a tree at last

Enough time had passed. I felt I could safely put up my Halloween tree without stirring those unpleasant memories of leaks and puddles and plumbing bills. It would be a fresh start. So I unfurled the branches. I opened my box of ornaments. I decided upon a location in which no excessive damage would result if my faithful cat, Lucky, became a little overly exuberant and knocked it down. He tries to help. But those furry paws and lack of thumbs are his undoing. I began to decorate my beloved tree. With Lucky's assistance, of course.

And then . . . nothing disastrous happened.

Or almost nothing. A few ghosts were nudged and batted around. Fortunately, I had made them virtually indestructible.

And when it was finished, I sat in its soft orange glow and watched some classic horror. The perfect, and perfectly dry, start to the season.