Christmas lights! Love ’em – hate ’em – can’t live without them!
We always put up a live tree. Maybe someday I’ll give in to the convenience of an artificial one but it won’t be because of the sap that gets all over the house as you drag in the tree, or the needles that shed continually for a month and eventually clog your vacuum or even the fact that you’ve got to somehow manage to keep it watered. Oh no…. it will be so that Doug and I don’t argue about the lights!
We’ve settled into many patterns in our lives – it happens once you’ve been with someone long enough. I do most of the food shopping and cooking, he cleans the cat boxes. He makes the coffee in the morning and I feed the animals. Fair trades mostly although Doug does things for me without any complaint because he’s lived with me and the beast of my chronic pain and if he doesn’t understand, he certainly knows how AS has affected me. It doesn’t necessarily always make it easy and the Christmas lights are a great example of just that. I want them put on the tree in a certain way – I’m very opinionated about these things and he knows that it is a job that really stresses my body. So, bless his heart, he puts up with my direction of “no, closer together” or “you missed that branch.” Yup, he puts up with it but he does it for me and it usually consists of a bit of bickering back and forth because no matter how particular you are in putting those lights away the year before, they always snake and twist and tangle. Pretty much like anything that is worthwhile – it takes some working through to enjoy and appreciate!
Until tomorrow.
Jenna
Day 62 was created with pen & ink.
I’m with Doug; get lights on the tree as best you can and make up for the voids with ornaments and tinsel. I like the end result and avoid the process….the joys of the season; humbug. Oh yes, your mother and I don’t agree on the process but share enthusiastically with the results. Kudos to Doug!
J: i have been silent so far, watching along, day by day, enjoying your progress enormously. It is time, today to chime in and let you know today’s post brought tears to my eyes. Having been through a year of cancer diagnosis, surgery, treatment, and recovery (?) with my partner taking exquisite care of me, I am so very grateful for the humanness that bonds us in times of sickness, chronic pain; the down sides of life. What would we ever do without these people who string lights for us on the tree, coax us when we need coaxing, compromise when need be, etc… Bravo on your adventure!
Susan –
Thanks for your wonderful note to Jenna. I clicked on your link to view your site and got an error – there is a comma between “www” and “mcchesneyart.com” not a period. If anyone wants to see Susan’s site – click on her name (above) and then go into the address field, and change the comma to a period to see her web page.
Susan, Your words mean the world to me. It is humanness – goodness – and love that bonds people especially when we are at our lowest point. and Bravo to you for your strong fight and to all the wonderful caregivers out there! Thank you for following me on this journey! Love, Jenna