Many things have changed this year, sadly so. One of the casualties of this disgusting virus is the annual Victorian Fair at the Thompson House in Tahlequah. I’m sure the house is still decorated, at least, on the outside, but the fair that has been a staple each December will not be held this year.
These pictures are of one of the last times I visited. It’s a lovely house, with a history that goes way back. It was my inspiration for Uncle Javin’s house in Moonlight Can Be Murder. In MCBM, Ned’s friends Pat and Jackie decorate her house for Christmas:
“This is far too much,” I protested, gazing at the boxes stacked in my living room.
“Nonsense, Ned,” Jackie said, as she opened a box and pulled out a garland of red ribbons.
Delving into a separate box, Pat lifted a string of outdoor lights. “This will work perfectly for the porch railing,” she said. “What do you think, Jackie?”
Jackie cocked her head, her pointer finger tapping her chin. “Yes, that will do fine and we’ll put these big red bows in between the lights.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Uncle Javin has been gone only two weeks and…”
Pat interrupted, “Now, Ned! It’s nearly Christmas. True, you have had a lot of grief, but do you think your uncle would want you to sit around feeling sad or do you think he would want you to be happy with his house and fix it up to look festive?”
Gazing at the boxes of bright decorations, I felt myself relenting. “Well, maybe just a bit of decoration,” I said.
Jackie put her arm around my shoulder. “That’s the spirit. When did the three musketeers ever sit around feeling gloomy?”
Pat held up a box of candles. “Oh, Jackie, look at these! Won’t they be perfect for the mantel?”
“Okay,” I decided, “but no Christmas tree. Agreed?”
The two conspirators grinned. “Agreed!” they echoed.
“I’m going to put on a pot of coffee,” I called, heading for the kitchen. “Martha brought over a plate of cookies last night. We can have those too.”
“Martha again?” Jackie asked. “Maybe we should include her and call our group the Four Musketeers.”
By noon, huge red bows and a string of Christmas lights festooned the porch railing of Granger mansion. Inside, red and silver ribbon twined around greenery, brightening the stairway. A green wreath hung above the fireplace, and silver candles in graduated sizes marched across the mantel.
A manger scene sat on my bedside table upstairs and scented candles decorated the bathroom.
Jackie, Pat, and I sat in the bright sun room, munching cookies and sipping coffee while we surveyed our handiwork. With snow falling outside, Christmas embellishments emphasizing the beauty of my Victorian house, the warmth of the fireplace, and the presence of Pat and Jackie, I felt blessed and at peace.
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