Saturday
December 12, 2009
8:30am
LA, Aubrey and I loaded up in the car to establish a new family tradition and find the perfect Christmas tree to cut down, sorry Al Gore. This year I caved into the pressure and decided that we would not purchase a tree from the “gas” station again this year – ask LA about getting our tree last year, if you want the details about the “gas” station tree. My only stipulation was that it could not be a *&$^ pine tree.
There is only one way to start a family tradition especially if it’s a Saturday and that is at Bojangles eating a country ham biscuit and drinking sweet tea – Christmas tree shopping southern redneck style. While in the drive through at Bojangles, we come up with Plan B just in case Plan A doesn’t work out or if it starts raining. Plan B is to purchase a tree from the lot next to Bojangles. We picked out two nice trees while sitting in line. Actually, to me it seemed like a sign not to go cut a tree down but we went to Ridgeville away – actually Givhans to find Tomlinson’s Tree Farm.
I had gotten directions from Google and knew the street we were looking for but I wasn’t expecting it to be a one lane paved road between two trailers and fenced in animals. I will admit it; I gave LA the “what in the heck have you gotten me into” look while she laughed at me (she was uncertain herself). I know never judge a book by its cover but I don’t even know if this book had a cover. After almost wrecking head on with a car coming down the road on a corner, we found the tree farm. The parking lot was mud bog. We were the only ones there and a nice man met us and give us the details – here’s a hand saw, find a tree cut in down, pay me. So we went off searching for our tree – Aubrey in one direction and us in another. Almost forgot that it was in the 40s and the wind was blowing which makes it a little chilly. The tree at Bojangles was looking better every minute we were outside. After looking at all the trees and picking up Aubrey off the ground a couple of times, we found our tree - The biggest one on the lot which means lots of sawing for daddy. I got on my hands and knees on the wet ground and started sawing. The funny thing is Aubrey started pulling at my pants and shirt to get me from under the tree. For some reason, she didn’t like daddy being under the tree. After a lot of sawing, multiple breaks and a few mumbled comments, I yelled “timber” as it fell and we had us a nice Leyland Cyprus – a tree that is quickly “becoming the Christmas tree of the South”. It was about 11 feet or taller if you count the scraggly branches at the top which thank goodness the owner didn’t charge us for. To put this tree in perspective, it is bigger than the Town of Summerville’s new tree. If something happens to their tree, we’ve got a backup plan. The tree is very pretty with the lights and if you want to see it you can ride by and see it through the window at night or call to arrange a private showing (which will require a preapproved Christmas treat as admission) give me a call, I'm hungry.
It was a fun time, a little chilly which if you ever watch the video and notice the camera shaking that was LA shivering from being cold. Hopefully, we will continue this tradition for at least a few more years and maybe it will be warmer next year. Another plus for next year is that mommy can help with the sawing because she won’t be pregnant.
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