CAN'T SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES

Okay, I'll admit it from the outset. I made a slight error in judgment when it came to picking the tree we are having for Christmas. Fine, it wasn't a slight misjudgment - more like a 2-foot mistake. Two feet being how much shorter the tree was supposed to have been. At least. Armed with my complete lack of spatial perception, I decide to take it upon myself to wander among the most recently imported Noble Firs and what-not-xmas-elses - while Pete was at work - at the friendly nursery around the corner from the house to find us perfect Season greenery. I partially blame the nursery. I mean, trees in the open look A LOT smaller than they are! There should be a warning! Plus, the lovely lady, who remembers me from my previous adventures there with Pete, was convinced that the tree I was eyeing was similar in size to the last one we got (of course, at that very moment, I completely forget that the last time we bought a tree was when we had a house double this size with a much higher roof... One forgets sometimes! Sigh.) So, in a moment of weakness (and stupidity) I point to one that looks somewhat shapely, seemingly a foot taller than me, which seems alright (another thing I blame is the Brits taking us metric... how am I supposed to know what a foot is??), and say, okay, That One. By the time I have the key in the lock, having gleefully sms-ed Pete that I have "sorted" le tree, I am convinced I have made the perfect choice. Until this morning. Having been safe at the office, I was blissfully unaware that the forest had moved in. I take Pete's SMS that he is "fighting with the tree to get it into its stand" as jest. I mean, it can't have been that big... After work, the sweetie takes me to pick up a couple more ornaments for this "fairly large" tree. We buy at least a dozen more baubles and a dozen elephants... I'm touched. I love elephants.. and there's a little bit o' Indian so I'm thrilled... I'm all excited... And then we get home. Okay. It was a little bigger than it had looked in the nursery. We venture to dress it in semi-darkness. And Pete's very encouraging - maybe it won't be so bad. He does a lovely job with the elephants (Its meant to be a Merry Curry Christmas!)... We're still quite encouraged because when you look at the wee reflections in the baubles, you can still see the house.... Then we turn on the lights and the living room disappears. Literally. It is big. Very big. Too big. We are now fighting foliage to get in and out of the balcony. This is what happens when you send a woman to do a man's job. Take heed. We shall prepare you slowly.... Or perhaps we'll just get it over it. Welcome to Williams Woods. And yes, it is much much bigger than it looks. Let the Season begin. Art