My first mistake was being in a hurry.

I wanted to pick up a Christmas tree so my son’s girlfriend could decorate it. Ingrid’s from a different country, and decorating a Christmas tree would be a new experience for her.

I’ve learned to check the bottom trunk of the tree first. If it’s too thick, it won’t fit in the stand. If the bottom of the tree is crooked or too wide, the tree won’t stand straight in the stand.

I saw a tree that seemed tall enough, the trunk was straight at the bottom, and it was half price.

Sold.

I got the tree home and my husband said he’d get it in the stand while I went to the grocery store.

When I got home, he was immediately apologetic. He’d moved the furniture around and the tree was in the stand by the window, right where we always put it.

“I did everything to make that tree look straight, but there’s only so much I can do with what you got,” he said.

“The trunk was straight, I looked,” I said putting down the groceries.

“That’s about all that’s straight on that trunk,” he said.

He told me to stand right in front of the tree, and it did look straight. But when I walked to the side, it was quite obvious – that trunk took a definite turn to one side. I walked to the other side – that was even worse.

If I hadn’t been in such a hurry, I would’ve noticed that flaw in the tree. Now we were stuck. My husband tried to reassure me – once we got the lights, tinsel and ornaments on, the crooked part would be covered up.

My hurrying to get a tree was for nothing as Ingrid and Nick had to leave early, so I asked the grandkids to help decorate. They were more than willing to help. As they looked at the tree, I apologized for it being crooked.

But they looked at the tree in a different light.

“It’s an Alice-in-Wonderland tree,” our eldest granddaughter said with a laugh. “Full of twists and turns.”

I’d posted the undecorated tree on my Facebook account, and friends had some pretty funny remarks about it – the tree was a conversation piece, the tree was distinguished and had character.

But my friend and artist Theresa Vincent nailed the right perspective. She said whenever she paints, she thinks of the objects as having personality.

“Their imperfections make them more interesting and relatable, just like people. The tree could be reaching out to hug someone who needs it.”

Theresa’s words made me see the tree in a whole different light. It was one of the few trees on the lot because most people saw its flaw and kept walking. But this overlooked tree had found a home with us.

As the grandchildren hung fake icicles and keepsake ornaments on the branches, we forgot about the imperfections. Instead, we enjoyed transforming a plain pine tree into a sparkling walk down memory lane.

I’ll admit, once decorated, the front of the tree looked good. Of course, if I walked around to the sides, the fact that the tree was crooked was pretty obvious.

But nobody else had a tree like ours. I’d bet nobody else had as many laughs about their tree as we did.

The tree sparked a few philosophical talks about accepting ourselves for who we are and concentrating on positives instead of negatives.

Christmas is a time for making memories. We’ll all remember the laughter we had as we decorated our Alice-in-Wonderland tree.

I’ll also remember Theresa’s last bit of advice – this tree was bent, not broken.

With all its imperfections, it was the perfect Christmas tree.

 

This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald. 

Thirty years ago on Dec. 30, we moved to Pecan Grove. We were surprised by all the homes that were decorated. We told our 3-year-old son the lights were there to welcome us to the neighborhood.

The folks in Pecan Grove are still welcoming people to their neck of the woods.

If you haven’t driven through Pecan Grove in the last couple of weeks, load up the car with blankets and be prepared for an even more incredible show this year.

I’m not sure if it’s the aftermath from the isolation of Covid, but people are embracing life and celebrating even more this year. This is quite obvious in Pecan Grove.

You’ll find a light extravaganza on almost every street. If the children are hoping to catch a glimpse of Santa, they’ll not only find his likeness in people’s yards, they just might see Santa himself waving at them from a front yard.

We watched children’s faces peering out from car windows, their eyes reflecting the lights, wonder written on their faces. Some streets have carolers while others gently play Christmas music for visitors to enjoy.

That Christmas spirit is infectious. Visitors weren’t honking their horns at each other – they were polite, patient and understanding as cars drove slowly down the streets, marveling at the incredible display in this neighborhood.

The people who live in Pecan Grove understand they’re a tourist destination in December, and they handle the traffic congestion and noise with a generous heart. Not only do the people in Pecan Grove provide free entertainment for us, what they do behind the scenes is even more amazing.

For the past few Christmas seasons, neighbors in Pecan Grove have been helping people in need. Someone will post to a Pecan Grove Facebook page about a family needing food, clothes, furniture, toys, and a committee gathers the right people to help out.

Often times someone writes they’ve been out of work, having trouble paying the electric bill or they can’t afford gifts for their children.

Santa’s elves get to work and the wish list is completed. This generosity is not surprising as the people in Pecan Grove give back anonymously in ways we don’t think about.

Nobody else pays their electric bill. Nobody else scours the internet and stores for that just-right front-yard decoration.

Nobody else spends hours stringing lights from trees, replacing burnt-out bulbs or making sure the wooden cut-outs are placed in just the right spot.

