For reasons I can’t explain I have the song Truly, Madly, Deeply by Savage Garden stuck in my head. I wasn’t even sure of the name of the song and certainly couldn’t have told you who sang it until I googled it a few minutes ago. And so it is a complete mystery why I can’t quit humming it.
I don’t even know why I’m telling you about it.
I also think I have some kind of arthritis thing going on with my wrist.
Basically I’m ringing in a new year singing bad music and taking a lot of Advil.
2012 is awesome so far.
We spent New Year’s Eve with Gulley’s family. There were tamales and queso and guacamole and even some jalapeno hummus. And I ate until I could eat no more because it was my last unhealthy meal until I lose my resolve to eat healthier in 2012.
The kids all ran around the backyard, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows and topped off the evening by playing with sparklers.
Then they gathered around the T.V. to watch some nutjob named Levi and some other guy attempt to jump 412 feet on a motorcycle and a snowmobile. The adults all felt certain this was going to end in a New Year’s Eve tragedy, but the kids had faith in Levi and his ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound. And they were right. He made it. I have no idea why this was on ESPN on New Year’s Eve but I guess after 834 bowl games it was time to shake it up a little bit.
P, Caroline and I left to go home around 11:00 because we are just that lame. Sure we could have tried to make it one more hour and bring in the new year but we were tired. And have I mentioned my arthritis?
Not to mention that it was time for me to drink my Ensure.
We ended up sleeping in on Sunday morning because it was our last official day of vacation since Caroline goes back to school on Monday. Never mind that banks are closed and mail won’t be delivered, I have to pack a dang ham sandwich at 7:00 a.m. and send my child off to school. And while I’m kind of glad to have some time to get things done and actually be a productive member of society, I’ll miss the lazy mornings on the couch watching Elf. But I guess if we were still doing that in July we might become those neighbors that people talk about.
Anyway, I slept in until about 10:30 (I know. But I’m not even ashamed.) and it was probably around noon when I decided it might be a good day to take down all the Christmas decorations since P had the attic open and was busy cleaning out the back house and storing stuff in the attic so we can forget we own it until we go back up in the attic this time next year and feel so thankful that we own a really nice leather saddle even though we don’t have a horse. Or even have access to a horse. Or even watch T.V. shows about horses.
So I began the arduous process of removing all the lights from our Christmas tree. And let me tell you that undecking the halls isn’t nearly as festive as decking them. No one wants to help take the lights OFF the tree. People want to sit on the couch and watch The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and tell you that you’re in their way as you sneeze and sniffle and unwind lights that some idiot wrapped fastidiously around the trunk of the tree in a fit of Christmas enthusiasm combined with a bad case of OCD.
And when I had finally gotten most of the lights off the tree, this is what it looked like.
A sad, deader than dead tree being mocked by a festive antelope.
Just so you can appreciate how bad it really looked, this is a picture from the day we brought it home.
So P and I threw it out the front door into the front yard where I continued to wrestle with it to get off the remaining strands of lights because all these scratches from pine needles will be totally worth it when I save that $4.00 on lights next year.
Normally P hauls our dead tree to the ranch and throws it in the lake because he says the fish like the structure. And by structure he means they like to live in its branches, not that fish need a good stable routine. Just wanted to clarify.
But he decided to cut off a few branches and throw them into the fireplace to see how dead the tree really was because a few years ago we tried to burn our tree in a firepit in our backyard and all it did was smoke and smolder and cause me to come down with a bad case of allergy-induced bronchitis. It was that episode that made me think the whole thing about Christmas trees going up in flames was a gross exaggeration. But, let me tell you, P threw those branches into the fireplace and those suckers went up in FLAMES. FLAMES. Like Caroline screamed with delight and maybe some fear kind of flames.
The picture doesn’t do it justice. But how is that different from all my pictures? I just thought you might want a visual aid.
And so that was our first day of 2012. I’m happy to report that all of our indoor decorations are down and stored in the attic. Normally I’m always a little sad to see it all go and the house seems bare, but this year it feels good. It feels clean and minimalistic and I’m happy with that.
Although I like the antelope better with the Santa hat.
Oh. And I still have Christmas lights and red bows on my front porch. Because Rome wasn’t built in a day.
I don’t know how that relates here necessarily but it’s late and I have to make ham sandwiches in six hours and so it’s going to have to do.
Happy New Year.
Truly, madly, deeply.
