Good morning GH.  To borrow a phrase, "I love it when a plan comes together."  Last night, Mary and I went to the downtown of our fair city to grab a little dinner and to view the Nativity scene on Dewey Hill.  You can get an idea form Mary's blog, and realize how nice it is to view.  I told Mary that I like "Schmaltz" sometimes.  I can't explain it.  I think it may be part of my artistic side, but I can't say for certain.  Whatever the cause, it is the thing that caused me to miss a Christmas tree and to want one again.  Our tree is shaping up nicely, and my thanks to Steph and Adam for their suggestions on how to decorate.  In my case, it took Mary to actually bring things together; she has an eye for those things.  I appreciate the outcome, but I can't always cause it to happen.  A vision is one thing, planning to reach the goal inspired by that vision, is quite another.  I should mention that the tree topper Mary and I agreed upon looks super.  A beautiful item from Germany in blue and silver.  Plus, Mary's vision for the tree skirt came together nicely.  But, more on that later.  We are experiencing a problem with mice this year, and the mice are laughing at the mouse traps, so I don't know what they find so amusing.  I didn't tell Mary, but the last traps I bought are the kind that are "silent killers."  They cause the death of the mice, but you may not see the death in person.  Better for all in that way.  I forgot to mention that Sugar the Weather Dog is still fast asleep, so no report from her.  The current desktop temperature is a brisk 30 degrees, but there still isn't any snow cover.  Our neighbor is predicting ice cover on the lakes by January 15, but we will see.  I was awake this AM, so I decided to blog.  Incidentally, the rail line that passes our house is about 22 miles in length, running between Lowell and Greenville, MI, home to several fests/events each year.  Today, I got to see three of that railroads locomotives; all of this before 7:00 AM in the morning.  I'd best be going now, because there is much to be done today.  So, until it is once again...Tea time, I'll be saying ciao.