Memory Trees

Decorating a tree that I didn't have to assemble is much like my plan to "rent-a-kid;" all of the fun without all of the work.  Both of my trees are memory books that are opened once a year.  Almost all of the most beautiful, unusual, funny, significant and sentimental ornaments have been given to me by family and loved ones, and good times and dear faces come flooding back as I take each one out of the box.  For instance, way back in the '60s, my father gave me a cashmere sweater that was decorated with opalescent sequins (it was very much in style then).  Years later, when Daddy was gone and the sweater had disintegrated, my daughter took the sequins and used them to make an ornament for me.  Could anything be more special?

Frank fancies himself a better decorator than I and has been busily rearranging ornaments on the living room tree.  Resting from his labors and well satisfied with himself, he lies under the tree with the twinkling lights reflected in his eyes.  He's like an ornament himself.

Our delayed celebration has put me completely out of sync with the rest of the world.  I've got to get a move on if I'm going to have anything ready to give to those who stick to the calendar!