(Christmas) Pretty lights on the tree (Christmas) I'm watching them shine (Darlene Love)

Wie geht's?

Funny ain't it, how one job can lead to another job.

Job 1: put up the Christmas Tree.

Sounds simple? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!! Ha Ha!

The present Mrs. Purdy decided it needed to go where the television is placed in our lounge.

I've been married for nearly 40 years. I've learnt a few, okay - a couple. Right right. Sorry. I've learn one thing in those years.

Once she gets an idea in her head - there's no shifting it.

Now. Putting the tree in the corner where the television is usually situated meant Job 2: move the television.

Sounds simple? Mwahahahahahahaha!!! Ha ha!!

We (yes, we) decided it could go into the music lounge. There weren't too many other options to be fair.

Unfortunately when the previous owner left three years ago, he also took with him a device to split the satellite aerial cables between rooms. The cables are still there but the only one connected to the aerial is in the lounge. Up to now - no problem - one location for the TV was okay. Now - problem!

I now needed to solve that situation.

Job 3: after driving to Waipukarau and buying a splitter and three cable connectors, I had to put my knee pads on and crawl on my belly underneath the house with my torch, tools, and spider brush - it was like Indiana Jones' cave down there, and add a splitter to the cable from the lounge to the music lounge (three rooms away).

Unfortunately, when I crawled  back and checked the TV, it hadn't worked. Aarrgghhhhh!!

I rang the appliance store guy in Waipuk. After listening to me ask if it was a cable issue there was a silence on the phone, then he said, "I'm so sorry - I know the problem - I sold you the wrong splitter".

Back I go to Waipukarau. Back I go under the house with my torch, tools and spider brush to clear away the cobwebs.

This time: Fab - the right splitter works, but the cable comes through the floor at the opposite end to the room to where we (yes, we) now want it.

Job 4: I crawl back under the house with my torch, tools and spider brush and Jacky drills a hole in the right corner of the room. Sorted.

Slight distractions now with Job 5/6: hang a picture that Jacky has found in Waipukarau while I was getting the right splitter, move furniture around (various tables that were holding various things in the places we've moved the television from and to need to move - which in term means moving some garden furniture about).

Finally, we're back to Job 1: put up the Christmas tree. That means digging all the various decoration boxes and the tree out of storage. My traditional job is erecting the tree and putting on the lights. Jacky does the decoration. This separation of labour works well.

It looks great, too, I think you'll agree. Worth all the palaver.

Love and peace - Wozza

On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me: a partridge in a pear tree.

Apart from the lack of snow...

Christmas means digging out that long box that houses our Christmas tree and the other box of decorations we've accumulated over the years.

For the last two years we haven't used them because we've spent Christmas in London at Patrick and Randy's house.

Last year we had Christmas dinner at Acoustic, the cafe opposite their house in Stoke Newington. Freezing cold outside. Lovely and warm inside Acoustic. A great meal. Just me and my best girl. 

Great times.

So...the Christmas tree and box of accumulated decorations has been stored in various garages we've owned over the last three years (Otane, Waipukurau, Mangaturoto).

But this year we have family flying in from the U.S.A. (Fanfa), Oztraya (Adamski and Ashleigh), and Palmerston North (DLG and William).

Christmas at home meant I went in search of the Christmas tree in the long box and the other box of accumulated decorations. I remembered where they'd been stored - the tool shed.

The first thing I noticed was the smell. Over the years, various rodents had visited the box it appeared. Tell tale little blue pellets on the top of the long box. Boy did it stink.

When I opened the long box I immediately saw why it stunk. At some point in the past three years, Ratty had made his or her home in the fake branches - mixing scraps of cardboard with string. 

A very dead flat rat lay underneath the fake branches.

Doh!!

2017 version

For some reason SWMBO wouldn't entertain me cleaning off ratty's home and water blasting the branches. 

So, off to the Warehouse we went. The last one in the store became ours.

We constructed the new Christmas tree and unpacked the accumulated decorations (separate box and not penetrated by ratty).

Looks good huh!!

Its now sitting decorously and calmly in the lounge, waiting for the Purdettes and their significant others to visit.

Roll on Christmas.

Love and peace and ho ho ho - Wozza