"PERFECT TREES"

Bobby is able to ignore me and my habits that would drive most Saints crazy most of the time. The one time every year that I would send him over the edge was the annual trip to the Christmas tree farm. Over the years we have patronized several different tree farms. The last one we went to, before the change to the "unreal tree" was owned by a retired couple out on old Hwy 80. The couple had all of the necessary equipment and did all of the manual labor themselves. The trees were very reasonably priced and they helped you put the tree into the back of your car. The last time I went to the farm I was by myself and that is not fun. The next year I had an artificial tree.

The trip always started out with good spirits. The kids always went along, until they reached the age of losing interest. Camille actually accompanied us until she graduated from high school. She seemed to love the outing.

The trip started with looking at EACH AND EVERY tree on the farm. The really hard trick was to remember where you saw the better trees and then retrace your steps to find them again after the initial discovery. BC just did not understand why you had to look at all of the trees. He did want a straight trunk and was good at observing if too many lower branches would have to be removed, but beyond that-He could just take the first one he came to. OH BUT I WANTED A PERFECT TREE! Look-search-walk around the tree- look-search-walk around the tree. IT DROVE HIM NUTS! I would finally have everyone stand by the trees that were the finalist and then make a decision. It was never simple and it took a LONG TIME.

Once the tree had been cut and drug back to the shed, it had to be shaken and then wrapped in the plastic netting. Getting it into the back of my Explorer was always fun and what is ironic is now we have a "yard truck" that we could use and I don't go to the farm anymore. Off we went back to Vienna and the REAL Fun.

Everyone was usually so exasperated with me that we would have to wait at least a day or two to put the tree up. There long suffering patience with my need for perfection had come to an end and the next step would have to wait.

We learned over the years to finally get an "EXTRA HEAVY DUTY TREE STAND". The little red stands that so many use just would not hold up the trees that I seemed to gravitate toward. The trees with the really wide trunks and that were so heavy that it required two of us to carry. Trying to get the tree to stand up in the big stand was even more of a trick. It was a task of manual labor! Once we got the tree into the stand, then it had to be brought into the house. Another Fun Job! It was quite a job and by the time we had it in the house and finally in the correct place-BC was out of there. He was not interested in anymore tree chores!

I do remember one year that the tree fell over not once but two times! It was always after we went to bed. The loud crash would pull you out of the deepest sleep! Finally BC tied a string to the top of the tree and drove a nail into the ceiling to anchor it to. This is just one example of things we have done to anchor the very heavy trees to prevent the ultimate calamity.

I decorate my tree with ornaments that we have collected over the years while the kids were children. No decorator or "Southern Living" trees for us-just old fashioned ornaments with memories attached. I have learned over the years the God does not make "Perfect Trees" just like He does not make "Perfect Humans." I thank Him for the imperfections that make both such a joy!