It is the day after Christmas and all through our house, ripped wrapping paper and empty boxes are all over the floor. The boys were all happy with what they received and the number of gifts was hard to believe. A robot for Chris, two footballs for Anton, and a new camera for Jean-Luc because he said the lost one was a fluke. Carla and I are happy that the boys were excited but we made them wait to open the rest of their gifts until the family was sighted. A long day of cooking and waiting for us and the boys. They wanted to get to their toys. Phone calls from the Aunts led us to believe they were coming soon but we still had to wait and see. A few hours later they all showed up but by then it was time for our dinner fun. Julie and Dave, Monica, Ana and Buddy, David and Kelly, Carla and I sat in the dining room. Jean-Luc, Anton, Chris, and Julie-Ana were at the kitchen table as the floor is easier to clean with the broom. Dinner went well and all was delicious. Then it was time for more gift opening joy. All of the boys wanted to get to the toys! Thank yous all around and "I could use that" followed as one by one the gifts were opened. Gift cards were giving and received. Coffee, coasters, kitchen towels, pillows with blankets, pocket knives, pictures, not PC speakers, some palm tree items, games, a laptop, a mouse, and too much other stuff to mention. After desserts and coffee or drinks of others choice, it was time for our guests to head to their homes as it was getting late. The day had been great.
Thanks to all. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
The Family Christmas Tradition 2008
By William James Steinmetz – My Blog
Twenty years ago my mother wrote an article for a small Nashville, TN community newspaper called Parents Place. It was about a family tradition of putting up the Christmas tree and how we fought while doing it. Well, as I was typing the article into a document to put on my blog I thought that I may as well go ahead and update it with my family. Okay, my wife Carla suggested it but I can take it as mine. We do that sort of thing. We think alike even when we don’t. You married people know what I mean.
We put up a tree every other Christmas as we alternate between here in Florida and Nashville every other year. When we are in Nashville for Christmas we don’t bother decorating here as we will not be able to enjoy it. So this year, we went to Nashville for Thanksgiving and we will be here for Christmas. Let the decorating begin.
It starts out with the whole family getting excited to help. But I am the one who goes out to the garage to get the huge plastic containers that have the ornaments in them. There are four and two are quite heavy as they contain little glass houses and lots of sets of lights. Most of the lights do not work so this year we decided to buy new sets to use. Well, Carla goes off to a friends craft and bake sale; I get ready to retrieve all the cases from the garage and the tree from the guest room closet. The boys of course are no where to be found. I grumble the whole time.
Once Carla returns about 45 minutes later with a few cookies we start putting the 14 year old artificial tree together. We pull out the longest branches and set them aside. Then I hunt for the instructions and find them along the side of the box relatively close to the top. I insert the bottom part of the tree into the base and the main part onto the bottom. We read the instructions (well we look at the picture) and gather the white tipped branches. While Carla and I straighten out the branches and arrange the “leaves” into something that actually resembles a pine tree, Jean-Luc reads a book, Anton plays his GameBoy ® and Chris waits to help us by putting them on the tree.
Carla and I need to get back into the swing of things as it has been two years since we last did this. We progress slowly and Chris keeps up. As we get quicker to straightening and setting, we start to get a little ahead of Chris. There comes a point where he isn’t tall enough to reach as we are not about 6 layers up. I start to place them. Then we get to the 7th layer we are missing a branch. We leave the hole in the back of the tree. The next layer we are missing one as well. In the back of the tree again with the missing branch. The next layer we are missing two and I started to think something was wrong.
The sizes of the branches were getting smaller and I look down at the first stack we pulled out and said “where do these go?” They were much bigger than what we were putting on the tree now. Well, the tradition continues as we had to take off all the branches and place those nice big long ones on the very bottom. Then miracle of miracles all the layers had all the branches they needed. After messing with this for a couple hours I finally was able to put the top of the tree on. It actually looks like a pine tree.
Well, it was time for the lights. We open the first box of new lights that we had decided were going to go around the archway to the formal living room. I thought that they looked okay and went about placing them on the hooks on the ceiling. They were up when Carla walked back into the room and said “what are those doing up?” “Those were the ones we said we were going to put there when we were at the store” I replied. “The wires are huge. It doesn’t look good at all” Carla said. After a short discussion we decided to leave them until later.
The next set of new lights came out of the box. As I unraveled it, I plugged it in to make sure it was working. All the lights came on and nothing blinked. Like my mother I am not a big fan of blinking lights. This was a set that would go toward the inside part of the tree nearest the truck. I walked ahead of Carla around and around the tree as she took the slack I was giving her and neatly placed the lights inside the tree. We had unplugged the lights at that point to make it easier to move them around the tree. Once plugged back in they just didn’t look right and Carla decided that I needed to take down the lights from the entry way and we would use those on the inside of the tree. I did with little hesitation and some mumbling under my breath that I hope she didn’t hear. Carla removed the other ones and we proceeded with those.
That set didn’t quite make it to the top so we pulled out a smaller set to finish the inside of the tree off. That one made it most of the way and another small set was used to finish it off and start down the back to work them around the outside of the tree. One more set follow and then the moment of truth. All the lights were plugged into there necessary sockets and the power strip was turned on. Two of the four sets glowed in all there glory. The other two sets absolutely nothing. No sparkle. No hint of sparkling. Not even a dream of sparkling. I was ready to cry. Why didn’t I think of plugging them in to check them? My dad would have done that. I think to myself ID-10-T error.
At that point in time, I’d had it. Carla was done as well and we decided it would wait for another day.
