7 December 1999

Well, yesterday was moderately hellish. Nothing especially disastrous happened, but lots of little crap got under my skin.

My car, as I mentioned, was in the shop, and took $650 to fix. This wasn't a surprise, but it did add to my general air of hum-bugginess.

I started putting up the Christmas tree. This tree is built in layers - each branch is a separate piece that you put into an appropriate slot on the center pole. I got the bright idea of putting on the lights as I added each layer of tree, so that I wouldn't have to reach between branches. This was working pretty well, and I was all the way up to the very last level - a cone of plastic pine bits about a foot and a half tall that make up the top of the tree. I climbed up on a chair to put it on, leaned into the tree, slightly, and... The tree fell over. Some examination revealed that the plastic supports at the base had finally, after thirty years of faithfully holding up the tree, snapped.

My package from Signals came, and I was overjoyed, since this represented about two-thirds of the presents we'd ordered. But in going through the package to make sure nothing was damaged, I discovered that in place of my brother-in-law's gift, they had sent a framed pewter ornament. It's a very lovely ornament, and the framing job is nice, and it's signed by the artist - but somehow I don't see it sending Evan into fits of glee.

There were other, more minor things: I reached for my cell phone while I was at the car shop to call and ask my dad to pick me up, and it was dead. A package coming from California for my dad turns out to have been held up at the UPS office, and their tracking system is down. I tripped on the stairs. There were several burnt-out bulbs in the lights. The store was out of the cookie dough I need to make Christmas cookies. Like that.

Matt had a crappy day, too, and when he got home, we wound up having an argument about the tree (that had less to do with the tree and more to do with two sets of nerves strung entirely too tight.) We went out to dinner to cool off and relax. Of course, it started raining as soon as we got in the car. Just one of those days, I guess.

Today promises to be better. The weather is clear and beautiful. The customer service rep at Signals is sending Evan's present today and it should be here by early next week, and she told me not to bother sending back the framed ornament (another present for someone!) The person who sent the package in California for my dad has promised to either get UPS's butt in gear on his end, or send the package again via 2nd-day air. I think the tree can be re-stood if I get the sort of collar used for live trees, because its centerpole is in fine condition. The cleaning service is coming.

Here's to hoping!