CHRISTMAS PARTY, TEAR DOWN, LEAVING SA

AFTER WE CLOSED MONDAY NIGHT, WE WENT SHOPPING OVER AT ROLLING OAKS MALL. WE HAD SUCH A GOOD TIME......BOUGHT A FEW THINGS.....DARRELL BOUGHT HIMSELF THIS HUGE  BOX OF CANDY.

WE STARTED TEARING EVERYTHING DOWN THE 24TH, WE DIDN'T HAVE OUR # 4  TRAILER BACK YET, BUT WE WERE GETTING EVERYTHING READY TO BE LOADED.

DOUG BENNETT CALLED THAT EVENING TO WISH US A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND SEE HOW WE WERE DOING. HE STILL WANTS US TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR AND DO BOTH THE CHRISTMAS TREES AND PUMPKINS. I WENT TO THE 11:00 CANDLELIGHT  SERVICE AT THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT.
CHRISTMAS MORNING WE OPENED OUR PACKAGES SONYA SENT. MAGGIE AND MARLEE WENT FIRST.....

SONYA KNOWS WHAT THEY LIKE......SQUEAKY TOYS AND BALLS!!! 

SO........... THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN SNIFFING FOR THREE WEEKS!!

WE EACH GOT A  BANFIELD  JACKET!!

LIFESAVERS......THANKS .... WE NEEDED THOSE!!!  HOMEMADE COCOA MIX AND RUSSIAN TEA. WHAT A HAUL!!

THEN IT WAS TIME FOR THE CHRISTMAS PARTY/MEETING.

WE SAT WITH MIKE AND KAREN.

MORE GIFTS TO OPEN.

IT WAS A SHORT MEETING....DARYL THOUGHT MAYBE HE BOUGHT TOO MANY TREES THIS YEAR, AS MOST OF US HAD TREES LEFT WHEN WE CLOSED. SO MANY OF THE MANAGERS HAVE BEEN SICK. ONE HAD BEEN HOSPITALIZED. THE KERRVILLE COUPLE COULD NOT EVEN ATTEND THE CHRISTMAS PARTY, THEY WERE SO SICK. WE COUNTED OUR BLESSINGS.....DARRELL HAD NOT EVEN CAUGHT A COLD THIS YEAR.
ON THE 26TH WE TOOK THE CASHIER BOX AND CASH REGISTER BACK  TO THE WAREHOUSE. WE GOT #4 TRAILER AND DARRELL STARTED LOADING IT.
ON THE 27TH MAGGIE AND MARLEE HAD APPOINTMENTS TO GET THEIR TEETH CLEANED......FINALLY!!

 WE HAD TAKEN THEM IN EARLIER, MET THE DOCTOR, HE CHECKED THEM OVER AND DID PRELIMINARY BLOOD WORK. WE FELT  CONFIDENT  THAT WE HAD FOUND A SAFE, REPUTABLE VETERINARY CLINIC.    IT WAS A LONG DAY.......THEY DID FINE.  THEY EARNED  THESE CERTIFICATES......

NEITHER ONE HAD TO HAVE TEETH PULLED. WE FELT FORTUNATE.

THEY  TOOK THE TENT DOWN, THE FIRST TIME WE HAD BEEN ON THE LOT WITHOUT THE TENT SET UP. IT LOOKED SO EMPTY!!

AND THEN THEY  TOOK THE FENCE DOWN....

WE GOT PAID ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, WE WERE HAPPY WITH WHAT WE HAD EARNED...........I WAS VERY HAPPY!! I HAD EARNED THE $200 BONUS!!

WE LEFT 7040 NORTH LOOP 1604 EAST ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2014.

WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND A MUCH NEEDED THREE MONTH REST AT  FIG TREE RV PARK IN HARLINGEN, TEXAS.

THE LONGEST SHORT SEASON

ONE MORNING I ASKED RUSSELL TO TAKE A PICTURE OF US FOR THE CHRISTMAS CARDS.....THEY TURNED OUT REALLY  GOOD. I DID SOME CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS AT THE RV ALSO.

I PAINTED THE PUMPKINS I HAD BROUGHT FROM THE PUMPKIN LOT.

WE HAD TWO CHRISTMAS TREES!!

SONYA SENT CHRISTMAS GIFTS....THESE TWO WERE JUST LIKE A COUPLE OF KIDS...COULD NOT LEAVE THE PACKAGES ALONE!

WE WERE HOLDING UP PRETTY WELL, DARRELL HELPED ME WITH THE BOOK WORK MORE THIS YEAR THAN IN PAST.

I HAD TIME TO COOK MORE THIS YEAR, OR I WAS MORE ORGANIZED, WHATEVER THE CASE, WE ATE  PRETTY WELL. I  USED THE CROCK POT A LOT.  MAGGIE AND MARLEE WERE VERY LONESOME, THEY SPENT  MANY AN HOUR  WATCHING FOR US TO COME HOME.