Three days later. Carla is taking Anton to a friend’s house to work on their science project (I’m so over those). She told Chris and me to get the lights figured out. Chris disappeared to play a game on the computer and JL was reading a book in his room. I set about trying to figure out what the heck happened.
I tackled the light strand on the bottom of the tree first. As if by magic, the third light I checked was loose. I pushed it in to secure it and the lights lit. Amazing. Now if I could be so lucky with the other strand.
The other strand was on the top part of the tree. Even for me that is up there and I decide I had no choice but to unwind it from the tree. Once unwound, I started checking the bulbs. It was the middle of a two hundred bulb strand that I found the culprit but it wouldn’t stay in no matter how hard I pushed. I got a replacement bulb that came with it tried that. The replacement bulbs bases were too small. What? The bulbs that came with it were too small. I took the bulb out of the bigger base and then one from a smaller base and put that bulb in the bigger base. It went back into the socket and the lights came on. Just about that time, Carla returned with Anton.
It was now time for the ornaments. We started by placing the larger balls on the tree. Carla carefully took them out of their box and gave them to the boys. One to Anton, one to Chris, and one to Jean-… Where was Jean-Luc? Not out there helping us. He was off reading his book. Carla and I bellowed “JEAN-LUC!!!!!” at the same time. He came downstairs grumbling and grumpy (must get that from grandpa) not really wanting to help. He was handed the ornament. He placed it on the tree and sat down on the sofa and started reading again. Carla and I were not happy but for our 13 year old getting him to read was like pulling teeth and now we can’t get him to stop to help. Carla had enough and sent him to his room to think about it.
Anton and Chris were putting the ornaments on like there was no tomorrow. The larger balls put on the bottom of the tree. As the balls got progressively smaller the higher up the tree they were placed.
Jean-Luc was called back down and asked if he was ready to help. He said yes and put his book away. Things moved along. Ornaments were moved around at the direction of Carla when the boys put them too close together or too high or low on the tree depending on their size. Finally all the balls were on and we moved to the special ornaments.
We have been buying the Star Trek® ornaments from the Hallmark® store for years. They light up and make noise or say something. The way that works is you take a bulb out of the strand and plug to ornament into it. Well, the mini-lights we bought do not have big enough sockets for them to plug into to. I was not about to change the lights again so we proceeded without having them light up. The ones we bought last and this year turned out to have batteries and did not need to be plugged in. Yeah!
After all the lights were on the tree, I held Anton up on my shoulder (he is getting heavy) and he placed the Christmas Angel on the top. We plugged everything in again and turned off the lights and looked in wonder at the beautiful tree.
So the Steinmetz family tradition of putting up the tree with some fighting (not really mentioned) continues with our boys. Hopefully, in twenty years the boys will look back at this and remember all the fun it really was like I remember and write in their blogs (or whatever they are using in 20 years) about their Christmas tree decorating experiences with their kids.
Oh and after all was said and done, I snuck my Pittsburgh Steelers’® ornament on the tree when Carla wasn’t looking.
Merry Christmas! I hope your family has a Christmas tradition of its own.
Twenty years ago my mother wrote an article for a small Nashville, TN community newspaper called Parents Place. It was about a family tradition of putting up the Christmas tree and how we fought while doing it. Well, as I was typing the article into a document to put on my blog I thought that I may as well go ahead and update it with my family. Okay, my wife Carla suggested it but I can take it as mine. We do that sort of thing. We think alike even when we don’t. You married people know what I mean.
We put up a tree every other Christmas as we alternate between here in Florida and Nashville every other year. When we are in Nashville for Christmas we don’t bother decorating here as we will not be able to enjoy it. So this year, we went to Nashville for Thanksgiving and we will be here for Christmas. Let the decorating begin.
It starts out with the whole family getting excited to help. But I am the one who goes out to the garage to get the huge plastic containers that have the ornaments in them. There are four and two are quite heavy as they contain little glass houses and lots of sets of lights. Most of the lights do not work so this year we decided to buy new sets to use. Well, Carla goes off to a friends craft and bake sale; I get ready to retrieve all the cases from the garage and the tree from the guest room closet. The boys of course are no where to be found. I grumble the whole time.
Once Carla returns about 45 minutes later with a few cookies we start putting the 14 year old artificial tree together. We pull out the longest branches and set them aside. Then I hunt for the instructions and find them along the side of the box relatively close to the top. I insert the bottom part of the tree into the base and the main part onto the bottom. We read the instructions (well we look at the picture) and gather the white tipped branches. While Carla and I straighten out the branches and arrange the “leaves” into something that actually resembles a pine tree, Jean-Luc reads a book, Anton plays his GameBoy ® and Chris waits to help us by putting them on the tree.
Carla and I need to get back into the swing of things as it has been two years since we last did this. We progress slowly and Chris keeps up. As we get quicker to straightening and setting, we start to get a little ahead of Chris. There comes a point where he isn’t tall enough to reach as we are not about 6 layers up. I start to place them. Then we get to the 7th layer we are missing a branch. We leave the hole in the back of the tree. The next layer we are missing one as well. In the back of the tree again with the missing branch. The next layer we are missing two and I started to think something was wrong.
The sizes of the branches were getting smaller and I look down at the first stack we pulled out and said “where do these go?” They were much bigger than what we were putting on the tree now. Well, the tradition continues as we had to take off all the branches and place those nice big long ones on the very bottom. Then miracle of miracles all the layers had all the branches they needed. After messing with this for a couple hours I finally was able to put the top of the tree on. It actually looks like a pine tree.
