the little unpleasantness was a small operation from which I am more or less recovered ( and no, it wasn't to retrieve a mistletoe berry... that's another story). If I'm getting what's left under the tree, I expect it's either going to be pine needles or the bit of the fairy that fell off when Phoebe tried to dissect it... ah well. Gargoyle, I have a cat you can have... well, two actually, you can take your pick. Not very bright but.... well, just not very bright really. How about it, free to good home, or even an indifferent one??? If not, has anyone got any tips about how to discourage cats from climbing a not very stable xmas tree?