Yesterday, I Sold My Soul.

I did something I swore I'd never do.

I bought a fake tree. But I've already grown very fond of "Harry Lee" and discovered a dozen reasons to love him.

• I don't have to sit there and contemplate that he's slowly dying. I can have him every year!
• Maximus is obsessed with the long skinny box Harry Lee came in. He jumped in and tried to fill the full 4 foot length of the box by stretching out.
• It's much safer. He's more stable then those stands where you have to screw the pins in the trunk of a big heavy tree. And he's not as flamable, so I feel better about wrapping him in cheap electrical cord and leaving him home with my cats, who consider themselves to be agents in the employ of gravity.
• Even my ornaments are safer, as I can bend the ends of the wire branchs around like hooks so the fragile little bits of my childhood can't slide (or be batted by a cat paw) off.
• He was very, very inexpensive.
• He just perfectly fits on top of my table, next to the pirate legos. (Yes, I have my lego pirate island out on the table. Shut up.)
• If I'm ever in a weird mood, I can bend all his branches any way I want, like all to one side like there is a strong wind, or spelling out letters.
• Did I mention I never have to throw him away, but can love him year after year?