When I was young, the day after Thanksgiving was our traditional "Pick Out the Christmas Tree Day". We would drive to one of the local Christmas tree farms and wander around the rows of pines until we found just the right one. It would be tagged and we would go home. A couple of weeks later we would go back and give our receipt to one of the burly guys carrying a hacksaw ("I'm a Lumberjack and I'm O.K..."). He would go out to our tree, cut it down and then we would spend a half an hour tying it onto the VW Bug for the drive home, a green Army blanket laid down on the roof to protect it.

Fast forward thirty years or so. I'm sure there are tree farms in the area [New Jersey], but we drove to Home Depot, and looked at the trussed trees lined up in bins according to size. We picked one out, paid for it and took it to the front of the garden area where a young man [not dressed as a lumberjack] affixed it to the roof of our car with saran wrap. No, seriously, he had a big roll of the stuff and after four quick passes through the open rear doors, we were good to go.

[No Army blanket, though.]

When we got home Cyrus Senior and one of his crew were out front, having [finally] painted the front door and the roll-up door. I'm guessing I will get a call from them later because I think the front door was still wet when they closed it, so they might have a bit of trouble getting in. But, it looks nice - dark green.

They had been there when UPS arrived to drop off a package. Pretty good sized box and I couldn't tell who it was from. Inside was a large red box, but no note. I opened it and found a lovely plush Frette bathrobe and a card . . .

. . . Happy Holidays from Virgin Atlantic.

OK, I realize that must mean that a) I've flown with them a lot this year and b) they've made money off me as a result, but still. A holiday gift out of the blue. Have I mentioned that I LOVE this airline? And that was before the robe. Sir Richard Branson really does "get it" when it comes to transatlantic business travelers. They strive to make flying part of the fun of travel, not just something to endure, which is how I feel with some airlines.

[*cough* US Air *cough*]

SAVE YOUR CORKS!!

[Only 5,042 more needed for our Wine Cellar Wall.]

Quote du jour:

"Expect the best, plan for the worst, and prepare to be surprised.”

Denis Waitley (1933 - ____) US Navy pilot; motivational speaker

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