I do not mind staying in the bed, IF I am sleepy…or IFI have a book…or the computer.  I can not just lay there and be still and quiet.  Too many thoughts running through the brain with nowhere to go.  If I have a great idea…it gets lost and I can’t find it again.  I’ll remember that I had a great idea…but not what it is.  Isn’t that ridiculous?  And, frustrating…very frustrating.

So, when I wake up at 4:47 or 5:22 or 3:23…I get up.  First to the kitchen to get a little something to eat.  If I use the microwave…I have to push the door to verrrrry carefully.  Then watch the numbers and pop the end button before the 5 dings that signal the food is warm.  Those dings sound all through the house.  Don hears them and is not happy in the least.  Finn hears them and thinks a bandit is breaking in and announcing his arrival with dings.  Alex never hears anything.

I take my food into the studio, usually…and watch the news.  Fox News is always on, with perky people looking fresh as a daisy telling the world what happened while we slept.  J*y Beh*r reruns are also on early too…but she just makes me ill.  She is so negative about everything, and really refuses to see another side of a situation, other than her own.  To be truthful, she is better on her own show that she is on The View.  I really want to ring her neck when I see her on The View.  Not that I condone violence.  I’m just saying…  BUT  if I time it just right, I can watch a whole Joyce Meyer message.  I really like to hear her speak, as she hits you right where you need it.    And, she is a much better person for me to listen to.  She has lived a hard life and come through the other side.  I would love to hear her in person one day.

Today, however, I went into the  living room and sat next to the Christmas Tree.  It stands there. in the corner…shining its heart out.  The sweet angel, that belonged to my Mom, continues to stand guard over the house.  At the moment, it is in the highest position in the house, looking down on all that is happening in the lives below.

And,her gown!  Oh, her gown!  It is made up of every color in the spectrum!  In the form of beautiful mercury glass ornaments.  They are wired to the tree to keep them safe.  And, there is not an empty space on the 10 foot tree.  Originally, when I started to collect mercury glass ornaments…they were hard to find.  And, as such, my collection grew slowly.  I was always on the look out for some and found them in the strangest of places.  Then, I suppose, the world heard about me collecting them and decided to copy me and collect them, too.  So, they began to be manufactured by several companies.  Some are as light and fragile as an empty egg shell.  Other ones, which I prefer, are very substantial.  You really feel the weight when you hold them.  Then, you know you have the more authentic ornaments.  I started with only the silver…which is still my preference, but as the tree is so tall…I had to get it filled up.  And so, I started grabbing colored ones, too.

  The first Christmas that we were in the Creek House,  Alex gave me 3 of the most beautiful large red ornaments. 

 There is such depth and mystery to them…almost as if there is something magical hidden deep inside.   Who knows?  Maybe they are just filled with the ‘magic of Christmas’.

Here are some of the different sizes and textures, as well as colors.  But, many more colors than shown.

 Standing so regal, there in the corner, she wore the most beautiful presents as her shoes. And, oh what a beautiful throw in shades of red and blue and yellow, lay there to keep her tootsies warm when the cold breezes blew. “Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue…” and all the other colors, too!  But, now on this day, December 28, she stands in bare feet.  The hard, green legs of the tree stand, the only bit of color there. 

 And, as soon as I get some new boxes, the lights will go out and the ornaments will come off .  Then someone taller and stronger than I, will separate it into 2 parts and put it in its bright red bag.    The lights stay on.  That is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?

A Christmas tree is meant to be a festive accent in our rooms as the presents we will share wait underneath.  But, when the presents are gone…its job is done for the year.  It looks a little forlorn standing at attention, when its work is over.  So, I shall work quickly to get it to its resting place.  Then it can hibernate until it’s called into duty again 11 months from now.