Ask Annie for Jan. 7, 2003 Dear Readers,
I am one of a long line of Master Tinsellers, an occupation my daughter sneers at. I, though middle aged myself, am yet an Apprentice Strand Stringer. It takes decades to reach Master status. This is not a craft that will be passed farther down my family line, though, an observation I make after watching my daughter stand back from the Christmas tree and toss handfuls of snarly silver tinsel ahoy. "Tinsel should be separated and each strand, and one strand only, hung so that it hangs evenly from the end of each frond of the tree bough. Strands of tinsel should be free falling and never lean on the branch below," I tell her, to which she responds with a snort. She rolls on the floor, laughing, when I try to place one strand on each of the upper branches of the tree, something I cannot reach even with a stepstool. Does she volunteer to help? Of course not. She scoffs, "I'm not going to assist you with this tinsel mania of yours, tinsel nazi!" When she leaves the room, I rehang all of the tinsel she has thrown at the tree, along with some of the ornaments she put up. Her scorn is just punishment. I deserve it. I remember heckling my mother as she primly placed one strand on each finger of the fir trees we had for Christmas, even recklessly lobbing wads of tinsel at the tree just to bother her. I couldn't tell you where the turning point came, but today I take tinselling seriously, and only hope someday my daughter will do the same.
Annie
Please write to: Annie, P.O. Box 1084, Eatonville,WA 98328
E-mail: letters_annie@hotmail.com
Past Ask Annies:
Dec. 24, 2003 Memories of Good Parents
Dec. 17, 2003 Christmas Gift for Wife?
Dec. 10, 2003 Thanks to Food Bank Helpers
Dec. 3, 2003 Child's Names on Belongings & Appreciating Family at Holidays
Nov. 26, 2003 Big Family Thanksgiving with Paper Plates
Nov. 12, 2003 Husband Driven Nuts To Do Crafts By Wife
Nov. 5, 2003 Dreading Husband's Retirement
Oct. 29, 2003 Move back home from boyfriend's house?
Oct. 22, 2003 Did I raise my daughter to do these things?
Oct. 15, 2003 Misunderstanding about School Workers' Kindness
Oct. 8, 2003 Prayer for Brown Sisters Killed and Change Schoolyear to Oct.1 to June 30
Oct. 1, 2003 Response About Non-tipping Lotto Winner
Sept. 24, 2003 Church-goers Inattentive
Sept. 17, 2003 Friend Sells My Stuff on Ebay
Sept. 10, 2003 Lottery Winner Didn't Tip Clerk
Sept. 3, 2003 Business Insults to Consumers
Aug. 27, 2003 Divison of Wedding Expense
Aug. 20, 2003 School Workers' Kindness & Men's Attractiveness
Aug. 13, 2003 Attractiveness Hints
Aug. 6, 2003 Annie's Husband's Accident at Work
July 30, 2003 Deer Automatic Sprinkler Best & Stores Don't Stock Washington Clothes
July 23, 2003 Scarecrows and Halloween Decorations Scare Off Prowlers Too
July 16, 2003 Redhead Asks Attractiveness Advice
July 2, 2002 Atomatic Deer Scarecrow Blasts Prowler