Well, it was time for the lights. We open the first box of new lights that we had decided were going to go around the archway to the formal living room. I thought that they looked okay and went about placing them on the hooks on the ceiling. They were up when Carla walked back into the room and said “what are those doing up?” “Those were the ones we said we were going to put there when we were at the store” I replied. “The wires are huge. It doesn’t look good at all” Carla said. After a short discussion we decided to leave them until later.
The next set of new lights came out of the box. As I unraveled it, I plugged it in to make sure it was working. All the lights came on and nothing blinked. Like my mother I am not a big fan of blinking lights. This was a set that would go toward the inside part of the tree nearest the truck. I walked ahead of Carla around and around the tree as she took the slack I was giving her and neatly placed the lights inside the tree. We had unplugged the lights at that point to make it easier to move them around the tree. Once plugged back in they just didn’t look right and Carla decided that I needed to take down the lights from the entry way and we would use those on the inside of the tree. I did with little hesitation and some mumbling under my breath that I hope she didn’t hear. Carla removed the other ones and we proceeded with those.
That set didn’t quite make it to the top so we pulled out a smaller set to finish the inside of the tree off. That one made it most of the way and another small set was used to finish it off and start down the back to work them around the outside of the tree. One more set follow and then the moment of truth. All the lights were plugged into there necessary sockets and the power strip was turned on. Two of the four sets glowed in all there glory. The other two sets absolutely nothing. No sparkle. No hint of sparkling. Not even a dream of sparkling. I was ready to cry. Why didn’t I think of plugging them in to check them? My dad would have done that. I think to myself ID-10-T error.
At that point in time, I’d had it. Carla was done as well and we decided it would wait for another day.
Three days later. Carla is taking Anton to a friend’s house to work on their science project (I’m so over those). She told Chris and me to get the lights figured out. Chris disappeared to play a game on the computer and JL was reading a book in his room. I set about trying to figure out what the heck happened.
I tackled the light strand on the bottom of the tree first. As if by magic, the third light I checked was loose. I pushed it in to secure it and the lights lit. Amazing. Now if I could be so lucky with the other strand.
The other strand was on the top part of the tree. Even for me that is up there and I decide I had no choice but to unwind it from the tree. Once unwound, I started checking the bulbs. It was the middle of a two hundred bulb strand that I found the culprit but it wouldn’t stay in no matter how hard I pushed. I got a replacement bulb that came with it tried that. The replacement bulbs bases were too small. What? The bulbs that came with it were too small. I took the bulb out of the bigger base and then one from a smaller base and put that bulb in the bigger base. It went back into the socket and the lights came on. Just about that time, Carla returned with Anton.
It was now time for the ornaments. We started by placing the larger balls on the tree. Carla carefully took them out of their box and gave them to the boys. One to Anton, one to Chris, and one to Jean-… Where was Jean-Luc? Not out there helping us. He was off reading his book. Carla and I bellowed “JEAN-LUC!!!!!” at the same time. He came downstairs grumbling and grumpy (must get that from grandpa) not really wanting to help. He was handed the ornament. He placed it on the tree and sat down on the sofa and started reading again. Carla and I were not happy but for our 13 year old getting him to read was like pulling teeth and now we can’t get him to stop to help. Carla had enough and sent him to his room to think about it.
Anton and Chris were putting the ornaments on like there was no tomorrow. The larger balls put on the bottom of the tree. As the balls got progressively smaller the higher up the tree they were placed.
Jean-Luc was called back down and asked if he was ready to help. He said yes and put his book away. Things moved along. Ornaments were moved around at the direction of Carla when the boys put them too close together or too high or low on the tree depending on their size. Finally all the balls were on and we moved to the special ornaments.
From Christmas 2008
We have been buying the Star Trek® ornaments from the Hallmark® store for years. They light up and make noise or say something. The way that works is you take a bulb out of the strand and plug to ornament into it. Well, the mini-lights we bought do not have big enough sockets for them to plug into to. I was not about to change the lights again so we proceeded without having them light up. The ones we bought last and this year turned out to have batteries and did not need to be plugged in. Yeah!
After all the lights were on the tree, I held Anton up on my shoulder (he is getting heavy) and he placed the Christmas Angel on the top. We plugged everything in again and turned off the lights and looked in wonder at the beautiful tree.
So the Steinmetz family tradition of putting up the tree with some fighting (not really mentioned) continues with our boys. Hopefully, in twenty years the boys will look back at this and remember all the fun it really was like I remember and write in their blogs (or whatever they are using in 20 years) about their Christmas tree decorating experiences with their kids.
Oh and after all was said and done, I snuck my Pittsburgh Steelers’® ornament on the tree when Carla wasn’t looking.
From Christmas 2008
Merry Christmas! I hope your family has a Christmas tradition of its own.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
The Family Christmas Tradition
By Roberta Steinmetz – December 1988 Parents Place – Nashville, TN
“Now set the tree up in the middle of the window, Al. This year I want it to look really nice,” Mom directed.
“I don’t know what was the matter with where we had it last year,” Dad grumbled. “Bill, get those lights out.”
Bill and Joan opened the box of Christmas ornaments and dug to the bottom for the strings of small lights that went on the tree first. Karen, the baby of the family at 13, sat across the room on the edge of the footstool and ate a chocolate chip cookie. “Karen, don’t just sit and look pretty,” Joan said, glaring at her sister, “you could help too, you know.”
“Grump, grump, grump. I do my share around here.”
Dad paused in the middle of putting one artificial limb into its allotted socket in the tree stem, “Are we going to start already? I’m warning you…” What Dad was warning about remained unspoken as he pinched his finger with a muffled oath threw down the branch in his hand.
