I actually have a few days off; so I am trying to get my decorations up. All the big Rubbermaid bins are stored in an old Airstream camper outside the yard fence. A cold wind is blowing; only natural, since I have innumerable trips to make carrying bins to the house!

Sheba won't have anything to do with wind; but Amber and Djoser run out and kick their heels up. After the fourth bin, they decide to come in. Maybe it is the cold wind; maybe it is to examine the bins. They rub my legs to guide me since I can't see my feet over the big bins!

Finally, I start opening bins to find the lights. I find a set of new pearlized lights I had bought after Christmas last year. I open a tin and find the bi-color light strand. But I cannot find the boxes and tins with all the rest of my indoor lights and packages of spare bulbs! I also cannot find the figurines for my Nativity stable.

So I dig in the big bag of stuff my sister gave me for charity. I find a complete Nativity set. OK, I will use that. I find garlands I don't need. I find a strand of lights that don't work. Maybe a bulb is out; but I have no spares. Then I find a bag of 3 sets of lights that work. I am in business again. I will give charity a lot of my older ornaments and other things.

All this time I have noticed Djoser and Amber have been very active. One will run under the tree and sit for a moment. Then he will run back to the living room and the other cat will do the same! As they pass each other they slap a paw at each other, like "Tag! You're It!" As I put the lights on the tree and the wires dangle, I watch closely at the silly cats; they don't pay any attention. But they are definitely giddy about the tree! Craziest thing they have done!

Tomorrow I will have dangling garland to watch and then my special ornaments.

Copyright © Catherine Jo Sadler
December 8, 2002