am NOT  pleased with sequential strings of Xmas lights! Yesterday morning the fir tree had expanded but toppled over with needles and gravel from the bucket. Two hours spent trying put upright, tie with strings to support upper branches and sweeping up needles. So how does one water without spilling on hardwood floor....carefully on hands and knees using wine bottle.

Yesterday included work and an evening gathering of friends, so lovely fir smells and Christmas music gave the project breathing space.

About 11 PM last night decided to attach the lights. The plug out let is in the bottom most remote corner of the livingroom where the tree is set up...so again on hands and knees put in the extension chord. Five strings of regular and minis later ( and I swear I had tested them all ) plug in and AHA....the lower half of the tree lit up and top in darkness. The culprit was one cord of sequential minis that if missing even one they all go. Removed and replaced with a regular chord of larger bulbs, all was well with a delightful glow.

Dogs seem non-plussed on all of this!

The next chapter will be decorating and my hope I don't have a Charlie Brown tree with needle loss!