“Here, Dad, I’ll help.” Bill picked up the limb and looked at the tree stem searching for an appropriate slot.
“You are a real dodo, Bill,” Joan observed as she untangled a set of lights. “Anybody can see that limb is bigger and had to go on the bottom.”
“Do it yourself if you’re so smart. Mind you own business and let me mind mine.” Bill pulled the mismatched limb from its position and then pulled out all the limbs his father had previously placed on the tree. He arranged the limbs in three stacks of more or less similar sizes and starting at the bottom began to reassemble the tree.
Dad stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room as the three you people struggled with the tree and boxes of Christmas decorations. He shook his head slightly and frowned as he did every year when the tree went up.
“How about some Christmas music?” Mom called busy with dinner preparation in the kitchen behind him.
“Right,” Joan said. “That’s what we need to get into the spirit. Some Christmas music. I’ll get some tapes.”
Karen spoke up, “You always get to pick, Joan. I want to pick the tapes. Dad, can’t I choose?”
“What’s your problem, kid?” Joan poked her sister with a finger as she passed her. “I can certainly pick some Christmas music without help from the monkey section.”
Karen slapped at her sister’s hand and said, “Dad, did you see her? She’s being rotten.”
“Quit it right now. Joan, are you a college student or not? Act your age. Stop picking on Karen.”
“I’m only teasing. That kid sure is sensitive,” Joan said over her shoulder.
Bill stepped behind Joan and reached around her. “I’ll stop the argument, I’ll pick.” He selected a tape and put it in the tape deck. Bing’s voice singing the traditional White Christmas filled the room.
Joan sidestepped a pillow thrown by Karen and went back to her lights. She placed the string on the floor and plugged it into the wall socket. The lights blinked on and off.
Mom came into the room with cups of hot chocolate and a plate of cookies. “Get that blinker out of there, Joan. You know I hate lights that blink. They give me a headache.”
“I kind of like them.”
“I don’t care. When you have a house of your own, you can have all the blinking lights you want. For now, get rid of it.” Mom put the tray on the end table and returned to the kitchen.
Joan made a face and began searching the light strand for the one light that made all the others blink.
Bill stepped back from his job and said, “Well, I did pretty good at that, if I do say so myself.”
In unison his sisters said, “You’ll have to say it yourself, because no one else will say it.” The girls grinned at each other and then at Bill.
“Hey Day, I did my share, right?” Bill asked.
“Don’t bet on it, buddy. Now we do the lights. Joan, are they ready yet?”
“This one’s ready, Dad. I’ll check the other string while you guys get to work on that one.” Joan crouched on the floor with another string of lights in her hands.
The men, for Bill at 19 was a man in looks, if not always in action, took the string of lights and began attaching the individual lights to sections of the tree. It wasn’t long before Dad said, “Not that way, Bill. We go through this every year. You have to separate that plastic hook on the end and put it over the branch and then tighten it up. That way the light stays in place.”
Bill went about the business of attaching his lights exactly as before.
“Ho, Bill, did you hear me?”
“Yeah, Dad, I hear you.”
“Well, then, do it, boy,” Dad yelled. Beads of sweat formed on Dad’s upper lip.
“We better watch it, girls, Dad’s sweating.” Bill said.
“Always a bad sign, huh, Dad?” Joan teased.
“I sure don’t know where your mother and I got such smart alecky kids.”
“Not me, Daddy. I’m not doing anything.” Karen put her arms around her Dad’s neck. “Right? I’m the best kid, huh, Daddy?”
“You’re the baby,” Dad said.
“Sure, Daddy, Karen never does anything wrong. She’s perfect.” Joan’s sarcasm carried to here mother in the kitchen.
“If that tree is ever going to get put up, you people had better get moving.” Mother called from the kitchen.
“I hate this job,” Dad grumbled. “You stay out there and supervise… next year I’m going to supervise.”
“I hear you, honey. The sooner you get on with it, the quicker it will be done.”
The second strand of lights went on a little smoother than the first, but the grousing continue. The tree crew was not having fun.
“That’s my contribution,” Dad said. “Give me a coup of that chocolate.” Dad plopped himself down in the sofa and put his feet on the coffee table.
“Me too. I did my share,” Bill got a cup of cocoa and joined his father on the sofa.
“You fellows better take your feet off Mom’s table, if you know what’s good for you,” Joan warned.
“Why’d you quit?” Karen wanted to know. “We aren’t even done yet. I have to go to the bathroom.”
“Now if that’s not typical. We haven’t done the dishes in five years that she hasn’t had to go to the bathroom. She kills me.”
Secretly Dad agreed with Joan, but didn’t say anything. Bill, however, was not so kind. “That’s what I say, Karen,“ Bill yelled.
Mother came in to check on the progress of the decorating committee. “Get your feet off that table, you two. How are we coming along in here?”
“What’s this we stuff?” Dad asked. “You haven’t done a thing.”
“I’m supervising,” Mother answered in a dignified tone. “As we all know, I am the best supervisor in the family.”
“That’s my job next year,” Dad replied.
“Rewind that tape and let’s hear old Bing again, Bill. Com’on girls, let’s show these men how this is done.” Mom opened a special box. It contained ornaments that all three of the youngsters had made through the years. There was a red yarn Santa made by Joan when she was in the first grade and a big construction paper “B” made by Bill when he was 10. Bill was not her arty child. Karen had contributed quite a few decorations in her 13 years beginning with a cookie shaped angel made in kindergarten and a cross stitch drummer boy made last year. Mom handled each one as if it were made of gold and placed them carefully on the tree.
