Friday, January 6, 2012

Pine needles.




Twelfth night. Time to take down the Christmas tree. Madame Bay suggests we leave it up for another month . A love of twinkling lights something she shares with the old farmer across the lane .

By lunchtime all the decorations are down, wrapped in tissue paper, and stored for next year . The lights put in a special place where they'll be easy to find when needed . Rather than drag the tree through the house Angus pushes it unceremoniously out of an upstairs window. It doesn't go without a fight . Pine needles everywhere . Madame Bay tuts loudly and says they'll block the hoover .

Through it all Wilf sits on the carpet offering encouragement . I don't have the heart to tell him he's facing the wrong way . He spends the rest of his day asleep on the doorstep - far from the sound of Radio Nostalgie, the demonic hoover and its chiffoned disco diva operator.


Two in the morning . Angus wakes up. Pine needles scratching his scalp. Mission Impossible 4 has been showing at the local cinema. I bet Tom Cruise doesn't get pine needles in his scalp.

13 comments:

  1. Now you did write down where that 'special easy to find' place its didn't you? Better yet, post it on the blog.

    We have just been hearing on the radio about how brain and memory function starts to decline at 45 years old, not sixty, as previously thought...

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  2. Wilfie - have a great day - today we undo our decor - Tigerpuppy will be very busy - with the constant amazement by his dog parents and the cats - forgot how lively and ever so playful a young dog is - he moved to a bigger sleeping basket - he has outgrown the old one in 3 weeks ... happiness is a spleeping dog(s) - Love from Southern Italy Susanne, Daisy and Foxiie

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  3. You're probably right about Tom Cruise, and I also bet he doesn't share his life with someone as charming as Wilf! Enjoy your day Angus!

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  4. If Mme. Bay is worried about fallen tree needles now, just imagine the mess at Candlemas! If Twelfth Night is missed, the tree and decorations must be kept up until then to avoid bad luck. And with last years blocked cess pits, leaning walls, strange sounds and phantom household odors, it's better not mess with tradition.
    It doesn't matter which direction Wilf faces as long as he's having fun. And considering where some of the needles were found, he probably made a wise decision.

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  5. Just about to embark on the tree-removal adventure myself. The main benefit in this house being that the silly bull terrier, pictured, will no longer have to be dragged from her "trance" position under the tree, ears festooned with the fairy lights she's caught on her head, approximately 12 times per day. Siiggghhh. Love to Wilf.

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  6. i "hoovered up" our pine needles one year and for weeks after, when using it, the most lovely fresh pine forest smell filled the room! nice.
    i think you should post where you store your sporran. then when you lose it next year all you have to do is go to your archives of this year and you'll find it! brilliant if i do say so myself. so there...radio commentary on old brain function, she said with a smile.
    i could look at pictures of the wee bear all day. special hugs,
    tammy j

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  7. We share the same grief. I am still hoovering up needles. Our cats think them a great treat when they play with them as they would a mouse. V. odd. Wilf was just being a gentleman and not watching the mess unfolding before his eyes. That must be it! Keep on going Wilf, sweet boy!

    With love from your Canadian pals,
    Dianna along with Tor, Willow and Tucker

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  8. Good to hear your decorations stayed up till Twelfth NIght. Oh, Wilf, supervising backwards - you remind me of Allie Mae, who would sit and look at the door I went out, even when I came noisily back in through another; she was deaf :).

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  9. Wilf was just watching your back!!!


    XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & Roxy

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  10. Wilf was making sure the ghost didn't try to push you out the window with the tree! Our decorations came down today, too.

    I enjoyed Mission Impossible 4 quite a bit, and I am betting you're right about Tom Cruise and the pine needles. However, be glad that you have hair for the needles to get stuck in! Some fellows aren't as lucky!

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  11. I bet that you're right about Tom Cruise and pine needles! I love the vision of the tree falling out of the window.

    We got pine sap on our nice wood floors from our tree... so it got the "heave" out the door on the day after Christmas...

    Have you ever taken a dog on an elevator? They always face the back of the elevator rather than the doors, reminding me of Wilf as he cheered your efforts.

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  12. WIlf must have had a good reason for his position while supervising the removal of the tree. ;)

    Blessings and Love,
    Janelle, Maggie Mae and Max

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