Christmas tree is up!

It took a while, but our Christmas tree is up.

Started shopping around by stopping at the Monterey County Fairgrounds where a seller has set up shop. They had trees of all varieties and sizes. But boy, were those trees pricey. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not about to shell out upwards of $60 for a tree.

Pretty trees. Also pretty expensive!

So I waited, looked around for a while, eventually spotting a great deal from one of the local supermarkets. A six-foot Douglas fir for only $19.99!

We picked up the tree Sunday night. Because our dinky electric saw couldn't cut through the trunk (to chop off about an inch of the end, as recommended), we couldn't put the tree in its stand yet. Tree had to sleep in the garage for a night.

Trimming the trunk with a saw that works.

The tree is standing now, drinking up as much water as it can, I bet. But we're giving it time to spread out and unfurl completely before decorating.

After a few hours, it's looking a LOT fuller than I expected.