“Oh, Mom, remember the year you made all the pinecone owls. We over did it that time. We must have had 30 or so on the tree.” Joan giggled at the memory.
“I was on a roll,” Mom said. “Once I started, I couldn’t quit making those things.” Mother picked up two owls that had survived a decade of packing and unpacking and repacking.
“I’ll find a good spot for them, Mom.” Karen took the owls and hid them in the branches of the tree.
“Not there, Karen. You can’t see them.” Joan repositioned the owls.
“Some people think I can’t do anything right. I’ve a good mind to let her do it herself.”
“Girls, that’s enough. If we fight much more, Christmas will be here before we ever get this chore done.”
“That’s right,” Bill put his two cents in from the sofa. “How about the manger scene? We haven’t set that up yet.”
“Everybody knows that goes under the tree and is last,” Karen said disgustedly.
Bing was swinging into the 12 Days of Christmas about this time… Three French hens… Two calling birds, and a partridge in a pear tree.
“Ugh, I hate that song. Remember when we sang that in ensemble in high school. Awful.” Joan sputtered.
“I don’t like it either,” Dad said.
“I think it’s lovely,” Mom said. She found the place in the carol and joined Bing… “Six geese a laying… five gold rings. La la la la.”
“Please! Must you?” Dad put his fingers in his ears and missed the end of the carol.
The ornaments were all placed and pronounced perfect by Karen.
“Now for the tinsel. You people just get back in here,” Mother ordered the four members of her family who were headed for the door. “We are almost done. If everyone gets a handful of tinsel, we’ll be finished in no time.” Bing began to croon Silent Night.
Five people stood around the tree to place the tinsel. Dad and Bill, despite pleas from Mom to put each strand on separately, threw their tinsel on. Joan and Mother proceeded more carefully. Karen decided that the bottom half of the tree wasn’t getting enough attention and knelt to take care of that section.
“Go get a sheet, Joan. Karen, get the nativity. We are almost finished.”
The family sat on the floor and unpacked the nativity. Each of them positioned a figure or two and repositioned the ones the others had placed. They turned off the overhead lights and sat quietly with only the tree lights on.
Finally, Dad sighed and said, “That job’s done for another year.”
“But, don’t forget, Dad. We get to take it down in three weeks,” Bill grinned.
“You don’t have to remind me, kid.”
Joan said, “In class one day we were talking about family traditions and I couldn’t think of any. I guess putting up the tree together is one of ours, wouldn’t you say?”
Karen nodded.
Mom agreed. “We have a family tradition. We fight putting up the tree and we fight taking it down.” They all laughed.
Joan, Karen, and Bill began to sing loudly, Tradition, from “Fiddler on the Roof” as they danced around the room.
Tradition.
“Now set the tree up in the middle of the window, Al. This year I want it to look really nice,” Mom directed.
“I don’t know what was the matter with where we had it last year,” Dad grumbled. “Bill, get those lights out.”
Bill and Joan opened the box of Christmas ornaments and dug to the bottom for the strings of small lights that went on the tree first. Karen, the baby of the family at 13, sat across the room on the edge of the footstool and ate a chocolate chip cookie. “Karen, don’t just sit and look pretty,” Joan said, glaring at her sister, “you could help too, you know.”
“Grump, grump, grump. I do my share around here.”
Dad paused in the middle of putting one artificial limb into its allotted socket in the tree stem, “Are we going to start already? I’m warning you…” What Dad was warning about remained unspoken as he pinched his finger with a muffled oath threw down the branch in his hand.
“Here, Dad, I’ll help.” Bill picked up the limb and looked at the tree stem searching for an appropriate slot.
“You are a real dodo, Bill,” Joan observed as she untangled a set of lights. “Anybody can see that limb is bigger and had to go on the bottom.”
“Do it yourself if you’re so smart. Mind you own business and let me mind mine.” Bill pulled the mismatched limb from its position and then pulled out all the limbs his father had previously placed on the tree. He arranged the limbs in three stacks of more or less similar sizes and starting at the bottom began to reassemble the tree.
Dad stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room as the three you people struggled with the tree and boxes of Christmas decorations. He shook his head slightly and frowned as he did every year when the tree went up.
“How about some Christmas music?” Mom called busy with dinner preparation in the kitchen behind him.
“Right,” Joan said. “That’s what we need to get into the spirit. Some Christmas music. I’ll get some tapes.”
Karen spoke up, “You always get to pick, Joan. I want to pick the tapes. Dad, can’t I choose?”
“What’s your problem, kid?” Joan poked her sister with a finger as she passed her. “I can certainly pick some Christmas music without help from the monkey section.”
Karen slapped at her sister’s hand and said, “Dad, did you see her? She’s being rotten.”
“Quit it right now. Joan, are you a college student or not? Act your age. Stop picking on Karen.”
“I’m only teasing. That kid sure is sensitive,” Joan said over her shoulder.
Bill stepped behind Joan and reached around her. “I’ll stop the argument, I’ll pick.” He selected a tape and put it in the tape deck. Bing’s voice singing the traditional White Christmas filled the room.
Joan sidestepped a pillow thrown by Karen and went back to her lights. She placed the string on the floor and plugged it into the wall socket. The lights blinked on and off.
Mom came into the room with cups of hot chocolate and a plate of cookies. “Get that blinker out of there, Joan. You know I hate lights that blink. They give me a headache.”
“I kind of like them.”
“I don’t care. When you have a house of your own, you can have all the blinking lights you want. For now, get rid of it.” Mom put the tray on the end table and returned to the kitchen.
