Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Christmas Tree Hell

Our daughter and I always go on at least one shopping expedition when the family is down at the beach. We leave the men at home.

Our daughter knows where she wants to go and what she wants to get. "We'll stop at the seashell place first. Most of their stuff is really tacky, but they have great shells and I want to get one to replace the one that Mabel chewed up." (Mabel is their big lovable runaway mutt.)

The seashell place was pretty tacky.  Plaques, glassware, seashell jewelry, knick-knacks galore, ribald seashore humor on some of the stuff. The odor of scented candles was well nigh overwhelming.  I was happy to leave. A row of resigned-looking men occupied the benches on the porch, waiting, waiting.

"So now I guess we're going to 'Christmas Tree Hell'?" I asked.

"Christmas Tree Hill",  she corrected.

Christmas Tree Hill was a bit more upscale. The humor was subtler. The merchandise pricier. The candles emitted the quiet holiday scents of bayberry and cinnamon. I bought a "Lang 2016 American Cat Calendar" and two dishtowels embroidered with pinecones for a December silent auction that I know is coming up.

1 comment:

  1. Forsythia:

    Your description of the resigned gentlemen on the porch made me laugh ruefully, as I have had a similar feeling countless times myself waiting for my wife and kids as they traipsed through one of those "boutique" style stores. :)

    I am glad you were able to get Dilly bathed too. Our current pup hates being bathed with a passion too! I never had a dog that was like that before. All my previous dogs loved going in the water, and would even happily tolerate shampoo in a bath. Our current dog, who walks with me five miles every day hates putting her feet on the lawn when there is dew on it! She is very silly.

    PipeTobacco

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