Do we need lighter fluid? someone asked, and was reassured multiple times that the tree would combust almost immediately and without struggle. No one, however, took into account the task of massaging a flame out of a lighter while standing on windy lake shores.
After 10 minutes of bumbling with flameless results, Glenn caught a single sheet of twisted newspaper which sparked the tree at last. (He and Ben kept jumping around somewhat IN the firepit, to the distress of Lauren. She calmly requested Ben stop picking up the burning tree.) We stood circled around ignoring our toe-cicles and sipping spiked hot chocolate (soy milk, mexican hot chocolate, kahlua, & peppermint schnapps).
The tree was quickly naked of needles, but we couldn't feel our fingers much less stand to stick around for the grand finale of total disintegration. Ben volunteered to stomp out the tree and the rest of us returned to the car, marvelling at our original plan to WALK to the Point and saying grace that our idiocy had not reigned.
