Christmas tree in stand outside of front door. I’ve shaken it and swept away the constantly falling needles. This lovely tree cost me 25€. This lovely tree is shorter than I am but makes up for it in stoutness. It is wider than it is tall but the 2 foot center peak stands 2 feet above the rest of the foliage, making this tree in effect a 3 foot tall tree. Well, let’s just say that ‘sapine noel’ in France are not what they are in the states and they cost 2 or 3 times as much.
As I am, in my predictably anal way, sweeping and vacuuming needles from the front hall and porch M Babec arrives to tell me that the ‘machine’ will be here at 1:30 on Monday to take care of the sewer problems. This is good news; I was beginning to picture us having to move to a hotel for a week or so. Had in fact just gotten off the phone with S where we were both discussing options and who we could call for translation help with this problem. It’s terribly frustrating to not speak the language and have a need to communicate more thoroughly than my online translator will allow.
I open the boxes of lights I bought for the tree find two odd things. First, the light strings do not plug into each other. But more strangely still, the light string is not so much a string as a circle. The lights are on a wire that starts and ends at the plug. How in the heck do I get these on the tree? If I fold the circle and treat it like a string then there are two bulbs together. This is going to take some thought. If anyone can offer some insight as to how these are supposed to go on the tree, let me know ASAP.
Off to buy an extension cord and power strip.
