About A Tree

Our rental is tight on space. We knew if we were going to get a Christmas tree this year, it would have to be small-ish. We thought about a getting a nice fakie, but I was sad about missing out on that wonderful fresh tree smell. Smells are very important to a pregnant lady! And since we didn't have a tree at all last year (remember when we moved the week of Christmas?) I wanted to at least look around to see if we could find a small fresh tree before buying an artificial one.

This Saturday was not the best day to look for trees. It was snowing, windy and about 20*F. But we bundled everyone up and stopped at the nearly deserted Farmers Market downtown - with no luck. Then we stopped at one of those roadside lots you see pop up all over this time of year. (It was so cold and windy that when we parked, Olive gave us a stubborn look and said "I'm not going out there!" Our little Scrooge.)

We looked and looked, and were having the hardest time picking one, mostly because there weren't very many small ones. (Picking a tree is always so hard anyway - it has to be perfect!) The owner (who I shall call "Tree-Guy") came up and asked us what we were looking for, and with his help we found the tree. It was the perfect width, perfect fullness - but was a bit too tall. And too pricey. But Tree-Guy said he would shorten it for us, and take off from the price, and I think Matt could tell I had fallen hard with the tree so we agreed to get it.

Turns out, Tree-Guy is one of the craziest-nice guys we have ever met. Really. He took about 2 feet off this gorgeous tree, and took $20 off the price, taking it from $50 to $30. We were so taken aback that Matt stammered that Tree-Guy should take at least $40 for it, but Tree-Guy shook his head and said "I'm a reasonable man!"

THEN he insisted on taking a picture of us grinning proudly with our official tree of 2013 tied to our minivan, because, (and I quote:) "this is probably the last picture you guys will get together before that new baby comes!" And I swore to Matt at that moment that for as long as we live here, we shall never buy a tree from anyone but Tree-Guy! He totally made my day. I'm still grinning like an idiot.

And there she is, in all her lights and finery! We are all crazy about her!