I am thinking of buying this tree: [link]

thoughts?

thoughts?

It looks OK, as far as fake trees go. Of course, with an artificial tree you don't need to worry about tree octopuses.

Sometimes tree octopuses hitch a ride in Christmas trees harvested from farms on the Olympic Peninsula. When its tree is being jostled violently, a tree octopus will hunker down deep inside the branches near the trunk and camouflage itself to look like bark. This is a defensive mechanism to protect it from wind storms and sasquatch trying to shake octopuses to the ground. They may stay hidden like this for days after a particularly violent shaking, such as experienced by Christmas trees when they are chopped down and transported.

Many octopuses have a natural instinct to decorate their lairs with attractive baubles, and O. paxarbolis is no exception. When it finally comes out of hiding and explores its tree, finding it covered in shiny ornaments and sparkly lights, it will become so mesmerized by the baublely abundance that it'll hardly notice that its tree is sitting in some human's living room.

Scandinavian immigrants considered it good luck to find a tree octopus in their Christmas tree. Granted, that's because they like to eat them. But for us more enlightened cephalopodophiles, we can consider it a sign of good luck that the species hasn't yet gone extinct.

And to keep it that way, please remember to remove any octopuses you find before disposing of your Christmas tree. They can be put in a shoe box -- with a bit of moist branch to make them feel comfortable and some tinsel to keep them distracted -- and taken to your nearest chapter of the Friends of the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus for reintroduction into the wild.

... And An Octopus In A Christmas Tree

ION, I was bored, so I salted our sidewalk. It was fun, as the ice sounded like Rice Krispies after I put salt on it.

Hippo Birdies, Theo!

Happy Birthday, Jesse!

Happy Boxing Day, Buffistas!

My mom got me a hippopotamus for Chistmas!

Good boxing day, Buffistas!

Happy birthday, Jesse! I hope you wrangle up some fun.

Happy birthday, Theo! I celebrate your birthday by sending you a big whopping surge of Gratifying Job-ma.

Emmett woke up this morning, put on his tuxedo and went to his room to build Legos.

Matilda is gleefully discovering gelt in her stocking ("I found another one!") and watching Kiki's Delivery Service.

We're not working, nor dealing with ice.

Later this afternoon I'll take Emmett to his Mom's house. Then JZ, Matilda and I will go to megan walker's for boxing day. I know Perkins is coming and I'm hoping some other fun locals.

My mom got me a hippopotamus for Chistmas!

Aimee will be jealous.

Matilda got an elephant.

Later this afternoon I'll take Emmett to his Mom's house. Then JZ, Matilda and I will go to megan walker's for boxing day. I know Perkins is coming and I'm hoping some other fun locals.

I thought Emmett was coming. Boo. Hiss. I have a present for him. And I'm making pancakes!

Happy Birthday to Jesse and Theodosia! I think you both should have redos in July because Christmas babies get shorted.

Happy Boxing Day!

For those who don't want the Captain Kirk chair, here's the Devil's throne.

Here are some more pics: [link]

Anthony Redmile Carved Armchair with Malachite Bone and Horn
England
1960s
One of a kind armchair in the form of a stag- carved wood with horn malachite and bone details.

Happy Birthday, Jesse!

Happy Birthday, Theodosia!

I'll be at Megan's. Looking forward to it.

In other news, some loonie on another board (she's not a regular there) has caused a ruckus by telling me that I am not allowed to celebrate Christmas because I am an Atheist and that she was offended when I wrote "Merry Christmas, everyone" in one of my posts.

Her actual posts:

Java, I am a little confused. You wished us a Merry Christmas but yet you posted earlier "she's an Atheist (as am I)". So how does an Atheist celebrate the largest Christian Holiday of the year (the birth of Christ being the reason for the holiday, in case you forgot)and not be a hypocrite when wishing others a Merry Christmas? Can you explain this to me. I have played the game of non-offensiveness for a long time, but the fact that atheist pretend to celebrate a religious holiday just gets under my skin.

I was laughing too hard to be insulted, but others are not laughing and they are eviscerating her. I am still laughing. Maybe tomorrow I'll be offended at her offense.

But way more important than that is to say: Happy Birthday Theodosia!! and Happy Birthday Jesse!!