Well Annie, why don't you draw up a chair? (updated)

Today we decorated for Christmas. I took 8 million photos, then the battery died, and you can only see about three actual pictures. I hate digital. I hate the future.

We purchased our tree from a man who looked exactly like Ronald Reagan. It was uncanny. It was without cans. He had a cowboy hat on and everything.

Ronnie charged us $36 for a seven-foot tree, which if you ask me isn't bad. We went into his store, and apparently it is the kind of place where men sit around together and play checkers or whatever. I have always thought that was a cool idea, but haven't seen a place like that till now. He also had dead animals mounted on the wall and paneling. I could have stayed all afternoon and gossiped and spit tobacco, but no one invited me to stay.

This whole story is neither here nor there. It is mostly to tell you we spent $36.

(If you read yesterday's post, you will see I am living up to "Butter-Butt.")

Then we bought a tree stand for $10 and when we got home, there was a tree stand with our Christmas stuff. I TOLD Marvin we had one. And it turned out? We had to use that one anyway; the one we bought was too small.

And then once I put lights and tinsel on the tree, it didn't look like enough. I searched and searched for more, and finally went to CVS and bought both. Then, when I moved something, who found a giant ton of tinsel? All this illegal purchasing for nought.

So here are the photos that actually managed to evade the stupid battery attack:

Before (Ruby and Francis are begging me not to change things around.)


After

My mother sent this pretty flower arrangement. My ex-coworkers will note it was sent by a competitor. Oops.

There was a whole "Nod to Hanukkah" picture, and a picture of how obsessed I am with silver, and maybe after the stupid battery charges, I will have the wherewithal to put those photos up, as well.

What on earth does "wherewithal" mean?


SEVERAL CRANKY HOURS LATER:
There is something wrong with that ding-dang camera. Trust me. The room is pretty. At least I was able to retrieve Nod to Hanukkah:

Here is our tree. Hope there's a new digital camera underneath it!

It's a shame that somehow, during all this decorating, Ruby became possessed by demons.

What I am trying to say to you is that with me? It can't be too silvery. Honestly, I am the Elton John of decorating at the holidays.

I am like a crow. I like shiny.