HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015

WE  HAVE HIGH HOPES  FOR  2015. WE WILL BE MARRIED 50 YEARS ON JULY 8 AND WE ARE RETIRING AGAIN,  AT LEAST FOR THE YEAR. WE ARE PLANNING ON TRAVELING TO THE EAST COAST THIS  SPRING/SUMMER.
WE WENT OVER AND SOAKED IN THE MORNING AND THEN CAME HOME AND MADE NOODLE SOUP. IT WAS VERY GOOD!
IN THE AFTERNOON WE WENT TO THE MOVIE HUNGER GAMES MOCKINGJAY AT THE  PICKFORD THEATRE.

WE HAD DECIDED WE WOULD WAIT UNTIL NOON ON FRIDAY,  IF WE HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THE TRUCK,  WE WERE GOING  TO DODGE. WE DIDN'T HEAR FROM FERNANDO SO, AT 12:30 WE HEADED TO DODGE.  DARRELL WENT TO FIND FERNANDO. I WENT TO THE CUSTOMER WAITING ROOM. I COULD SEE DARRELL THROUGH THE WINDOW TALKING TO FERNANDO, WAVING HIS ARMS, I KNEW THERE WAS TROUBLE IN RIVER CITY. DARRELL CAME INTO THE WAITING ROOM   AND TELLS ME, FERNANDO SAID THE DIESEL MECHANIC DIDN'T COME TO WORK BECAUSE HE HAD A FAMILY EMERGENCY. DARRELL WAS A LITTLE UPSET. DARRELL TOLD FERNANDO TO GET OUR TRUCK, WE COULDN'T WAIT ANY LONGER. I POINTED OUT  THIS SIGN I NOTICED IN THE WAITING ROOM.

DARRELL WENT OVER TO THE SERVICE COUNTER AND ASKED WHERE STEVE BUSS'S OFFICE WAS.  DARRELL WENT LOOKING FOR STEVE. HE WAS GONE ABOUT A HALF AN HOUR, CAME BACK AND SAID THEY WERE WORKING ON THE TRUCK.  STEVE TOLD US HE WOULD CALL US IN TWO HOURS WITH AN UPDATE ON THE TRUCK. WE WENT TO WALMART AND WHILE WE WERE THERE, STEVE CALLED AND SAID THE TRUCK WAS FIXED. IT TOOK LESS THAN AN HOUR AND WE HAD WAITED ALL WEEK. IT WAS A LOOSE HOSE, BUT WAY TO THE BACK AND VERY HARD TO GET TO.  WHEN TEXAS INSTALLED THE TURBO, THE HOSE WAS NEVER TIGHT. STEVE SAID THE MECHANIC HAD TAKEN IT APART, CLEANED IT AND PUT IT BACK ON. THEY HAD DRIVEN IT AND THE NOISE WAS GONE. WE WERE RELIEVED THAT IT WASN'T A DEFECTIVE TURBO! STEVE WAS VERY NICE, NO CHARGE TO FIX IT AND HE WASHED OUR  TRUCK AND PAID HALF THE CAR RENTAL. HE ALSO APOLOGIZED. WE WERE IMPRESSED!  DARRELL HAD CALLED THE DODGE DEALER IN TEXAS BEFORE WE LEFT THERE, TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE NOISE, THEY TOLD US  THE TURBO NEEDED LUBRICATING, IT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE A COUPLE OF THOUSAND MILES. THAT WAS AN OUTRIGHT LIE, JUST TO GET RID OF US!

WE HAD RESERVATIONS AT PICACHO PEAK RV RESORT IN ARIZONA  ON THE FIRST, I CALLED AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED, THEY SAID THEY WOULD HOLD OUR SPOT UNLESS I CALLED AND CANCELLED. SATURDAY WE GOT READY TO LEAVE SUNDAY MORNING. WE LEFT AT 9:15, WE WERE GLAD TO BE ON OUR WAY AND GLAD OUR TRUCK WAS FIXED!

SUSAN HAVERTY HAD RECOMMENDED PICACHO RV RESORT TO US, IT'S IN BETWEEN PHOENIX AND TUCSON, NEAR CASA GRANDE. WE GOT THERE AT 5:00 AND RIGHT AWAY WE LIKED IT!

SAM'S FAMILY SPA, TRUCK REPAIR

ON THE WAY TO SAM'S FAMILY SPA IN DESERT HOT SPRINGS, CA. THE TRUCK NOISE THAT WE HAVE HEARD   SINCE HAVING THE NEW TURBO INSTALLED IN TEXAS THIS PAST SUMMER ,  WAS MUCH WORSE. WE KNEW WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THAT LOOKED AT. WE ARRIVED AT SAM'S AT 3:00.

WE WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO SOAKING OUR TIRED,  ACHING BONES IN THEIR HOT MINERAL WATER.

AND WE WERE NOT DISAPPOINTED!

SUNDAY WE RAN ERRANDS, WE HAD DECIDED TO TAKE THE TRUCK IN FIRST THING MONDAY MORNING. WE GOT THERE EARLY.....CARS AND TRUCKS LINED UP FOR SERVICE.  WE HAD TO LEAVE DUALLY AND RENT A CAR. THE  SERVICE ADVISOR, FERNANDO,  SAID THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT THE NEXT DAY.  HE SAID HE WOULD CALL US THE NEXT DAY AFTER THEY LOOKED AT IT. WE RENTED A FIAT FOR $35.00 A DAY.

WE RAN SOME MORE ERRANDS BEFORE GOING HOME. THERE WAS A MAN ALONG SIDE THE ROAD SELLING ORANGES. WE STOPPED AND BOUGHT A BAG.

