We were not fine. Non-HD now feels like some sort of torturous punishment. They should make criminals in prison watch HD tv for the first month, then take it away from them for the duration of their prison term. Ghastly, I tell you.
Anyway, I have always done all my Xmas decorating upstairs in our home. It is where we spent all our time. With the move downstairs, I decided to decorate down there, too, so we'd be able to actually enjoy it. Which is partially why that is still the part of the house that is decorated as Valentine's Day comes around. That and, you know, laziness.
I think part of it is because I really went to town downstairs. I lined where the walls met the ceilings with thick evergreen garlands. I hung ornaments and stockings and lit the whole sucker up so bright that we didn't need lamps or recessed lighting. Period.
Stuck a small tree in the corner.
Covered the couches in Christmas quilts.
Ignore the non-holiday monkey there. Thanks, Mav.
Focus instead on the festive.
Holiday throw pillows.
Holly coasters.
Shelves lined with lights.
And various Muppets and Santas.
Throw in a musical Rudolph clock
for a little extra festive sound.
Kept most of the photos up on the wall
but replaced the non-holiday glassware on the shelves.
Clearance giant birdhouse and red cardinal
from Pennys after Christmas sale last year
cost a whopping five bucks. Love.
Multiple clearance birdhouse ornaments from
an online Current sale last year
cost a couple dimes on the dollar.
Poinsettia candles from a TJ Maxx years ago.
Stained glass, large candles, antique ornaments
older than me from my gram's collection.
Mav and Mary Lou.
The wreath I made on the basement door.
Mav posing some more.
Large old-school lights on the fireplace,
the mantel lined with a poinsettia runner.
A couple wonderful smelling candles heavy enough
that little paws couldn't move the fabric runner.
Even the bird clock couldn't escape a little greenery and light.
Hi, Arty.
"Oh, hey. Nothing. I'm doing nothing."
Um, okay, Buddy. I didn't even say anything.
*Gives Isley suspicious stare, walks by, glances back*
"You little -! Wow, really?
Both front paws equally grabbing and causing mayhem?
Impressive..."
*Remembers this is bad*
"ISLEY!"
"Hey, Mama. I'm adorable. Look at how adorable! Now look away!"
*Glances at pretty poinsettia tree in the corner*
Awwww, such a cute tree.
Full of bird ornaments,
poinsettias,
red and green and gold balls.
*Giggles because, heh, balls*
Hi, I am five years old.
*Looks back at Isley*
"Seriously, Little Man?"
And... Thunk, thunk, thunk.
That was the sound of the green shatterproof ornament there as it was swatted off of the fireplace and landed on the brick below, bouncing twice before landing and rolling across the carpeted floor.
A sound we have heard multiple times a day, one that draws us back downstairs. We always find several cats, suddenly none of them anywhere the fireplace. All of them either curled up in a ball,
sitting up straight, or washing themselves. All of them, if any eyes are open, looking in every direction except towards the fireplace.
On the carpet, anywhere from 1 to 5 round shatterproof ornaments of different sizes and colors lay scattered. There is no longer the same number of ornaments on the fireplace. Some have made it all the way across the room. Others, I'm still finding when I sweep or peer under an end table. None are anywhere near any kitty.
They think they are sneaky. I place the ornaments back. Pretend to scold since everyone in the room knows each party is in some way a guilty party.
What they don't realize is that those balls on the fireplace were a setup. A setup that worked so gloriously well that few other decorations in the house were bothered at all throughout the Christmas season. And not one, NOT ONE, of my Christmas trees were climbed this year.
From our home to yours, we hope your holiday season was merry and bright and that your 2012 is full of good health and all the happiness one can hold. And Mary Lou just said "mew mew" behind my desk chair, so "mew mew" to you as well. Which I am sure is some other well-wisher sentiment.
Get ready. The hubby's Christmas presents were tickets to see one of his favorite funnymen and tickets to a musical that shouldn't be called a musical. Because it has no showtunes. It's modern. And awesome. And even guys would want to go to it. In fact, I would say it is geared towards guys. My husband's age. My husband, if I dare say it, is the exact audience meant for this little show. *High fives*
In other words, someone is taking me out!
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