Tis the season, right? We finally decorated for the Yule season yesterday with a little bit for the kids to finish today. If I don't stop myself, I go into perfectionist mode and make everyone miserable, so I was doing my best to stay out of things and let the family do the job they're so good at.

However, I wasn't the only one watching the work. Rob and Mandy were stinging garlands along the walls and putting the ornaments with the bows attached to them on the push pins to make it festive. I happened to look over at the hall and spotted Merlin watching Rob and Mandy intently. He'd watch Rob move the foot stool to a new spot then watch Mandy hand him a push pin, then get him an ornament. Sometimes he'd nod his head at her selection, at others he'd cock his head critically, as though he were wondering why she selected that ornament. He followed her all around the living room criticizing her work.

After the garlands were strung up, the boys brought in the tree. QC made several escapes outside so that she could watch them in action. Each time Mike would bring her back into the house and she'd escape again. She made sure that he was busy. When the boys brought the tree into the house, Rob directed them in leveling and placing the tree on the tarp I'd had laid for the scotch pine to stand on. This tree is the most traditional looking one we've ever had. While they were straightening it, Merlin watched critically. He swayed his head with the tree and was fascinated by the movement of the branches. After they got it done, he had to sniff every part of the tree he could reach.

Decorating the tree went well, as all of the cats disappeared rather than watch them put the lights on. The boys left the lights going all night, however, and I walked into the livingroom during the night to find both Mike and his best friend, Jason, sleeping in the livingroom with the lights blinking merrily on and off, and Merlin perched on their scratching stand glaring at Jason, who was sleeping on the hidabed. QC was sitting at Jason's feet glaring at Merlin. Berfert was busy protecting me from the bed mice that live on my side of the bed. Tanada was watching Berfert from on top of the TV. She helped wake Rob when he got called into work at 3 am. I was lazy and went back to sleep.

The tree's only been up for a day, so they have plenty of time to decide how they're going to make the most of their new playtoys in the livingroom. I think they're grateful that we've even laid them out for their convenience.

Copyright © Pam Shirk
December 19, 2000