Help Wanted

Holidays at the pool have changed over time, as expected, especially the decorating. In the past it was a family affair. Everyone had a hand in it, and it became a game to see who could escape before being called upon to do something. Now, there aren't so many people at home. Eggbert is gone; Morticia works or stays at her second home; Big Brother has his own place now, and that only leaves  Ms. Business and Moink. And DH, who can be a help and a hindrance at the same time, like last year with the Great Christmas Tree debacle.
We won't go into any details. Just thinking about it brings terrible things to mind, and we're still in the Christmas season.
This year, I asked Big Brother to bring the tree out of remission from the garage to the living room, which he did. It sat in the box in the living room for a week. Every night I asked DH where he thought we should put the tree this year, (Putting up the tree means moving furniture around) and every year, DH is a wonderful help when it comes to doing the decorating. Moink suggested we just leave it in the box, set it upright, and put the presents around it, and as Christmas approached, it appeared that would be the only viable option. I finally made the decision as to where the tree would be placed, and started moving furniture. Moink looked at me. "Do you need help with that?"
Duh.
Moink and I got the curio chest moved to the dining room by emptying the shelves and waltzing it across the living room. Then, it was on to putting the tree together. It is twenty years old, dusty, and smells a bit mildewy, which is lovely considering I'm allergic to both dust and mold. By the time we had the branches on the tree, I was coughing up a lung. Nice.
That was the Saturday before Christmas. On Sunday, Ms. Business and I went back to the garage and pulled out all the boxes of decorations. She carried them to the kitchen, where Moink was commissioned to take them to the living room. I got out the strings of lights, checked to make sure they worked, and looked into the living room to find DH sitting in the chair next to the naked tree, reading a book.
Reading a book. He hasn't picked up his Kindle in weeks, and that day, at that specific moment, he had to read.
Apologizing for having to make him move, he got up and moved to the dining room. I moved the chair, and then proceeded to string the lights on the tree. They got tangled once, and DH came over to help hold them for a few seconds. Wow. I don't know what I would have done without his help.
Monday came, and I started putting decorations on the tree. By Tuesday, the tree was done, and the Christmas Mice were displayed in the entry ( I love the Christmas Mice - they're ornaments based on 'T'was the Night Before Christmas' and they just add so much to the entry!), and by Wednesday, all the boxes of decorations had been taken back to the garage. It all looked nice, and we were finally ready for the holiday. (sigh)
Now, with the New Year upon us, it will be time to take everything down and stored away again for another year. I'm hoping that next year we'll have a new tree, one that won't make me feel like I'm dying when it gets put up. And maybe, just maybe, DH will be a little more helpful, but I won't hold my breath!
Speaking of the New Year, do you make resolutions? Some years I haven't resolved to do more than just stay afloat in the Stress Pool.
Until then, Happy New Year; may you be healthy, happy, and safe. May your own pool always be filled with clear, sparkling water, and your days sunny and bright. Just like they are at the Stress Pool.