I can see the curtain rod failing too.that's why you tie the tree to a curtain rod with fishing line. We did that for many years, then our kids grew up and we stopped. But now we have a new puppy who is large and clumsy. So I think our tree will be tied again. Plus a couple of busy grand babies.
We have a cast-iron tree stand that must weigh 30 pounds, so there's no way even a lopsided tree would fall over here. That doesn't mean our trees are disaster-proof, though. Many years ago, I had an angel-themed tree, with dozens of handmade snowflakes and lace angels and yards and yards of carefully draped bead garland in white and gold. It was a labor of love and a work of art, if I may say so myself. We had two cats at the time, and one day, they were playing near the tree. Snicker pounced at OJ, and somehow a loop of the bead garland got caught on his collar. The rattling and hissing sound of the garland startled him, and he took off down the hall, dragging the garland behind him. It was all stripped from the tree in seconds, and a lot of the ornaments went with it, flying in every direction. By the time I caught the frightened cat and freed him from the garland, the tree was a shambles, with the rug around it littered with snowflakes and fallen angels. I put them all back on the tree (nothing breakable, thank goodness) but the tree was never the same . . . .
The youngest always get the good stuff....I sure wish I had my Dad's replica colt 45 long barrel gun fighting pistols. He bought them in the 1950's. I think my middle brother has them, along with the 1800's Remington shotgun.
