SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

SAN ANTONIO IS A BEAUTIFUL CITY, AND THE NICEST FOLKS YOU WOULD EVER WANT TO MEET, IT LOOKS ALOT LIKE RAPID CITY  EXCEPT THERE ARE LEAVES ON THE TREES AND THE FLOWERS ARE BLOOMING IN NOVEMBER!!!! WE VISITED THE ALAMO ON FRIDAY, THE WEATHER WAS GORGEOUS!!!

WE WENT DOWN TO THE RIVERWALK, BUT WE DIDN'T ALLOW ENOUGH TIME TO SEE MUCH, WE PROMISED OURSELVES WE WILL COME BACK BEFORE WE LEAVE SAN ANTONIO.  WE HAD TO GET BACK TO THE RV BECAUSE ALL OF US MANAGERS WERE HAVING A POTLUCK.THE FIVE OTHER COUPLES ARE, CAL & DIANE, PHIL & MARY, JEFF & GLENDA, MARK & CAROL, GIB & JOY WITH THEIR GRANDSON, DEVON. THE FOOD WAS DELICIOUS, AND WE ALL GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER,  TWO OF THE COUPLES SOLD CHRISTMAS TREES IN CALIFORNIA LAST YEAR, NOT FOR HOLIDAY HILLS.THEY SAID IT WAS FUN, BUT HARD WORK AND LONG HOURS, WHICH WE KNEW.

IT WAS A CHILLY EVENING, SO WE ALL TURNED IN EARLY, BECAUSE THE NEXT MORNING AT 10, WE START TRAINING.  WE ALL MET AT THE WAREHOUSE, WE MET OUR BOSSES,  DARYL & ELAINE SMITH, THEY GROW THE TREES IN SALEM, OREGON AND BRING THEM TO SAN ANTONIO TO SELL, THEY'VE DONE THIS SINCE 1988. BRIAN & TERRI AVERY ARE THE TRAINERS. THEY ALL SEEEMED VERY NICE. THE GUYS WENT WITH BRIAN, AND THE GALS WENT WITH TERRI. 

THE GUYS WERE TRAINED IN HANDLING THE TREES, THE GALS IN HANDLING THE MONEY AND CASH  REGISTER.

OUR HEADS WERE SWIMMING BY EVENING, SO MUCH INFORMATION!! WE DIDN'T GET QUITE DONE, SO WE HAD TO RETURN ON SUNDAY, ELAINE TOOK US ALL OUT FOR LUNCH, HAD MY FIRST TASTE  OF TEXAS MEXICAN FOOD.......IT WAS DELICIOUS!!

DARRELL & THE GUYS STARTED SETTING UP THE FIRST TENT SUNDAY, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE JEFF & GLENDAS, NONE OF THE REST OF US KNEW WHERE WE WOULD BE FOR SURE. MONDAY ABOUT 11, TERRI CALLED TELLING US WE WOULD BE AT LOT #4, AND GAVE US DIRECTIONS. I AM SO HAPPY WHERE WE ENDED UP, I LOVE OUR LOT, HOPE WE CAN SELL ALOT OF CHRISTMAS TREES HERE.

IT LOOKS LIKE A CIRCUS TENT, AND I TOLD THE KIDS WE HADN'T JOINED THE CIRCUS!!IT IS 60' W BY 120' AND HOLDS 350 CHRISTMAS TREES!! IT'S A GREAT PLACE FOR MAGGIE & MARLEE, WITH AN 8' FENCE ALL THE WAY AROUND, THEY CAN RUN LOOSE AND PLAY BALL, AT LEAST UNTIL WE OPEN.

I AM WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF WALMART, AND THERE IS A JIM'S RESTAURANT RIGHT NEXT DOOR, IF I DON'T FEEL LIKE COOKING. IT IS A VERY BUSY CORNER, BUT WE SIT FAR ENOUGH OFF THE STREET, WHERE IT IS PRETTY QUIET. I LOVE SOUTH TEXAS IN THE WINTER, MOST DAYS IT IS BETWEEN 70 & 80, WITH COOL EVENINGS.

THE "GUYS" CAME IN THE AFTERNOON AND HELPED SET UP THE TENT, THIS WHOLE TRAILER LOAD OF STUFF IS NEEDED TO GET EVERYTHING SET UP.

IT TOOK THE REST OF MONDAY AND ALMOST ALL OF TUESDAY TO GET EVERYTHING SET UP, THE "GUYS" DO THE PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL PART OF THE SETUP. THEN, THEY MOVED ONTO THE NEXT TENT, ETC, UNTIL ALL ARE SET. LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR "ADVENTURE". THE TREES WILL BE ARRIVING AROUND THE 18TH. WE ARE BUSY HIRING HELP, PUT A SIGN ON THE FENCE AND THERE IS SOMEONE HERE ALL THE TIME LOOKING FOR A JOB.