix is still functioning, although the whisk attachment will never be the same. But hey, it's all blog-fodder. Which is my new Zen approach for dealing with disaster and disappointment.

16 comments:

Mrs Moog said...

Blog-fodder!! That's perfect :)
I loved that link to Monster Moves. It makes those portacabins going down the M40 look quite tame.
The marshmallows look lovely all packaged up. Now I really do have to make some and I know my little old food processor will never cope.
We haven't got a real tree this year and I miss it. We're having one next year even if we're away!!

Florence Knapp (Flossie Teacakes) said...

I like your blog fodder! December does seem to be a month of casting around for bloggable things though...with so many of those pesky home-made Christmas presents unable to be blogged!

Hope you get your tree! x

Anonymous said...

My family is also celebrating this weekend, but not at my house - which is kind of too bad because I'm actually ready this year! I'm amazed you have marshmallows to give. I'm only sending mine out to a friend as a joke.

Anonymous said...

Good luck with the tree... I hear there has been a shortage of trees this year :( But I'm sure you'll get one before christmas!

I love your, "blog fodder" attitude :) Perfect.

ljm said...

The homemade marshmallows are such a great idea. I need to come up with some teacher gifts myself. So weird about your tree shortage...

revel designs said...

Good point of view. Ever tried cutting out the marshmallows with cookie cutters? I'm thinking about venturing that task. That Martha makes it look so darn easy!

Junie Moon said...

Men really do seem to be in their element when it comes to getting over-sized trees or some men go the opposite extreme and get the Charlie Brown knd. Anyway, hope your tree list wait is very short. Your ornaments are adorable and I love the little packages of homemade marshmallows. Mine came out fine as long as I used tons of powdered sugar to dredge them in.

tess said...

the marshmallows look great!
I can't beleive the trees had sold out, I hope you get one soon.
When we go to choose a tree its always me that picks the biggest one, and hubby is too practical, "it won't fit in the house let alone the car to get it home!"

Louise said...

I get nagged to put the tree up on Dec 1 by the girls so it is already done. It's not so lovely this year though as half the decorations keep disappearing! Someone is squirreling them away to their little hiding spot under the footstool! At least the top half is pretty!!

Locket Pocket said...

I love the concept of blog-fodder! I will have to keep that in mind when things go wrong - although I suppose I already do! Your christmas doll decoration is gorgeous! Lucy x

Kitty said...

I'm so glad you mentioned the blog-fodder. I find myself going through life, and when something happens, thinking 'oh - I could write about that on the blog'. So shameless.

Your handmade marshmallows look uber professional. :-) x

Anonymous said...

Yes, it used to be the tradition to get your tree on christmas eve no? And now, if you dare to wait that long you will be sorely disappointed. The day after Thanksgiving is when they are fresh here (gah) and it goes down hill after that. Unless you go out and cut your own in some outlying town.

Homemade marshmallows eh? I'm impressed. That visit with Yarnstorm must have given you strength!

dottycookie said...

Love the marshmallows - and who is that gorgeous little elfin creature? Hope you do track down a tree soon - I ordered ours from work but I shan't be confident until it is in my car - hopefully tomorrow ...

Unknown said...

your marshmallows look like they turned out well. And I absolutely love your scandinavian girl ornament. So cute! Good luck with your tree quest.

alice c said...

I used to send husband and children out to choose the tree but they would all come back in a foul mood having tried to find the 'perfect' tree. When I took MrM this year he could not believe how painless it can be. You just pick up the first tree and work out reasons for it to be the right choice.Then you take it home.

Unknown said...

Such true words, we have a tree that is too big every single year!

I love the marshmallow gift idea, I was just debating over what to do this year and was thinking of making chocolates but home made marshmallows would be brilliant. Will have to say a little prayer for my Kenwood....