Little known fact–you heard it here. If a person decorates a tree and stands back to admire it and another person comes in and looks at it and laughs, if the first person says, “[insert name of grandchild] helped me decorate it,” right away he–I mean the second person–is all, “Awwwwwww….”
This is my Christmas tree this year. I bought it at the Salvation Army because I couldn’t find one anywhere else. It even came with some of its decorations already on. That massively out-of-proportion bird at the bottom, for example, which I love. I think maybe it’s supposed to be a partridge, but I could be wrong.
Which reminds me: I’m trying to make a pickle ornament for this tree. I’m taking pictures as I go, but I have to admit that it doesn’t look much like a pickle. It looks like SOMETHING, but a pickle isn’t it. Tara knows what I’m talking about.
Meanwhile, I have a cold. If you want to know what I look like, go to Google images and type in “Blair Witch Project” and snot. You know the shot I mean.
I made myself a tisane (“tea” not made with tea leaves). It tasted good, but I waited too long to make it. If I drink some when I first get the sniffles, it’s usually efficacious, but I thought the sniffles were an allergic reaction to the wood we’re burning. They weren’t.
SNIFFLE TISANE
- sage
- rosemary
- cinnamon stick
- lump of ginger
- orange peel
- honey
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain out the stuff. Oh, you can put cloves in, too. And bourbon.
WRITING PROMPT: What old family cure does your main character use for a cold?
MA
Nancy Williams
December 10, 2010 at 8:35amSo, I’m trying to connect the pressuring parents to your post and I guess it’s so they can put up the tree. I copied your recipe. I get sinus all the time so I think that might help.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, fantasy author
Marian Allen
December 10, 2010 at 9:49amAh, Nancy, you are too honest and straightforward to get the connection: One wants grandkids so nobody will make fun of one’s decorating skills, because one can counter any criticism by CLAIMING the grandkids helped decorate the tree/house/cookies. One’s co-grandparent (in other words, HUSBAND) switches instantly from critic to mush with the magic words, “Our grandchild helped me.” It isn’t absolutely necessary to lie about it, but one certainly needs actual grandchildren before one can make the claim.
Did I mention I have a cold? Possibly feverish. At any rate, I thought the post made sense at the time I wrote it….
Bodie P
December 10, 2010 at 10:16amIt made perfect sense. Perhaps more perfect to the cold-addled, but sense was there to be had. I do something similar with housework. If people look around with eyebrows raised I just say, “Patrick helps me. I’m teaching him responsibility.” Which is perfectly true. Also, I loathe cleaning.
Mary Montague Sikes - Monti
December 10, 2010 at 11:57amI’m copying those ingredients, too. Looks like it will be a long, cold winter here!
Monti
MaryMontagueSikes