Yes, a typical Christmas Eve. We dug out way through snowbanks on 522 and cut down a tree; shortened it to get it into the back of the SUV base-first, hanging out the back and partly tarp-wrapped; and then got it into the house.
Usually we bring the tree in the front door, since that's where it stands. This time, for variety, it came in the back door and stayed lying on the floor for a bit as some of the snow melted. That wasn't going to happen very quickly in that position and a flood was developing, so we stood it up against the loft. Sandy held it from upstairs and then I came and tied it.
More flood. Thank heavens for a) tile and b) wet/dry Rigid shop vac. This was an occasion for the squeegee attachment !
With the fire going and the ceiling fan almost on high, the snow melted and I kept vacuuming the water. We got the carpet back in place and then gradually inched it across so that the carpet didn't bunch up and the tree is now occupying it's normal, rightful place.
I was determined to get a shorter tree this time. I failed. I'd measured it lying on the floor at 15.5 feet but must be off ... by a foot ? On it's base and even without the star at the top, it looks higher than last year. I'm not sure that I can get up there and decorate the top without bringing down a bigger ladder ... which I don't want to do. I can't get the bigger ladder out of the garage without clearing the now-frozen-into-a-block snow at the garage door.
Yes, frozen. When I went to bed, the temp was still hovering at freezing. It was 19F when I got up; 17F now.
I'll figure something out. Today, Christmas Day, is our normal decorating day. Ok, there have been times when we've decorated early but usually it's last minute.
Last minute in our house at Christmas is anytime before the gang starts arriving. Christmas is when we've got the gang. The first arrivals are scheduled for tomorrow, Boxing Day, weather depending. Freezing rain is forecast so we'll see what happens. I'd planned on getting into Parry Sound early that day and doing some grocery shopping and picking up wine at the LCBO, but I checked their Boxing Day hours a few minutes ago and they will be closed. Oh well. Perhaps that trip will now be on Tuesday; no matter.
We'll have a quiet decorate-the-tree Christmas Day. I went into Port Loring on Christmas Eve for Mass in town. There was a good crowd -- always people from Trout Creek wanting to get to Mass early for Christmas. Without that TC crowd, there would have only been 3 or 4 of us.
Betty B was there, as usual. It's always good to see her. When I asked her if she was going to be getting away this winter her response was that she couldn't afford to go to Arnstein. What a chuckle.
The church was cozy, they must have turned the heat up the day before because this is the first service since Labour Day. The heat will be back down as the next service is the last Saturday in June. Next Sunday I will go to Britt, as I did last Sunday.
I lost a few minnows yesterday but only had a flag up once and that fish had pulled out lots and lots of line and then gotten the hook stuck on something. I pulled and pulled at it and eventually got it loose albeit with a slightly bent hook. Lost minnows without the flag going up usually means that I'm feeding Pickerel or Whitefish. Oh well; I don't want to sit outside like Don does, so that's the price that I pay.
Onward ... the days are getting longer (yeah right). I know that from the calendar but you wouldn't know it otherwise.
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