Christmas Vacation Weekend

The Griswalds got our family Christmas Tree this weekend. It started vacation style. We went to a new tree farm that was recommended by a friend. We found it with no problem. The farm either had trees not ready for prime time or past their prime. I mean they had some good looking trees, but it would have taken up the whole room and then some. You know that scene when Clark cuts the rope on the tree loose and the branches smash through the window? That's what would have happened. And oh yeah, there was no one working there. We could not find a soul to help us. So we had to pile back in Yaya's pick up and head to the place we had gone in years past. That place is so popular now that most of trees are not quite ready yet. We searched and searched. Eventually we found a nice tree. Not our best. A bit on the small side. We hucked it in a pail of water in the garage and then Caz and I headed to Gillette for the Super Bowl.
On Sunday, I played with Christmas lights oustide in the cold all day. I tried to figure out which lights in the network of lights on the porch, still worked. They had been there for some time, and placed in a unique set up. I am sure at the time i put them there it made sense but clearly the logic escaped me this day. I plugged in the sets to test them and nothing happened. I tried another outlet. Then I realized the outdoor timer was in the mix. Big dummy. It would have been dark the time I figured it out if I hadn't smartened up. Then I get a string where half would light, half would not. Or better yet, one with every third light would be on. I felt like having a Clark freak out session.
Caz helped me with the tree house. I needed to get up a trim board by the roof to finally make it look respectable in the front. What a pain that board was. I needed Caz to get on a ladder and feed it to me. Which he willingly did. The second part of the board made be get creative. I had to use a rope, throw it over the roof and around a tree to hoist it up. Hopefully that is something that will stick with Caz. It's helping like this that a boy learns from his father. How to solve problems. How to do some basic buidling and repair. And yes, how to make mistakes. I am probably lucky I didn't throw the rock with the rope tied to it, through the one glass window on the tree house. I remember the times I worked with my Dad. It wasn't as often as my brother. But I had my times and I do remember. I hope Caz remembers these times.