Joan made a face and began searching the light strand for the one light that made all the others blink.
Bill stepped back from his job and said, “Well, I did pretty good at that, if I do say so myself.”
In unison his sisters said, “You’ll have to say it yourself, because no one else will say it.” The girls grinned at each other and then at Bill.
“Hey Day, I did my share, right?” Bill asked.
“Don’t bet on it, buddy. Now we do the lights. Joan, are they ready yet?”
“This one’s ready, Dad. I’ll check the other string while you guys get to work on that one.” Joan crouched on the floor with another string of lights in her hands.
The men, for Bill at 19 was a man in looks, if not always in action, took the string of lights and began attaching the individual lights to sections of the tree. It wasn’t long before Dad said, “Not that way, Bill. We go through this every year. You have to separate that plastic hook on the end and put it over the branch and then tighten it up. That way the light stays in place.”
Bill went about the business of attaching his lights exactly as before.
“Ho, Bill, did you hear me?”
“Yeah, Dad, I hear you.”
“Well, then, do it, boy,” Dad yelled. Beads of sweat formed on Dad’s upper lip.
“We better watch it, girls, Dad’s sweating.” Bill said.
“Always a bad sign, huh, Dad?” Joan teased.
“I sure don’t know where your mother and I got such smart alecky kids.”
“Not me, Daddy. I’m not doing anything.” Karen put her arms around her Dad’s neck. “Right? I’m the best kid, huh, Daddy?”
“You’re the baby,” Dad said.
“Sure, Daddy, Karen never does anything wrong. She’s perfect.” Joan’s sarcasm carried to here mother in the kitchen.
“If that tree is ever going to get put up, you people had better get moving.” Mother called from the kitchen.
“I hate this job,” Dad grumbled. “You stay out there and supervise… next year I’m going to supervise.”
“I hear you, honey. The sooner you get on with it, the quicker it will be done.”
The second strand of lights went on a little smoother than the first, but the grousing continue. The tree crew was not having fun.
“That’s my contribution,” Dad said. “Give me a coup of that chocolate.” Dad plopped himself down in the sofa and put his feet on the coffee table.
“Me too. I did my share,” Bill got a cup of cocoa and joined his father on the sofa.
“You fellows better take your feet off Mom’s table, if you know what’s good for you,” Joan warned.
“Why’d you quit?” Karen wanted to know. “We aren’t even done yet. I have to go to the bathroom.”
“Now if that’s not typical. We haven’t done the dishes in five years that she hasn’t had to go to the bathroom. She kills me.”
Secretly Dad agreed with Joan, but didn’t say anything. Bill, however, was not so kind. “That’s what I say, Karen,“ Bill yelled.
Mother came in to check on the progress of the decorating committee. “Get your feet off that table, you two. How are we coming along in here?”
“What’s this we stuff?” Dad asked. “You haven’t done a thing.”
“I’m supervising,” Mother answered in a dignified tone. “As we all know, I am the best supervisor in the family.”
“That’s my job next year,” Dad replied.
“Rewind that tape and let’s hear old Bing again, Bill. Com’on girls, let’s show these men how this is done.” Mom opened a special box. It contained ornaments that all three of the youngsters had made through the years. There was a red yarn Santa made by Joan when she was in the first grade and a big construction paper “B” made by Bill when he was 10. Bill was not her arty child. Karen had contributed quite a few decorations in her 13 years beginning with a cookie shaped angel made in kindergarten and a cross stitch drummer boy made last year. Mom handled each one as if it were made of gold and placed them carefully on the tree.
“Oh, Mom, remember the year you made all the pinecone owls. We over did it that time. We must have had 30 or so on the tree.” Joan giggled at the memory.
“I was on a roll,” Mom said. “Once I started, I couldn’t quit making those things.” Mother picked up two owls that had survived a decade of packing and unpacking and repacking.
“I’ll find a good spot for them, Mom.” Karen took the owls and hid them in the branches of the tree.
“Not there, Karen. You can’t see them.” Joan repositioned the owls.
“Some people think I can’t do anything right. I’ve a good mind to let her do it herself.”
“Girls, that’s enough. If we fight much more, Christmas will be here before we ever get this chore done.”
“That’s right,” Bill put his two cents in from the sofa. “How about the manger scene? We haven’t set that up yet.”
“Everybody knows that goes under the tree and is last,” Karen said disgustedly.
Bing was swinging into the 12 Days of Christmas about this time… Three French hens… Two calling birds, and a partridge in a pear tree.
“Ugh, I hate that song. Remember when we sang that in ensemble in high school. Awful.” Joan sputtered.
“I don’t like it either,” Dad said.
“I think it’s lovely,” Mom said. She found the place in the carol and joined Bing… “Six geese a laying… five gold rings. La la la la.”
“Please! Must you?” Dad put his fingers in his ears and missed the end of the carol.
The ornaments were all placed and pronounced perfect by Karen.
“Now for the tinsel. You people just get back in here,” Mother ordered the four members of her family who were headed for the door. “We are almost done. If everyone gets a handful of tinsel, we’ll be finished in no time.” Bing began to croon Silent Night.
Five people stood around the tree to place the tinsel. Dad and Bill, despite pleas from Mom to put each strand on separately, threw their tinsel on. Joan and Mother proceeded more carefully. Karen decided that the bottom half of the tree wasn’t getting enough attention and knelt to take care of that section.
“Go get a sheet, Joan. Karen, get the nativity. We are almost finished.”