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012
It’s the saddle that got me. The nice leather saddle. The one you’re saving just in case you ever get a horse. I started laughing and laughing so loud and hard I woke my sweet dog. He stopped snoring and gave me his startled “what, what is going on” look. I told him it was OK, go back to sleep — it’s just Big Mama. Then I went to YouTube and watched Zooey Deschanel singing “What are you doing New Year’s Eve” for the hundredth time. Because she is sweet and adorable and that’s the song I’ve been singing all day. Happy New Year, all!
Oh my goodness………I started singing with you when I saw the title. Takes me right back, I have to say that I love that song and didn’t realize how much until I started singing it again
Oh and it gives me hope that you slept in til 10:30. We stayed up until midnight and then our 2 year old was up all night off and on scared of “monsters” then got up for good at 6am. I thought I was going to die. Thank the good Lord for TV – I am ashamed to admit how much was watched yesterday. But now it is the new year and that is ALL OVER with……….until the next night filled with monsters and mama not sleeping…….
I am so glad Levi made it! We were so lame that we went to bed around 10:45 and missed it. Watched the trial runs and it looked good, but sadly, we didn’t have the stamina for the actual jump. I, too, undecorated my tree solo. I am pretty sure it never even drank the water it was given.
Hope you guys have a great start back to school today, and praying the same for myself. Chemistry and Physics – here we come!
I still read every post but am usually laughing too hard to comment! Happy New Year! The best part of this post is that we all have a *saddle* of some kind in our attics. Why do we do this to ourselves???:)
Oh the dreaded “new year time to undecorate the tree and take down the decorations”! College daughter was no help, none I tell you. Still have a few things to put away and some tears to cry about the kids being all grown up and where did the year go? I guess it’s my bi-polar tendencies to both dread and enjoy this time of year — out with the old and in with the new. But I do like the way the house looks a bit spare (before the clutter takes over once again). Hope you have a good day back into the “routine”.
Now I will be singing Truly, Madly, Deeply all day at work (I think it could have been a prom theme junior or senior year, actually). And my school is back in session today, too. Hurray.
I would like to personally thank for you putting that song in my head for the rest of the day. I am so jealous that all your decorations are down! I took care of the tree, but have the rest of the house. :s School starts back for us tomorrow!
I think we all had the same idea yesterday. Dh started taking the Christmas lights down in the front yard and our little boy started crying and was going behind him and trying to restring the lights on the bushes. I tried to take the nutcrackers down off the mantle and he got really upset about that. So, we had to make a Target run to get Valentine’s lights. I’m hoping if we put those up it will help him with the transition. Bless his heart.
Happy New Year to y’all!
So glad you are back. I missed starting my day with your post.
My house is now devoid of Christmas decor and I could not be more thrilled. Putting the tree outside for the light removal is, quite frankly, the only way to go. I highly recommend the “ripping” method of removal.
Sounds like you got that fire-hazard-of-a-tree out of your house in the nick of time!
I do not know the “Truly, Madly, Deeply” song of which you speak, but there is a commercial in which some woman climbs to the top of a peak and the accompanying “Who left the gate open?” keeps playing over and over in my head. Like you, I had to look the song up and found that the artist is LP. ???
Anyway, if my husband and son weren’t headed back to work and school tomorrow after 2 weeks of vacation, our TV would be going out with the trash in the morning. I mean, how many football games, sports commentaries, plus endless episodes of American Pickers and Gold Rush can one woman take?!
Happy New Year!
I had a boyfriend in high school who sent me the lyrics to truly, madly, deeply one time. And then from that moment on, he signed all of his emails and IM’s with “truly, madly, deeply…all my love”. My 16 year old self couldn’t handle it and I broke up with him. I still can’t listen to that song without my skin crawling.
I’m going to miss that santalope making guest appearances!
I used to love that song!
I have to say I am a little envious that you already took down all your decorations. I have been putting taking mine down like a child dodging their chores. We need to invent some way to make it fun.
I did the whole taking-down-the-tree thing on Saturday, thank goodness! The outside stuff is the job of my grown son, bless his heart!
I, too, was on the wrap-a-strand-of-lights-around-the-trunk bandwagon. I learned quicky to buy a strand of lights on sale after Christmas because that strand was only going to see the light of day for one holiday season! Taking them off almost made my died in the wool Southern Baptist tongue spit out some serious gutter language! And the level of the wine in the bottle that is not normally in my house took a serious hit. Well, that part wasn’t so bad.
Nutjob. I like that.
The friends we celebrate with always have that on at their NYE bash. The snowmobile was a new addition to the crazy this year.
