The BIG Snow Storm

Not outside with the really wet and cold stuff, but INSIDE.  The kind that permeates every single corner, nook and cranny, just like a REAL snow storm.  This one however, was a styrofoam storm.

My beautiful Christmas tree from Balsam Hill may have seen it's last light of day.  I knew I had to take it down, a thought I didn't relish at all.  It come in a huge box, packaged up like a mouse trap, just waiting to be sprung.  

As I untied each section's beautiful red ribbon holding it together, it instantly became twice it's size, not to mention once it was actually set up.  That's when you "fluff" the branches, making it incredibly difficult to squash back down to box-size when the time comes.

The time came yesterday.  Remember me saying something about climbing on that ladder to put the top on?  Easier said than done and impossible to do the reverse.  It wasn't coming off, partially due to the myriad of electrical wires plugged in everywhere.  

My only solution was to lay it down on the floor.  It came apart alright, but not before depositing half the "frosting" on the rug.  This picture doesn't do it justice at all.  To make it even worse, I had to walk back and forth to the box, carrying the tree parts in a bear hug trying to make them smaller.  I got snow in places I didn't even know I had!!  

It didn't really fit back in the box in spite of my re-tieing the red ribbons.  The box is sort of closed and has two chairs on top of it to keep the branches from exploding out the top.  In the meantime, I had a HUGE mess to clean up.

I vacuumed and I vacuumed and .... well you get the picture.  It's styrofoam.  Those tiny little pieces the size of a pin head quickly became electrified and stuck to everything.  Even the Dyson Animal couldn't dislodge them from the carpet.

At long last I thought it was acceptable, even though there are still visible particles lying around.  Time to dump the vacuum ... only it wouldn't dump.  Static electricity kept all of that crappy styrofoam snow inside the bin.  I finally had to get my little dryer brush to clean it out as best I could.  

Finally!!!  I'm DONE!!         

Not so fast little Vacuum Queen.  As I walked by a hall mirror, I discovered I had as much styrofoam snow on ME as there now was in the trash can.  When I looked behind me, I saw a nice trail, kind of like Pigpen, depositing dirt as he walked.  

The WAR was ON!!  I found my lint brush and went to town.  It didn't work so good on my hair, but it sure got those little buggers off my clothes and most of the rug before I ran out of the sticky stuff.  Hopefully over the next few months, it will lose it's electrical hold and be sucked into oblivion by my vacuum.  I won't hold my breath.  

Honestly, I'm considering putting the box on the street with a FREE sign tacked to it's expanding bulge.  It's Christmas and I want to spread the joy!!!  My New Year's resolution is NEVER EVER buy a flocked tree!!