The family sat on the floor and unpacked the nativity. Each of them positioned a figure or two and repositioned the ones the others had placed. They turned off the overhead lights and sat quietly with only the tree lights on.
Finally, Dad sighed and said, “That job’s done for another year.”
“But, don’t forget, Dad. We get to take it down in three weeks,” Bill grinned.
“You don’t have to remind me, kid.”
Joan said, “In class one day we were talking about family traditions and I couldn’t think of any. I guess putting up the tree together is one of ours, wouldn’t you say?”
Karen nodded.
Mom agreed. “We have a family tradition. We fight putting up the tree and we fight taking it down.” They all laughed.
Joan, Karen, and Bill began to sing loudly, Tradition, from “Fiddler on the Roof” as they danced around the room.
Tradition.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Thanksgiving 2008
We travelled to Hermitage, TN this Thanksgiving to be with the my parents. Hermitage is a nice town in Davidson County (aka Nashville).
Travelling took a long time this year. We left early on Wednesday morning. The kids had their bags packed the night before (very unusual for our kids) and we actually got out of the house when we thought we would. We stopped at Cracker Barrel for breakfast. Then headed back out up I-75 toward Atlanta.
We made good time until we were about 30 miles south of Atlanta. At that point traffic came to a stand still. Then the van's check engine light came on. Fortunately we were near and exit and some kind fellow travellers let me get from the left lane to the center to the right to get to the exit. We stopped and used some of last years McDonalds gift certificates for lunch. Carla and the boys went in and I got gas and checked the engine (what little I know about engines). Everything looked okay. It had oil, was not overheating, and plenty of other fluids. So I decide we would be good to Hermitage and I would get it check on Friday.
The stand still was cause by an accident that was about 17 miles up the road. Two tracker trailers had flipped over and were completely blocking the road. A man local to the area was sitting in his car outside the window letting his Macaw (a beautiful big blue bird) stretch its wings on the side mirror. He was giving directions to get around the accident by going through Experiment, GA. We took the detour and it was a bit longer as we had to travel on roads with red lights. Finally getting back onto I-75 just north of the accident. And we were on our way again.
North of Atlanta traffic stopped again. Carla's iPhone with the traffic map showed it was moving slow for the next 20 miles or so. We inched along. An accident somewhere ahead of us. We never did see it. We finally got passed that and we were making good time again.
We stopped in Dalton, GA at the Starbucks for some coffee and a snack. We usually only stop twice to eat but this trip was taking longer than normal. I called my dad and told him where we were. Then on the road again.
Chattanooga saw more traffic on I-24. Once past the I-24/I-59 fork we started moving along again. All the while keeping an eye on the check engine light. Finally over the mountain and into Hermitage around 8:00 PM central time. Fourteen hours give or take.
I was extremely tired and had a couple sandwiches, a cup of tea, and some water while we chatted with my parents about the events of today (all mentioned above).
We were pleasantly surprise by the request of my dad that he needed our assistance to get his DSL modem working. They have come out of the age of dial up to DSL. Carla and I would tackle that in the morning. It was late and bed was calling this very, very tired driver.
Thanksgiving day had us up early as usual. After breakfast Carla and I started on the DSL setup. Extremely easy as the cd that came with it gave very detailed step by step instructions. The DSL modem had wireless as well so we were able to get all four of our laptops up and running on it as well. This was good news as the boys would not have to fight over grandpa's computer to get online.
Maura is online and loving it.
Travelling took a long time this year. We left early on Wednesday morning. The kids had their bags packed the night before (very unusual for our kids) and we actually got out of the house when we thought we would. We stopped at Cracker Barrel for breakfast. Then headed back out up I-75 toward Atlanta.
We made good time until we were about 30 miles south of Atlanta. At that point traffic came to a stand still. Then the van's check engine light came on. Fortunately we were near and exit and some kind fellow travellers let me get from the left lane to the center to the right to get to the exit. We stopped and used some of last years McDonalds gift certificates for lunch. Carla and the boys went in and I got gas and checked the engine (what little I know about engines). Everything looked okay. It had oil, was not overheating, and plenty of other fluids. So I decide we would be good to Hermitage and I would get it check on Friday.
The stand still was cause by an accident that was about 17 miles up the road. Two tracker trailers had flipped over and were completely blocking the road. A man local to the area was sitting in his car outside the window letting his Macaw (a beautiful big blue bird) stretch its wings on the side mirror. He was giving directions to get around the accident by going through Experiment, GA. We took the detour and it was a bit longer as we had to travel on roads with red lights. Finally getting back onto I-75 just north of the accident. And we were on our way again.
North of Atlanta traffic stopped again. Carla's iPhone with the traffic map showed it was moving slow for the next 20 miles or so. We inched along. An accident somewhere ahead of us. We never did see it. We finally got passed that and we were making good time again.
We stopped in Dalton, GA at the Starbucks for some coffee and a snack. We usually only stop twice to eat but this trip was taking longer than normal. I called my dad and told him where we were. Then on the road again.
Chattanooga saw more traffic on I-24. Once past the I-24/I-59 fork we started moving along again. All the while keeping an eye on the check engine light. Finally over the mountain and into Hermitage around 8:00 PM central time. Fourteen hours give or take.
I was extremely tired and had a couple sandwiches, a cup of tea, and some water while we chatted with my parents about the events of today (all mentioned above).
We were pleasantly surprise by the request of my dad that he needed our assistance to get his DSL modem working. They have come out of the age of dial up to DSL. Carla and I would tackle that in the morning. It was late and bed was calling this very, very tired driver.
