Anyone that's ever read a Raferty story can appreciate my hesitation in putting up my Christmas tree. It seems like an accident waiting to happen. But I didn't "do" Christmas last year and I really want to this year. So I thought about it and figured if the tree would fit up on top of the upright piano then it would be safe and I could do it. Now I don't know about everyone else in Australia but, except for one year when we had pine needles stuck in the carpet for months, my family has always been a plastic-tree-from-a-box family. (For the record, the neon blue tree was a particularly bad choice). So with Raferty watching closely, I got the tree from the cupboard and then tried to get it out of the box - it was well and truly jammed in there. Much huffing and puffing and cursing later (am I Christmassy or what?) the tree finally emerged, I stuck the legs on, stuck the top bit in and stood it on the floor. Rafe snuffled it all over, figured it "looked" like a tree but he wasn't totally convinced, then wandered off looking for something really exciting to do. I picked the tree up and tried it for fit on the piano and as long as I don't try putting a huge flying angel on the top then it should fit. Brought the tree back down to ground level and Rafe had to snuffle it again because trees that went up and down in the air were fairly interesting.

I thought the go slow method might be an idea so I left the tree unadorned sitting on the floor all night and he didn't even look at it. This morning I got a few little (and not breakable and not valuable) ornaments and put them on the tree and when he sniffed, told him to leave them. So far, so good. I guess sparkly tinsel will be the next step. I am not going to tempt fate but I figure if he doesn't much care about it when it's on the floor, then he's not going to be bothered when it's up on the piano.

One mistake I did make however..... we were outside this morning and I saw his bubble blowing wand there and we had a game blowing bubbles and him catching them. A few minutes into this exercise I realised that bubbles look a lot like Christmas baubles and my timing was particularly bad to be encouraging him to bite at shiny bubbles so we stopped that game and I think I will leave all the glass baubles off the tree, even with it on top of the piano.

On a side note, I had to clear a space on top of the piano and I got to dusting it and realised that Raferty hadn't heard me playing (he's only been here 10 months after all). So I found some sheet music, realised it's been a LONG time since I have played, so ran through some scales to try and remember all about those funny white and black things. First few notes had Raferty on his feet, head swivelling side to side, trying to work it out. After the scales I launched into some classics I have been playing since I was 6 years old. I was getting into this playing thing but Raferty gave up on me. On a positive note (pun intended) he whined a few times but he wasn't howling, so that's a good, right? I did notice though when I finished that he was lying with his head nearly under the lounge.... I wonder if I should take that as a sign. :dunno:

Talk to me next week Shirley, I will be looking for the tree update.

And I just pulled out my keyboard the other day, Sting had NO clue what to make of the noise

I can hardly wait for the "Raferty & the Christmas Tree" stories!!

Shirley, would you like me to send you my collection of mangled Christmas decorations? That way Rafe doesn't have to work so hard to do it for you! Where there's a Rafe (or Willis, or Sting or any of the young'uns) there's a way!

My collection of ornaments is mangled from tucker and miki 2 years back , now i have magic and her buddy miki and im wondering if i should bother

Did I mention miki is nearly 4 no longer a puppers ?

Now Carol, we all know that boxers of any age are still really "puppies"

Speaking of piano playing.. my 9 year old plays the piano and has been working on ukranian bells.. anyways we have a couch in there the piano room, whenever he plays/practices Bailey goes running in there and jumps up on the couch. I always tell Logan he has an audience.. he laughs and Bailey will sit through the whole practice and then leave when he's done. I beleive she truley enjoys the music!!

Good Boy Rafe for not cocking your leg on it. I felt sure that`s where the story was going :dunno:

Shirley, if the tree is too tall for the piano, you might consider a smaller one for the kitchen table

Am sure when the "proper" time comes- Rafe will know just what to do.

Now see Shirley...if you had just given in and bought one of those cute little ceramic Boxer Trees from the Danbury Mint, you could rest a little easier anyway!! Mine is perched high atop the entertainment center shining away all safe and sound!!

Danbury mint is even MORE evil than ebay. Thank doG we can't get danbury stuff down here.

Just wondering how the tree is holding up ..

It's Tuesday morning here and my tree is in fact still sitting on the floor and untouched <touch wood>.

I was woken from my nap on Sunday arvo by an ominous chewing sound but it ws not the tree, he had stolen a roll of sticky tape from a side table.

Continued good luck with the tree....

I have a friend who is an AMAZING violinst and he stayed with me for a while last fall. Toffee did not know what to make of his playing (he practices a lot). She eyed the violin very suspiciously every time it was set down

Somewhere I have a pic of Dani playing the clarinet, and Penny sitting in front of her...howling. Glad you didn't get quite as vocal a reception to your music.

Still haven't put up my tree (plastic, in a box) but will do that today....in its traditional place, in the corner behind a baby gate. It's, um, quite festive.