I used to scrawl Savage Garden lyrics all over my paper sack book covers in high school. I can still sing the songs. Ahh, memories. And I love the fire picture… but that’s just the pyro in me talking.
And we too watched some idiot named Levi and another guy jump the Bay or somethin. I was sure it wasn’t going to end pretty, and kept giving Jason dirty looks since he is currently into this dirtbike riding hobby complete with crazy expensive helmets and road gear.
But thankfully, everyone landed without a scratch and I have new respect for the aerodynamics of a snowmobile .
Loved this post…truly madly deeply. Happy New Year. We still have a week off here in Dalhart.
Sorry.
And I too am facing the undecking of the halls today. Sad, but ready as well.
Amy
You’re really missing out on the ease that is a pre-lit tree which opens like an umbrella and has pine scented air fresheners tucked into it for that very lifelike, “real tree” smell. But, I guess a real tree is still fabulous for the falling needles, daily watering and dead needle cuts on your hands. Oh, wait…. ;o)
does no one wait for the wise men and the epiphany anymore?
our anniversary is jan 5, and i always love having a tree with lights.
i just de-santa’d the house on new years eve and have been gradually de-decorating the tree, so it doesn’t look bare, just more simply adorned. this process helps me assess what needs to be repaired, retired, donated, etc, without getting frustrated.
by our anniversary and 3 kings party, clean slate of white lights and sparkly stars are our only decorations to enjoy and then put away.
works for us, anyway
I was ready to take my Christmas decor down this year, too. Partly, probably, because I already have a lot to be done in the next 2 months and it involves painting and moving to another house…sigh..maybe I’ll come sit on your couch and watch “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” instead…
i did it too, yesterday. I was done. I packed away my Santa collection, and took the ornaments and lights off the tree. Then hubby put the tree outside. And left it there. Dead. Still standing in it’s stand with water in it.
So just a little while ago, I swear just before I read this hysterical blog post, I knocked the damn thing over and spilled the water on my slippers (I wear them a lot), and managed to wrangle the dead tree from the clutches of the stand. Then I dragged it near to the front gate. Where I’m hoping my hubby might just see it.
Thanks for that sweet song now being stuck in my head…
We also watched the death-defying boys on New Year’s Eve. My husband and I kept looking at each other like, “What are we going to tell our 4-year-old who is sitting here (watching so intently) when one of those guys doesn’t make it?” And then, when they finally jumped, the camera shot was horrible. You could barely see it! Quality TV right there.
Happy New Year
Yep, it’s stuck in my head too now. And right before I head to bed.
ThanksSoMuch.
(I admit I owned that cd because of that very song, sometime in the 90′s.)
(hangs head in shame)
Last year, my husband had the great idea to leave our tree on it’s stand, put it in the middle of the backyard, and light ‘er up.
The flames were 3 times as high as the tree and in 30 seconds the whole tree was gone. The trunk was left charred, but every pine needle and branch were toast. I may have screamed bloody murder at the first sight of the flames, because I was certain is was about to catch 2 trees on fire in our backyard. But he and the boys were so enamored by it, they absconded our neighbor’s tree from the recycling at the street and lit ‘er up too.
I reminded him this year of his promise last year to never do that to me again.
I see now how homes can burn down so quickly from a Christmas tree fire.
(Yours must’ve been super-fresh still that first year when all it did was smoke!)
thanks for sharing your new year hilairity. is 2012 The year for your book? sure hope so.
Wow! That tree is very dead!!! I don’t think I’ve ever had a tree that dead before that haden’t been thrown out long ago, but not taken somewhere to dispose of. Yes, you might be a redneck if you have a Christmas tree laying on it’s side in the front yard for a month before you do something about it.:) Maybe at SSMT in a couple of weeks or however long away that is (do not correct my grammar. I know that was sad.) I’ll have to give you some tips on keeping Christmas trees alive. You might want to try watering it next time:) Maybe it’s just because I have lived in the northwest my entire life where we have pine trees practically in our backyard, but I seem to have a knack for keeping Christmas trees alive. Where do you even get a Christmas tree in Texas? They don’t grow there do they? Just wondering.
Oh my….do you ever make me happy.
Quite possibly my favorite post ever…..
Ohmygoodness!!! I have a saddle too!!! Lucky that your saddle is in the attic, my husband wants to han it from the ceiling in my room!!! Can you believe that? I don’t know what is worse… Antelope or saddle?
Wish I had an attic….