DARRELL HAD TO DISCONNECT THE WATER ALMOST EVERY NIGHT. IT WAS THE COLDEST IT HAD EVER BEEN HERE SINCE WE HAVE BEEN COMING DOWN.

STAN AND JAN, WORKAMPERS WE MET IN WESTPORT,  STOPPED TO SEE US ON THEIR WAY DOWN TO THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY FOR THE WINTER.

IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THEM!!

AND THEN THE SEASON WAS ALMOST OVER.......

WE DID NOT SELL OUT OF TREES THIS YEAR...THAT WAS A FIRST....

IT CONTINUED TO BE COLD AND WET.

WE CLOSED ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 23 AT 5:30 WITH 27 TREES LEFT STANDING IN THE TENT. IT WAS A PRETTY  GOOD YEAR, WE SOLD 54  MORE TREES THAN LAST YEAR.    699 THIS YEAR TO 645 LAST YEAR.  BEST DAY-74 TREES WORST DAY- 3 TREES. WE WERE OPEN 29 DAYS!

OPEN FOR BUSINESS!!

WE OPENED ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25. DARYL WANTED ALL OF US TO OPEN BEFORE THANKSGIVING BECAUSE  IT WAS GOING TO BE A SHORT SEASON.

IT WAS RAINING HARD WHEN WE WOKE UP, IT WAS A VERY COLD, MISERABLE DAY AND WE ONLY SOLD FIVE TREES ALL DAY.

THE NEXT DAY WAS A LITTLE WARMER,  STILL COLD AND WINDY. DARYL CALLED NEEDING DARRELL TO COME GET TREES, THE WAREHOUSE WAS FULL. OUR TENT WAS FULL! SO, THEY DECIDED TO JUST LEAVE THEM ON THE TRAILER, THE WEATHER WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COOL AND WET.  THIS YEAR 189 TREES FILLED THE TENT, WE HAD ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO PUT 200 PLUS TREES IN THE TENT, BUT THE TREES WERE SO FULL THIS YEAR. TODAY WE SOLD SIX TREES.
WEDNESDAY, THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING, WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO GET SOME TREES FLOCKED FOR THE WEEKEND. ONLY SOLD  SEVEN TREES TODAY.

I MADE A TURKEY FOR THANKSGIVING, WE NO MORE THAN FINISHED EATING AND WE HEARD A HORN HONKING......WE LOOKED OUT, A CAR IN THE PARKING LOT HONKING!! WE TRIED TO IGNORE IT, BUT THEY WOULDN'T LEAVE....THEY WANTED A TREE....WE HAD TREES TO SELL.... SO, WE SOLD THEM A TREE!!

 FRIDAY, SHOULD BE BUSY.....WE HOPED!!

SOMEONE FROM THE WAREHOUSE BROUGHT FLYING SANTA TO US. IT WAS TIME TO PUT HIM UP!!

HE LOOKED PRETTY PATHETIC LYING THERE.

BUT GET A LITTLE AIR TO HIM........

AND HE CAME TO LIFE!!

HE WAS A BIG HIT, WE HAD PEOPLE STOPPING JUST TO TAKE HIS PICTURE; AND THE KIDS LOVED HIM!! SOME DAYS HE DID THE LIMBO ALL DAY!!

HOW LOW........ CAN YOU GO???

HE COULD GO PRETTY LOW!!

THE WEEKEND WAS VERY, VERY BUSY!! BY MONDAY, WE HAD SOLD 204 TREES!! ONE OF OUR NEW HIRES, GOT A PERMANENT JOB OVER THE WEEKEND, SO WE WENT THROUGH OUR APPLICATIONS  AND DARRELL HIRED MARK.  HE  HAD WORKED CHRISTMAS TREES BEFORE, SO HE KNEW HOW TO DRILL AND STAND TREES..WE HAD LUCKED OUT AGAIN!!

RUSSELL MADE TREES FOR THE KIDS ON A REGULAR BASIS, SO WE HAD TREES FOR THE KIDS ALL THE TIME.

 HENRY CAME IN AND BOUGHT FOUR TREES FROM US.....$811.00 SALE, HE GAVE OUR "GUYS" EACH A $20 TIP.....WE LOVE HENRY!! HE WANTED ONE OF THE TREES FLOCKED LIKE THIS!!

JOHN FLOCKED ALL OF OUR TREES AGAIN THIS YEAR, HE WAS A GREAT TREE FLOCKER!  WE HAD A GREAT CREW, WHICH MADE OUR JOBS EASIER.

THE GUYS WERE TYING TREES ONTO TOPS OF CARS THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD THINK IMPOSSIBLE........

WE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH TREES COMING OFF CARS.THE KIDS STILL ENJOYED GETTING THEIR OWN "LITTLE TREE" FOR THEIR ROOMS.

