I am sometimes astounded by the things people say.
I live in a historic house.
There is a woman in town, someone I know casually, who always comments on the holiday decorations. One year she said, "I was so tired of looking at those pumpkins that I almost came by with poinsettias for you." This year I heard about $15 huge poinsettias at Costco. It was a great deal so I decorated outside with them. A few days later she said, "I drove by your house, it looks very pretty. For awhile I thought you were going to paint the pumpkins and call them Christmas ornaments."
What the ...?
Ok. So I like to grow pumpkins. I put them on the porch in fall. I don't carve them. I put them out. They aren't Halloween Jack-o-Lanterns. They are a fall decoration. They are also edible and don't last very well if they are stored inside the house. I think pumpkins are very pretty. AND WHO THE HELL APPOINTED YOU THE HOUSE DECORATION POLICE?
I'm not being overly sensitive right?
She also said she would love to decorate for the holidays if she had this house. Lots of people have said that to me. I guess we could do better. It IS a house that the community thinks belongs to them and mostly I feel the same way. I also think that because it is a grand house people assume a grand amount of discretionary income. They have high expectations.
We have lived here for six years and have done quite a bit of work on the house. Blog readers (ha ha!---in this case that's a fancy term for a few members of my family!) know, there has been construction, new sewer lines, new water lines, new gas lines, trenches dug, ivy hacked and bulldozed, large trees tended by a very good looking arborist, new outdoor paint, windows painstakingly repaired, grass replaced by native plants, ivy replaced by native plants, patios put in, planting beds "designed" and filled with plants, wildflowers planted, trees planted, shrubs planted, vegetable gardens planted and tended, construction of a new bathroom and larger bedroom for the Aunt, new fences. Did I miss anything? Oh yes, and now the patching of cracks, priming and painting of walls to be ready for a New Year's Eve wedding for a couple I work with who asked if they could be married here.
Hmmmmm.... That was quite a little tantrum for a Saturday morning! I guess I felt a little sensitive. Now I feel better! We love this house and have worked really hard on it. Our priorities haven't necessarily been the things that are visible from the street.
Merry Christmas. Next year I think I WILL paint the pumpkins to look like Christmas ornaments. That is a pretty clever idea!
5 comments:
WOW!! We have done quite a bit, haven't we?
Yes, and you can add working on the rental to your list! But why the hell haven't you finished that trailer? ;-)
Good grief. You guys have done SO much, plus train for walks and hikes (okay, maybe not so much for the hike.) You could also point out to that woman that it is still technically fall until December 21st so pumpkins are okay. I like the idea of painting the pumpkins like ornaments and then arranging them to spell "screw you!" on the front lawn! :-)
Now THAT is a funny idea! Thanks for the support!
Nicely turned at the end there. You guys sound like us. I was trying to pull together a last minute Christmas letter and going through the pictures made me realize what a lot we've done this year. I've always wanted to live in an old home since I got here in the US. Now I live in a home built by the first owner from a kit in 1980, and I'm good with that! I enjoyed in your post - maybe next year you'll earn a bit of a break. Happy holidays!
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