It's Going To Be OK

When I got up this morning, I got a wild hair up my hiney and decided that dadgummit, I would try to fix those Christmas tree lights after all.  I got my soldering iron and wire strippers and shrink wrap out and got to work.  However, I didn't get very far at all before I discovered the damage was much more extensive than I'd originally thought. 

The damaged string had been cut into at least six pieces.  Bummer.  There's no way I was going to try to figure all that out, so I did the only there was left to do.  I pulled the whole thing completely off the tree.  In doing so, I discovered that the strings plug in to a central system...I guess you'd call it. 

I'm going to try to find a website or something -- or contact customer service and see if I can buy a replacement string.  I'm pretty sure being eaten by rats isn't covered under manufacturer's warranty, but maybe they have them for purchase.  In the meantime, I filled in the space with some extra lights I had in storage.  

They won't blink or change to white, but I can live with that.  I prefer non-blinking multi-colored lights anyway, but it is nice to have the option to change things up every once in a while. 

In other news, remember I was talking the other day about an advent poster Cody and I used to do when he was little?  I decided to get it out and do it again this year.  

One of the sheep is missing, but as far as I remember, everything else is still there.  The most amazing thing is the little wad of Plasti-tak that came with it some 26-ish years ago is still pliable.  I think I'm going to replace it anyway next time I go into town.  Or at least get some extra.  If I remember right, I always had to pull a bit off of the pictures we'd already added to have enough to finish up.  But that's neither here nor there...

It's got a little devotional book that goes with it that tells you which picture to add, and a Bible verse to read.  When we used to do this way back in the day, we'd also sing a Christmas carol related to the picture that was added that day.  It was really quite funny, because one of the carols I chose was Lo, How A Rose Ere Blooming, and I had no idea how it was supposed to go -- tune wise, I meant.  I had a hymnal with the words, but we kind of had to make up a tune.  This was before YouTube, and I don't think I'd ever heard it sung before. 

When we finally got a computer and YouTube became a thing, I looked the song up.  Oh, so that's how it goes. 

I can neither confirm nor deny that what we were singing bore absolutely no resemblance to this hymn.

And finally, I have it on good authority that the first batch of Christmas cards I sent out has begun arriving.  I know this because the recipient messaged me and let me know he got it.  The last batch went into the mail yesterday, so you should all be getting yours within a week or so.  If you don't get one, it's because I didn't have your address.  I've still got plenty of cards, so if you'd like to be added to my card list, please message me your info, and I'll be happy to get one out to you.  

Now if you'll be so kind as to excuse me, I need to start hanging ornaments on this here Christmas tree.  

Laters