Erieversible

We didn’t have any family nearby when we lived on the Isle of Man.  We did make some very good friends over the years, but most of them were in similar situations and many would head back to wherever they had come from for the holidays.  So our Christmas and New Year were, traditionally, very quiet.  We would try to find things to do with the kids, but mostly we would just have endless days sitting around the house while everything was shut up.  This was nice for the kids because they got lots of time to play with their new toys.  It wasn’t so great for us as we got bored long before work and school got back to normal.

Things are a bit different here, of course.  Christmas Eve was church and then my mother and sister came over for a while.  Then they were back bright and early the next morning to watch the great present unwrapping.  Then it was out for a big family meal on the 26th (which happens to be my birthday), with cake and presents after.  Yesterday evening there was a birthday party for a friend of mine, with kids and food and cake and fun.  Today we all went to my mother’s, where the cousins and other extended family had gathered for another celebration!

Now the kids are off school for a while and I’m busy making plans for them to get together with this cousin and that friend and whatever.   It is wonderful in an exhausting way…or maybe exhausting in a wonderful way?

Many, many years ago I had a plant.  It was an Umbrella plant (Schefflera arboricola) and I had it for many years.  It was called Elliot. (See end of post for why….)

I had Elliot for around 30 years.  He grew, he got cut back, he grew, he had cuttings taken.  One of his cuttings became Pete.  (Ditto)  A later cutting became Re-Pete.  

Pete, Re-Pete and especially Elliot were like family members.  Unfortunately they had to be left behind when we moved from the UK as the US Government is somewhat restrictive on the import of plants.  I found good homes for them, but Elliot had been part of my life for far longer than my wife or children, so parting was not easy.  But some sacrifices had to be made by all of us for the greater good involved in the move to the US and Elliot & Co. were part of my sacrifices.

So imagine my surprise and delight when this peculiarly shaped and wrapped present was brought out of hiding.  I guessed immediately, and despite all the comments from my wife about the “perfect present” this was one thing I had not considered, or come close to considering.  It was indeed the perfect present - based totally on thought rather than cost.  And yes, the kids were really excited about the “new Elliot” too - after all, they’d known Elliot quite literally all their lives.

Now we have Elliot 2.  No debate or argument was necessary over the name.  All in agreement, both on the name and on it being the perfect present.  Now, who says I’m hard to buy for?

Elliot 2 is not too tall, but Elliot started out a mere 6 inches high, so there’s plenty of scope for growth and hopefully Elliot 2 can do that in the new house….eventually.

Note:  Way back when, all my plants were named after film characters.  The umbrella plant was big and green, hence Elliot, the dragon in Pete’s Dragon.  The main offspring was Pete from….yes, you’re ahead of me here.

Well, something sort of like “it”.  The perfect present I was looking for.  Hubby will be disappointed as it isn’t that new computer he was hoping for!  ;-))  And I’m not sure it is exactly right, but it is as close as I could come on a last desperate effort on Christmas Eve.

But I think it is perfect anyway.  And the kids agree with me.  They are almost as excited about it as I am. 

Of course, now the doubts set in.  Maybe he won’t like it.  Maybe it is all wrong.  Maybe it is the wrong size.  Maybe it is the wrong colour.  Maybe it is the wrong specification.  Maybe it is the wrong shape.  Maybe it is too bright.  Maybe it is too dark.  Maybe it is perfect!

It is Christmas Eve.  May as well be optimistic until tomorrow when he opens it and says “Honey, did you keep the receipt?”!