It's Really Looking like Christmas...at least Inside!

       Today I added a few more touches to the Christmas tree next to my computer.  First, I moved our 'Dominic the Italian Donkey'

& his cart to sit  next to it instead with the crystal trees on the shelf between the TV room and the living room, hoping nothing would knock the tree over and break Dominic.  I don't know where or when Mom got him, but he's been around as long as I can remember.  She may even gotten him back in the mid-50's when the song was first introduced! 

    Later this afternoon we went to Hannaford's and I got the batteries I needed for the mini lights on the tree.  It cost almost $17 for a multi-package of AA batteries and a 3-pack of 3.5v round ones.  It would have been cheaper just to buy 4 new strands of lights!!  When we got home, I started to change the batteries and almost created a disaster!  The tree toppled over sending the small ornaments flying all over!!  Luckily, I collected all the pieces...nothing broke but several came apart...before the dogs thought it was a new game with the winner getting to eat what they'd salvaged.  By then I was in tears and Zoey was hiding next to Jeff.  I asked for help and Jeff tried to stabilize the base of the tree by putting pieces of cardboard under the corners but that wasn't doing it.  There was a square from a 'blocking board' next to the couch and the next thing I knew, Jeff had traced the around the base of the tree and cut the hole to fit.  It worked perfectly.  (It should, it was a square from a 'good' thick blocking board from JoAnn's Fabric, not a 'kiddies' A-B-C version you can find at Walmart.)

   On the way to the check-out in Hannaford's, I saw the display of Christmas cactus and decided to buy one to complete the scene by my computer.  My mom had inherited Aunt Ant's Christmas cactus years ago and it was huge!  It blossomed every year and after we got it, sometimes blossomed twice a year.  It lived for over 20 years, too!  I don't know if this little one will make it that long, but it looks nice next to my tree.  Every thing is on the same scale:  Small.  Cute.  Nice.

  Oh, I found another circular knitting needle when I was search for ornament parts!  I thought that one (a 3.5mm) was long gone!!