Nowhere else will you find a yard completely decorated to reflect a family’s love for the LSU Tigers, Texas A&M or the University of Texas. You’ll have to look far to find a house whose lights are choreographed to flash and change with music on a particular radio channel.

You’ll also be hard pressed to find a cul-de-sac with a dozen trees decorated from top to bottom with a different theme on each tree. Love the Astros and the Dallas Cowboys? Those trees are there.

Take a drive through the neighborhood but be respectful of the people who live there. Don’t come past 10 p.m., stay in your vehicle and don’t stop in the middle of the road.

The Grinch and Scrooge learned the true meaning of Christmas. I’d say the folks in Pecan Grove figured that truth out a long time ago.

This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald. 

The chalkboard sign in the hallway set the stage – “Baker High Pepsters 1973 Reunion This Weekend!” Trudi Baltz was my best friend in high school, and we were officers in the Pepsters. My teenage years are incomplete without her.

Trudi was one of the smartest people in our class and could sing and play the piano at a professional level. But she was always humble about her accomplishments, hence the reason she was so loved.

After graduation, we went to separate colleges and our lives took different turns. I married my high school sweetheart and she married John Stafford, one of our friends from high school.

Their married life of 45 years has taken them to different cities – Pittsburgh, Fort Worth and, one of Trudi’s favorites, New Orleans. She earned her doctorate and has taught and mentored hundreds about how to be incredible nurses.

Their beautiful home in the Hill Country is filled with mementos of their travels and interests as well as photos of their beautiful daughter, Hillary, and her family. Their grandson, Ford, is the light of their lives and rightly so.

Trudi believes a sense of humor is the best sidekick to have in life. She owned up to having potted plants in her kitchen stove instead of burners. She’s been kicked out of more bars than even she can count. She laughs about these adventures and makes no apologies.

Five years ago, Trudi was diagnosed with a grave illness, myasthenia gravis, an auto-immune disease that causes breathing difficulties, muscle weakness and difficulty talking.

At the time of her diagnosis, Trudi was holding down a position as a well-respected hospital administer, training for half marathons and throwing beads from Mardi Gras floats each spring.

All that came to a halt. She doesn’t drive anymore, and there are days when it’s hard for her to walk unassisted, eat or talk. It would be easy for Trudi to feel sorry for herself.

But that’s not Trudi.

Not by a long shot, because she is the definition of finding joy in every moment of every day.

Instead of being angry and bitter at life for the hand she was dealt, Trudi made a decision to search for happiness, and she always finds it. Some days, that can’t be easy.

She undergoes plasma transfusions, a long, tough afternoon, a couple of times a month. But she makes that grueling process fun because she dresses up in a different, outrageous costume every time.

Sometimes it’s her majorette boots, other times big wigs and clothes from the 80s. Pom-poms are a must.

There’s a collection of blinged-out headbands in her closet, and she wears one every single day.

Although she can bring the party, it’s the quiet, genuine moments where Trudi’s true nature shines.

She knows the wait staff in the restaurants she and John frequent, and not just their names. Trudi knows about their families, and she has them over to her house for tea and conversation.

In every place we visited, she found someone to talk to, asking about their day and she’s never in a hurry or asking to be nosy. Trudi’s genuinely interested in other people.

She sees the beauty everywhere and doesn’t rush through life. Friendships are to be savored and treasured. Pretty afternoons are opportunities to enjoy walking Sevvi, their dog, napping under a shady tree or crocheting gifts for friends.

I owe her more than I could ever repay. She pulled me out of the suburbs when I first came to Houston and introduced me to the Theater Under the Stars and the antique shops in The Heights.

When I was having a particularly rough patch, she called and told me she was putting the phone on the floor. Then she proceeded to yell Pep Squad cheers from high school, telling me when she was kicking her legs and what hand motions she was doing.

That’s the definition of a true, life-long friend.

I’ll bet there’s a hundred people in Horseshoe Bay who know if Trudi is in their life, they’re one lucky person.

Thank God, I’m one of those.

This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.

Long-time readers of this newspaper will remember former managing editor Bob Haenel’s annual “It’s a Wonderful Life” column. Now that Bob’s retired, we decided to collaborate to continue testing our readers’ knowledge about Frank Capra’s 1946 classic.

First, some background on “IAWL.”

“IAWL” takes place on Christmas Eve in Bedford Falls. The central character is George Baily, played by the legendary Jimmy Stewart.

George is a man who’s always done what he had to do, not what he wanted to do which was travel, see the world and build skyscrapers. Donna Reed plays his wife, Mary, who’s loved George since she was a little girl.

There’s Uncle Billy, a forgetful relative who helps manage the family business, the Bailey Savings and Loan. Then there’s Mr. Potter, the meanest and richest man in Bedford Falls. Money is lost, George loses hope, and a would-be angel comes to show George what life would be like if he’d never been born.

When the movie first came out, it wasn’t successful. Not until Ted Turner bought the rights to the long-forgotten film in 1986 and showed it non-stop on his new cable channel, TNT, did the movie become a beloved holiday classic.

