The "Dan-Lift"

     About a dozen people gathered at the Oysterville Schoolhouse yesterday morning to festoon the Holway Memorial Redwood Tree with Christmas lights.  The manlift was at the ready, Dan Switzler in the bucket.  A hundred strings of multicolored light bulbs were being sorted and tested inside the building.  Runners carried “good” strands outside and, in teams of two, laid each one out in the desired order.  Bradley Huson was in charge.
     “Drape the female plug ends over the fence,” he directed, “and alternate the strings of opaque and translucent lights.”  We were also to alternate strings of large bulbs and small bulbs.  “And no LED bulbs and especially no evil white bulbs!  They are way too bright.”
     It was cold and those of us working outside occasionally went inside for refills of hot coffee or for one of the delicious bran muffins that Diane Buttrell had sent, still warm from the oven.  Each time Dan moved the truck to a new position, we watched the stabilizers during his “bounce test” – a precautionary measure against the truck tipping over on spongy ground.  YIKES!
     Shortly after noon, the tree lights were ready for the final testing – fifty or more strands of them.  Extension cords were laid out, plugged into power strips, and the cords divided among the outlets and circuits in the schoolhouse.  Power on!  Christmas tree perfect!
     But we weren’t finished.  Following a short lunch break, a stalwart, persistent few volunteers took the remaining strands of lights over to the churchyard.  This time, there was no need for the bucket truck.  Bradley had brought the very tall, freshly cut tree to town last weekend.  It was lying in wait for us just in front of the flag pole.
     For this tree, the method was different. Starting at the top, the lights were wound around each branch while the tree remained prone.  Again, the strands were checked and double-checked, dead ones (and white ones!) replaced, as they were laid out in readiness.  When the lights were in place within four or five feet of the butt end, the men upended the tree and lashed it to the flagpole.  Affixing the remaining strands of lights went relatively quickly.
     The daylight was diminishing as the churchyard tree lights went on.  It looked fabulous!  And, there it was, directly across the street from our house.  Late into the night its cheery glow shone through our windows and filled the rooms with Christmas spirit — yet another reason to reflect how lucky we are to live in beautiful downtown Oysterville!