9 December and it’s a record: the greeting cards are out the door, the gifts are purchased and waiting to be wrapped, the front door wreath is hung with care, the tree is installed but won’t be decorated until the weekend, lights and ornaments have been reviewed, revised and/or disposed of. I am in heaven between planning all sorts of goodies to bake for the holidays, making dinner and party menus and creating floral decorations and looking forward to Christmas like I haven’t done in years.

Vince and Julius went to buy the tree last Saturday. The Christmas tree guy was pointing out the jeep to some other customers when they drove in. “That’s the guy. That’s the guy that always wants the big tree.” He then walked all around the grove with Vince and Jules until they found this year’s perfect tree: 4 meters of piney freshness!