"Could you stop at The Dime Store and buy white lights? I can't find any.""Hi. There are packages of 50 and 100. Should I buy two?"
"I'm confused. Two what?"
"Two packages of lights."
"Wait. Two hundred lights?"
"Yes."
"Um. No," and she considered telling him one-thousand, but knew that in relation to his assumption that two hundred would likely be more than enough that this would lead to a conversation for which neither one of them had the energy, "get eight hundred."
"You're kidding."
"OK, six. Six hundred."
And in the year of scaling back and not making a fuss, of only putting up the tree and hanging the stockings, it was fine. Though she knew, every evening at dusk, that two hundred more lights would have made all the difference.
Well played though Mrs. B. Well played.
ReplyDeleteomg - you should have called me. I have billions of lights I'm not using this year. I can over-night some tomorrow. You'd have them by Christmas Eve . . .
ReplyDeleteVery well done!
ReplyDeleteThis is the same conversation I had with my husband. When the tree was all decorated, he said "You were right, it needs more lights." As I always say, more is more. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteSo very diplomatic!
ReplyDeleteI'll be right over!
ReplyDeleteI always hide a few emergency boxes in my underwear drawer....you just never know...
ReplyDeletePerfect. Next year, 800! Happy Christmas in your new digs. ; )
ReplyDeleteyou still have a dime store ?
ReplyDeletejohn in nc
I think the rule of thumb is 100 lights per foot -so an 8 foot tree should have 800 lights (but the more the merrier in my book!).
ReplyDeleteSame conversation at my house...where does this less is more stuff come from I wonder, it was the same with the ornaments...there's always room for more!
ReplyDeleteYour tree looks lively in your new white room!
xo J~
Okay...my comment code word was "mencili"...too funny.
ReplyDeleteLove the tree!!Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteHe is so lucky to have you.
ReplyDeleteTotally aside from the coverage & lights-per-foot equation, there's also the matter of beauty & timing & syllables-per-phrase. That last paragraph? It's perfect. Aesop would be envious.
ReplyDeleteDon't be too hard... it's good enough.
ReplyDeleteMerry Xmas Mrs B. You have provided much happiness to me this year. All the very best to you and your family.
Cherill W
Adelaide, South Australia
Funny. And congrats on having a tree up and decorated so quickly after moving--no small feat, I'm sure!
ReplyDelete900 on my tree. Is that a fire hazard? Hope not because it looks awesome! Glad you are settled in :)
ReplyDeleteAnon: Not 'a' Dime Store--- THE Dime Store. There's really no place I'd rather be than KC for the hols... alas.....
ReplyDeletePlease do a post on THE Dime Store! So much stuff in one little place! Any DIY home decor can be found easily (now). I was just sent home to Richmond with a "dime store plastic tote" because they are "essential".
ReplyDelete