O' Tannenbaum!

Never having lived in city before (okay, okay, I lived in SF before, but I didn't buy a tree there), we weren't quite sure how to go about getting a tree. Usually we drove to a Christmas tree lot or two, found the perfect tree and loaded it on our car. Since we don't have a car, we couldn't do two of those three things. So I did some research and found a lot close to our home. The kids, actually having social lives, abdicated their roles in choosing the tree to Chizz and I. So off we went in search of our first international tree. It was a crystal clear morning and a brisk 39 degrees but it was a nice walk. We walked through a neighborhood that we have never been through before and that is always interesting.

We arrived at the lot and surveyed the trees. The lot is really just a corner sidewalk with a few trees scattered here and there. At most 20 trees opened up but there were some trees still in their netting waiting to be opened and displayed. We were happy to discover that trees cost pretty much the same as in our old neighborhood in California. I didn't like any of the trees that were currently being displayed. One was too tall, this one too bare, the next one too bushy, another too short. My name is Wendy, and I am a Christmas-tree-aholic. I have to look at every tree and make the tree lot staff open up more trees. After looking and rejecting several trees, the lot guy finally asked me to tell him what was wrong with the trees I had been rejecting so he might be able to help us find the perfect tree. So I told him, it couldn’t be too tall, too small, too bushy, too sparse; it had to have the right shape and the right kind of top branch for the star. For some reason, he didn’t find those words helpful. Finally after three more trees lost their white plastic coats, we found our tree. It is not perfect but it is good. All three of us, Chizz, me and the tree lot guy heaved big sighs of relief.

After paying for the tree and the new stand, I told Chizz this place would deliver, which my friend the tree guy confirmed they could deliver later that night between 7 - 10 p.m. For £14.95 (about $30.00). I was already to sign up but Chizz heard £14.95 and the next thing I know, he is picking up our tree and walking down the block. Mind you it is probably 15 city blocks to our home, with an 8 ft Christmas tree on his shoulder. We had a few rest breaks, an 8 ft tree is not heavy as it is awkward. Finally the cavalry came in the form of a lean 13-year-old boy, Snake. With one at the top of the tree and the other carrying the trunk, we made it home.

It has been decorated and here it is- our first International Tree. OOOOOh! AAAAAh!