I TOLD THIS LADY I REALLY LIKED HER ANTLERS...I ASKED IF I COULD TAKE HER PICTURE.............SHE SAYS YES!......I SAID " LOOK LIKE A REIDEER........"

WE ALL WORKED HARD, BUT WE HAD FUN TOO!

WHAT A CLEVER IDEA!!!

THE CHRISTMAS TREE LOT

WE GOT TO THE CHRISTMAS TREE LOT AT 11:30 ON NOVEMBER 11. WE GOT SOMEWHAT SET UP.  RIGHT AWAY WE NOTICED PROBLEMS WITH THE  INSTALLATION OF THE FENCE.

WE  HEADED TO THE WAREHOUSE TO PICK UP THE TRAILER WITH ALL THE STUFF IN IT.

WE SAW DARYL AND ELAINE, AND FOUND OUT THAT TERRI AND BRIAN WON'T BE BACK....THEY HAVE RETIRED AGAIN!!  DARRELL  TOLD DARYL ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE FENCE. WE BROUGHT EVERYTHING WE COULD GET IN THE TRUCK.
WE UNLOADED THE TRAILER ENOUGH TO FIND THE HOSES SO WE COULD GET THE WATER TURNED ON.
MIKE AND KAREN STOPPED FOR A FEW MINUTES AND DAVID GONZALEZ STOPPED.
WE TURNED THE GIRLS LOOSE AND THEY FOUND THE FERAL CATS TO BARK AT RIGHT AWAY. WE STARTED UNLOADING THE TRAILER THE NEXT MORNING.
DARRELL SEEMED VERY EXCITED TO HAVE A PROJECT!!

IT DIDN'T TAKE TOO LONG TO GET THE TRAILER UNLOADED.

THEN WE STARTED PUTTING THE CASHIER BOOTH TOGETHER.

 DARRELL STARTED PUTTING SOME OF THE OTHER  STUFF TOGETHER.

THE NEXT DAY WE STARTED THE PLUMBING.

WE HAD FORGOTTEN HOW MUCH FUN THIS WAS!

IT WAS THURSDAY BY NOW, WE ALMOST HURT OURSELVES PUTTING UP THE HOLIDAY HILLS SIGN. NOTE: PROP SIGN UP ON LADDER AND THEN LIFT.

THEN IT WAS ON TO THE ELECTRIC.

WE WERE GETTING THERE!  ON SATURDAY WE WENT BACK TO THE WAREHOUSE FOR A SUPPLIES LOAD. DARYL SAID HE HAD ORDERED US A FLYBOY TO DRAW ATTENTION TO US. HE IS 25 FEET TALL. WE FOUND OUT THAT  SUNDAY IS THE MANAGERS'  MEETING.

WE STARTED PAINTING ONE OF THE SIGNS. THE SIGN SAID WE HAVE SCOTCH PINE TREES. WE DON'T!   WE PAINTED OVER THAT AND LETTERED NORDMANN.

IT LOOKED NICE!!

THERE WERE A LOT OF NEW MANAGERS AGAIN THIS YEAR. THE MEETING DIDN'T LAST LONG.  DARYL ANNOUNCED THEY WERE GIVING A $200 BONUS TO THE LOT MANAGERS WHO HAD A 75% OR MORE OF CUSTOMERS FILLING OUT POSTCARDS. I WANTED THE BONUS!!

AFTERWARDS, WE HAD LUNCH WITH KAREN AND  MIKE. STEVE AND  DEBBIE, A NEW MANAGER COUPLE  JOINED US. THEY ARE HEADED TO   VICTORIA. ELAINE ASSIGNED ALL THE NEW MANAGERS A "BUDDY", DEBBIE IS  MY "BUDDY".  WE ATE AT BILL MILLER BARBECUE....IT WAS GOOD!!

WE SLEPT WITH THE WINDOWS OPEN SUNDAY NIGHT, THE FIRST TIME IN A VERY LONG TIME!

ON MONDAY, DARRELL HIRED RUSSELL FOR OUR DAY MAN. DARRELL HUNG THE SIGNS AND I FINISHED THE CASHIER BOOTH.

IT LOOKED NICE, I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS "TOO PLAIN". 

THAT AFTERNOON DARRELL GOT THE FIRST LOAD OF TREES.

DAVID, ANTHONY AND RUSSELL  DRILLED AND STOOD THE TREES.
OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS WE GOT TREES ON A DAILY BASIS.

THE TENT STARTED FILLING UP!

AND THEN IT WAS FULL OF TREES!

WENT TO THE DOLLAR STORE AND FOUND THESE FELT DECORATIONS FOR THE FRONT OF THE CASHIER BOOTH.

THEY CAN BE USED YEAR AFTER YEAR AND THEY WERE  ONLY A DOLLAR!!