Thanksgiving day had us up early as usual. After breakfast Carla and I started on the DSL setup. Extremely easy as the cd that came with it gave very detailed step by step instructions. The DSL modem had wireless as well so we were able to get all four of our laptops up and running on it as well. This was good news as the boys would not have to fight over grandpa's computer to get online.
Maura is online and loving it.
|
| From Thanksgiving |
Joan arrived with Maura and the house got extremely noisy for a short time. The turkey was in the oven smelling wonderful. We watched a little bit of the parades and prepared to eat. I was ready to eat.
The table was packed with food (I don't believe anyone took a photo of the table with all the food on it this year). We all took our places at the table. Oddly enough, I was on the side next to the kitchen and was expecting to have to get up and get stuff but I was never asked and I didn't volunteer. Family chit chat and the occasional "Jean-Luc! Chew with your mouth closed" comments from everyone around the table.
After lunch we watched some football and moved into the dining room for a game of Trivial Pursuit (Millennium edition). Finally a game we could play and actually answer some questions. The 20th Anniversary edition is hard (in our opinion) only being able to answer correctly maybe 1 in 10 questions. We liked playing this one and played a second game.
Friday I took the van to Advanced Auto Parts to see if they could check the van's computer for the check engine failure. I took Anton along with me. The lady at the store hooked up her little device and told me it was a dealer factory code and she wouldn't be able to help. I thanked her and moved the van about 40 feet to the Goodyear/Gemini store. They were able to get it in right away and told me I needed a new IAC motor. Something that helps with the car idling. And I needed to have the fuel system cleaned. I told them to go ahead and fix it. Anton and I walked down to the gas station and got something to drink. Then back to wait on the van. They have a nice waiting area with a TV and we settled in to Sportscenter. I was expecting to be there most of the day but I was surprised about 45 minutes later with "Mr Steinmetz your van is ready.". I paid the $411 and headed back to the house.
Carla and grandma went with Joan, Maura, and Chris for "Black Friday" shopping. I was lucky enough to have to get the van fixed. Yeah me. Of course, I spent more money than they did.
Grandpa took Jean-Luc to the hobby store to get some supplies for build a model of Fort Ticonderoga (a project for school). Grandpa was happy to help. Jean-Luc has a picture of us painting it when we got home on his blog.
More games were played, tv watched, food eaten. A good time had by all.
Saturday was grandma's birthday. Chris and I went with grandma to church to help swap out the books in the pews. That was an easy task with six of us working. It was done in no time. Grandpa was helping JL with more Fort Tic stuff. Joan brought over a cake for the birthday party. It was good cake. After church we all went to the Daily Buffet for dinner. I think JL would have been banned from the all you can eat buffet if we hadn't stopped him. The Steinmetzs headed back to their home and the Quinns headed to theirs after saying goodbye.
Sunday morning we were up early and out the door and on our way back home. It rained all the way from Hermitage to Daytona Beach. Traffic was slow twice. Once going around Macon and then again heading into Tifton. Three lanes of traffic going down to two lanes. We made it home in about 14 hours again.
It is good to be home.
The table was packed with food (I don't believe anyone took a photo of the table with all the food on it this year). We all took our places at the table. Oddly enough, I was on the side next to the kitchen and was expecting to have to get up and get stuff but I was never asked and I didn't volunteer. Family chit chat and the occasional "Jean-Luc! Chew with your mouth closed" comments from everyone around the table.
 |
| From Thanksgiving |
After lunch we watched some football and moved into the dining room for a game of Trivial Pursuit (Millennium edition). Finally a game we could play and actually answer some questions. The 20th Anniversary edition is hard (in our opinion) only being able to answer correctly maybe 1 in 10 questions. We liked playing this one and played a second game.
Friday I took the van to Advanced Auto Parts to see if they could check the van's computer for the check engine failure. I took Anton along with me. The lady at the store hooked up her little device and told me it was a dealer factory code and she wouldn't be able to help. I thanked her and moved the van about 40 feet to the Goodyear/Gemini store. They were able to get it in right away and told me I needed a new IAC motor. Something that helps with the car idling. And I needed to have the fuel system cleaned. I told them to go ahead and fix it. Anton and I walked down to the gas station and got something to drink. Then back to wait on the van. They have a nice waiting area with a TV and we settled in to Sportscenter. I was expecting to be there most of the day but I was surprised about 45 minutes later with "Mr Steinmetz your van is ready.". I paid the $411 and headed back to the house.
Carla and grandma went with Joan, Maura, and Chris for "Black Friday" shopping. I was lucky enough to have to get the van fixed. Yeah me. Of course, I spent more money than they did.
Grandpa took Jean-Luc to the hobby store to get some supplies for build a model of Fort Ticonderoga (a project for school). Grandpa was happy to help. Jean-Luc has a picture of us painting it when we got home on his blog.
More games were played, tv watched, food eaten. A good time had by all.
Saturday was grandma's birthday. Chris and I went with grandma to church to help swap out the books in the pews. That was an easy task with six of us working. It was done in no time. Grandpa was helping JL with more Fort Tic stuff. Joan brought over a cake for the birthday party. It was good cake. After church we all went to the Daily Buffet for dinner. I think JL would have been banned from the all you can eat buffet if we hadn't stopped him. The Steinmetzs headed back to their home and the Quinns headed to theirs after saying goodbye.
Sunday morning we were up early and out the door and on our way back home. It rained all the way from Hermitage to Daytona Beach. Traffic was slow twice. Once going around Macon and then again heading into Tifton. Three lanes of traffic going down to two lanes. We made it home in about 14 hours again.
It is good to be home.
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