ATTRITION

Since Dan blessed us with his family's foray into gingerbread architecture, Claudia has explained her tree-trimming and Monae describe her trip to the mall (brave girl), I decide to write about our decorations that didn't make it upstairs this Christmas.

Lloyd has a collection of Santas that has expanded to more than 30 since the initial gift circa 1990. As some of them are on permanent display in our living room (see December , 2008). I brought up a couple of hand-sized Santas that were in the tub with the Christmas tree. However, I didn't bring up the dancing Santa (synching to Elvis's "Jingle Bell Rock") or the one my sister gave him that is about the size of a three-year-old.

Also, I did not bring up the glass-brick, hurricane-chimneyed, red and green decorated thing that my dad picked up at a garage sale one year. Since I put the old artificial scotch pine and most of the trimmings in a garage sale about four years ago, I didn't bring up the remaining boxes of glass balls, nor the "glass and gold" ornaments shaped like angels, deer and musical instruments. The tiny Italian made wooden pixies and toy ornaments stayed behind, as well, with the felt tree skirt my mother made us when we were first married and the Christmas stockings, ditto. The Chrisamons are all still in tissue in their own box.

This year, since Lloyd wasn't watching while I decorated outside, I did bring up all the light strings, but any that were missing plugs (due to terrorist squirrels) or wouldn't light for whatever reason went in the trash. I suppose I should have given them to Goodwill for someone to change out the defective bulbs, but I didn't think about it until after the trash pickup had already happened. Maybe I should take all those unused baubles to Goodwill and get my basement storage back.

The word of the day for December 20, 2008 is "attrition" — Pronunciation: \ə-ˈtri-shən, a-\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English attricioun, from Medieval Latin attrition-, attritio, from Latin attrition-, attritio, from atterere to rub against, from ad- + terere to rub — more at throw
Date: 14th century
1: sorrow for one's sins that arises from a motive other than that of the love of God. 2: the act of rubbing together : friction ; also : the act of wearing or grinding down by friction. 3: the act of weakening or exhausting by constant harassment, abuse, or attack [a war of attrition]. 4: a reduction in numbers usually as a result of resignation, retirement, or death [a company with a high rate of attrition].

Our quote for the day is from Helen Hayes (1900–1993), U.S. actor. On Reflection, An Autobiography, ch. 12, Evans (1968):

Marriage is like a war. There are moments of chivalry and gallantry that attend the victorious advances and strategic retreats, the birth or death of children, the momentary conquest of loneliness, the sacrifice that ennobles him who makes it. But mostly there are the long dull sieges, the waiting, the terror and boredom. Women understand this better than men; they are better able to survive attrition.

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