Today was Bittersweet

I am so lucky to have my job, even though today was bittersweet. I actually removed Christmas from a Client's home today. Lance and I took a nice drive down the coast to Malibu, even though it was rainy and overcast the ocean is always spectacular. The traffic wasn't too bad and I was a bit concerned about mudslides and such after the terrible fires in October but everything was clear and there wasn't too much debris on the roads. It is really devastating to see the burn so close to peoples homes and all the way up to Highway 1, it must have been awful for those homeowners to see the fire so close to their homes. The bittersweet part of the day was cutting the beautiful 12 foot Noble Fir tree into 4 pieces to get it out of the home. I have brought it home in pieces and it sits in the back of the work truck waiting to be turned into fresh greenery arrangements. I know that the tree was enjoyed while it was up but it just seems sad that in all her splendor she wasn't enjoyed on Christmas morning. I know that sounds sappy but that is how it feels and I know that this what I do, but it always pains me to see the fresh in the trash after the holidays. On a more upbeat note the wreaths, garland and parts of the tree will be used to green my church for the holidays, so I guess in fact it will all be appreciated twice as much. I guess today just felt odd removing Christmas when I haven't had a moment to stop and enjoy Christmas yet. If all goes well I will have the few days before Christmas to relax and enjoy my family.