Treeeeeee!I have a Christmas tree now! It's magnificent. We made it to the hardware store just in time to have them lock up the tree lot. But I batted my eyelashes a little and moaned a bit and he unlocked the door and turned the lights back on and let me drag pine needles all through his freshly swept store to take my tree home. Mom and Daddy came to help in the festivities. I suppose my parents really are a bit like a sitcom. As if my dad would slide in the front door like Kramer. The tree was done by 12:30 and I hope to go home to revel in the festiveness of it soon. The highlight of the tree escapade was when there were approximately six tree stands in my living room. You never know what kind of tree stand will suit the tree best. Needless to say, my tree construction involved a cardboard box, some veneer plywood, a white glitter stand, some green wire and a coat hanger. Mom was hoping to find a use for the rubber mat she had brought, but I was stalwart. Mom: “That's okay, I'll just take it home. I use it for putting on pants.” Me: “You what?” Mom: “You know, when you put your pants on and they drag across the carpet when you're putting them on. Well, they get Lady fur on them so I stand on this mat to put my pants on.” (Incidentally, the dog has been dead over a year and there is still Lady fur in the house everywhere.) Me: “You have a mat just for putting on pants? Amazing.” Mom: “Well, pants and Christmas tree stands.”