Article Contributed on: 12/6/2006 5:10:04 PM
Tabitha Dial's inspirational
blog today may well have horrified her co-workers but it definitely inspired me. Her description of making cookies at Christmas made me drool and her visual art actually brought me to tears. As the Holiday Season rushes toward us with breakneck speed, I have taken a long hard look at this blog and decided that lemons can, and should after all, be used to make lemonade.
Jan and I don't do a lot of decorating these days. We try to stay within OSHA guidelines, as we are not old enough to be covered by Medicare. The little artificial Christmas tree is brought up from the basement, set on a small table, and plugged in. Voila! Pardon my French. (Voila means "see there!" in English) The small size of the tree is convenient because it does not restrict access to gifts. In past years my gifts always seemed to migrate to the most inaccessible place and I am no longer limber or supple enough to get at them, or it. It's much easier to concentrate on getting at the candy on the counter top or dining room table.
Outside lights are limited to the reachable area around the front door where risk of falling off the ladder and breaking an appendage is very limited.
Jan enjoys two things above most other activities. One is making evergreen arrangements for friends and family. The house is filled with the pleasant odor of fresh pine and cedar trimmings. This year she discovered a less expensive and far more convenient way to get a supply of fresh greens. She drove around to several Christmas Tree sales lots in the Parker area in the morning, when the fresh trees are delivered.The attendents lop off the lower branches to give the trees a traditional shape before setting them out for sale. They will give the trimmings away or sell them for $5 or so. In previous years Jan has gone to a wholesale florist and spent up to $40 for a box of mixed greens. So then she gets busy and, for a day or two, the kitchen is a mess, but the ends justify the means. This is a gift that lasts throughout the Holiday season and will stay fresh if watered.
The second major activity is the big cookie bake. Jan bakes oodles of cookies. Oodles means lots. Jan won't allow me to bake because we haven't got around to buying a fire extinquisher, but I can certainly offer support, advice and quality control skills. My rigid quality standards include rejecting broken or unevenly frosted goods. These have to be eaten while they are still warm.
So, what other roll do I play in this annual activity? I am left to take photographs of these wonderful traditions. I quietly work on the computer, writing our Christmas letter; lonely, unsung but satisfied with my place in the pecking order. I also put the trash and recycle out for Thursday pickup.
This year I may break out and attempt drawing a picture. The concept of being photographed while accepting the $100 prize has definitely piqued my interest. Is
John Brandstetter available as Artistic Director?