This movie is more than a film about a miracle taking place on Christmas Eve. The frustrations and driving forces still ring true.

George Bailey is many of us – stuck in a job because we have obligations, dreaming of places we’d love to visit but know we’ll never get to and not having enough money to give our family all the material things they want.

This movie is one of Bob’s favorites and mine. His wife, Denise, and I believe Bob is George Bailey. He helped so many of us at the newspaper as well as people in the community. I doubt Bob knows just how loved he is in this area.

The moral of the story is one George learns. Someone who has friends is the richest person around. Bob and I hope you give “It’s a Wonderful Life” a chance and, remember… every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings.

Here’s the annual “It’s a Wonderful Life” quiz. Answers are at the bottom.  Good luck!

1. In which ear did George Baily lose his hearing?
2. What was George’s father’s name?
3. How much money did Uncle Billy misplace?
4. What’s the name and rank of George’s guardian angel?
5. What did Clarence do for a living when he was alive?
6. What’s the name of the police officer and taxi driver in Bedford Falls?
7. What’s the name of the druggist that George worked for as a young boy?
8. What are the names of George and Mary’s children?
9. What character’s trademark line is “hee-haw?”
10. How did George know he was alive?
11. What medal was Harry awarded?
12. There were two owners of the bar – one in real life and one in George’s view of life without him. Who are they?
13. What dance contest did George and Mary enter at the high school dance?
14. What does George put on Mary’s sundae?
15. Name at least two people who worked at the Bailey Building and Loan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers:

1. Left
2. Peter Bailey
3. $8,000
4. Clarence Oddbody, Angel, Second Class
5. He was a clockmaker
6. Bert and Ernie
7. Gower
8. Tommy, Janie, Pete
9. Sam Wainwright
10. He found ZuZu’s petals in his coat pocket and it started snowing again
11. The Congressional Medal of Honor
12. Martini and Nick
13. The Charleston
14. Coconut
15. Peter Bailey, George Bailey, Eustus, Tilly and Uncle Billy

One of the big trends in decorating is minimalism.

Less is better, they proclaim.

Get rid of all the knick-knacks, clear off all kitchen and bathroom counters, and donate or throw away everything extra in your house.

I bought into it for a while, especially around the Christmas holidays. My husband would get down all the boxes of decorations, and I’d only use about half of them. After a couple of years, he only brought down a few boxes.

There were reasons I didn’t get into the holiday spirit. Replacing the regular towels with green and red ones was ridiculous, I told myself. My husband didn’t care if the soap dispenser had reindeer on the front. Frankly, neither did I.

The boys were grown and gone, so the primary reason for decorating was no longer valid. Our grandchildren enjoyed seeing the lights and decorations, but the gifts under the tree were the main event.

Plus, decorating is a lot of work. We had to haul all that stuff out of storage, unwrap dozens of ornaments and gee-gaws out and then rewrap everything in a few weeks.

People didn’t come to visit our house, and the months-long Covid quarantine made the feelings of isolation worse. It’s much easier to just leave things as they are.

Why bother, I told myself. One day, our sons will have to deal with all that “stuff” when we’re no longer around. It’ll all end up in a garage sale or in the trash.

Bah, humbug, I know.

But this year is different. People are celebrating together. In stores, people are talking to each other and smiling at strangers. The Christmas songs are playing, and I can hear people humming along, myself included.

We’re back with our families, sharing meals and holidays. There’s not a hesitation when thinking about attending a concert or football game. The libraries and restaurants are open, and we’re back at meetings and parties.

It’s time to celebrate and pull out all the stops.

This year, I’m asking my husband to haul down all the boxes of Christmas decorations, and I’m putting everything out.

There’ll be red and green candy-cane towels in the bathrooms. For the next month, a Christmas rug will replace the brown one in front of the sink.

Every strand of twinkling lights is going on the tree. In fact, I’ll probably buy a few more so our tree will look like downtown Houston on a Saturday night.

I’m going to put every single ornament we own on our Christmas tree, not just a few for that minimalistic view. I ordered two boxes of silver tinsel, and I’m going to drape every branch so the whole tree will sparkle.

I’m going to haul out the rolling pin and cookie cutters and the grandkids and I will make some Christmas cookies. There won’t be any limits on how much sugar and sprinkles they can put on each cookie either.

There’s so much sadness and fear in the world – wars, poverty, climate change.

The sentiment “good will towards all” is especially true for those struggling with sorrow. Many of our friends and families have lost loved ones, jobs, friendships and connections.

As we’ve learned, tragedy can strike without warning, so when we can celebrate, pull out all the stops.

Drag out all your Christmas decorations.

Drape garland and tinsel everywhere.

Play Christmas music loudly and hug as many people as you can.

Embrace the holiday with every bit of twinkling lights and garland you can find.

Don’t hold back. Drape that tinsel and layer on the ribbons and garland.

Christmas comes but once a year.

Make this one count.

This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.