THEY WERE DELICIOUS!! TOOK MAGGIE AND MARLEE FOR A WALK, TOOK A NAP 

 AND THEN  WENT SOAKING.

WE HAD NOT HEARD FROM FERNANDO BY 1:00, SO DARRELL CALLED HIM, HE DIDN'T ANSWER, SO DARRELL LEFT HIM A MESSAGE.   HE  FINALLY CALLED BACK  SAYING THAT  THEY HAD NEVER GOTTEN TO THE TRUCK. TOMORROW FOR SURE. WE WOKE TO WIND AND COLD THE NEXT MORNING. IT WAS 40 DEGREES AND THERE WAS SNOW ON THE MOUNTAIN RIGHT OUTSIDE OUR WINDOW!

PALM TREES AND SNOW ON THE MOUNTAIN.....WHAT A SIGHT TO SEE!

FERNANDO  CALLED AND SAID THEY HAD LOOKED AT THE TRUCK AND THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS JUST A  LOOSE HOSE  CONNECTION. THEY WERE GOING TO TIGHTEN THEM ALL AND HE WOULD CALL US BACK. HE CALLED BACK AND SAID THEY HAD TIGHTENED THEM ALL AND IT WAS STILL MAKING THE NOISE. THIS WAS THE LAST DAY OF 2014, SO, OF COURSE THEY ARE CLOSED ON NEW YEAR'S DAY. IT WOULD BE FRIDAY NOW.  WE WERE TRYING TO BE PATIENT, BUT IT WAS GETTING HARDER EVERY DAY.

I WAS HUNGRY FOR HOMEMADE NOODLE SOUP, SO DARRELL AND I MADE THE NOODLES AND SET THEM OUT TO DRY.

IT WAS COLD AND WINDY ALL DAY, BUT WE WERE WARM AND COZY IN OUR LITTLE HOUSE!

PARTY TIME AND LEAVING

WE WERE IN THE MOOD FOR SHOPPING, SO AFTER WE CLOSED,  WE WENT TO WESTFIELD MALL. WE THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE SUPER BUSY, BUT IT WASN'T TOO BAD. WE ENJOYED WALKING AROUND FOR A WHILE, AND THEN WE GOT TIRED. WE NO MORE THAN GOT HOME AND THERE WERE THREE PEOPLE THERE TO BUY TREES.  ALL THE MANAGERS WERE INVITED TO DOUG AND DEIDRA'S HOUSE FOR A PARTY THAT EVENING.

TONS OF FOOD AND WE GOT TO MEET DOUG AND DEIDRA'S FAMILY! AN OUTDOOR EVENT......WE HAD A GREAT TIME!!!

WE THOUGHT IT WAS VERY GRACIOUS OF DOUG AND DEIDRA TO INVITE US INTO THEIR HOME. THEY HAVE A BEAUTIFUL HOME IN A LOVELY NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE TIRED OUT RATHER QUICKLY.....WE WERE INVITED BACK FOR BREAKFAST BRUNCH, BUT WE DECLINED. WE WANTED TO STAY HOME WITH MAGGIE AND MARLEE. AT 10:30 THAT NIGHT WE LOOKED  OUT AND SAW CAR LIGHTS  IN THE PARKING LOT. DARRELL WENT OUT........THESE FOLKS WANTED A TREE! DARRELL SOLD THEM ONE. WE ARE THINKING........WHO WOULD BUY A TREE AT 10:30 ON CHRISTMAS EVE????
WE SOLD OUR LAST TREE AT 11:00 CHRISTMAS DAY!!!THAT AFTERNOON WE WENT TO  THE  IMAX 3 D MOVIE, THE HOBBIT. WHAT A TREAT THAT WAS! WE WORE THE 3 D GLASSES. IT WAS REALLY FUN!!
WE HAD ASKED DOUG EARLIER WHEN WE WOULD HAVE TO BE OFF THE LOT, HE SAID SUNDAY DECEMBER 29. WE STARTED GETTING READY TO LEAVE THE NEXT DAY. THAT EVENING DOUG CALLED TO SAY THEY WOULD BE THERE SATURDAY MORNING EARLY TO TAKE DOWN THE TENT. WE DECIDED WE  WOULD JUST LEAVE AND GET OUT OF THEIR WAY. DOUG AND GREG CAME TO SAY GOODBYE AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY!

WE WERE GRATEFUL WE HAD MADE IT THROUGH....IT WAS A LONG HARD SEASON!

WE WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO A LONG NEEDED REST!

JUST KEEPING OUR HEADS ABOVE WATER!!

THE SUN FINALLY CAME OUT AND DRIED EVERYTHING UP. I HAD SCHEDULED MORE HELP FOR THE WEEKEND, IT STILL WASN'T ENOUGH! WE SOLD 305 TREES FROM FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY!

THE YOUNG MEN WE HIRED TO HELP US WERE AWESOME! A FEW STARTED GETTING SICK, FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS AND THEY STARTED PASSING IT AROUND. IT FINALLY WAS MY TURN......EVEN THOUGH I HAD A FLU SHOT IN SEPTEMBER, I WAS IN BED FOR TWO DAYS WITH THE FLU.
BY THE 11TH OF DECEMBER WE HAD SOLD  $60,000 IN TREES!  I FINALLY DUG OUT MY CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS AND FINISHED MY PUMPKIN SNOWMEN. THEY REALLY TURNED OUT CUTE, I THOUGHT!

AND THEN A SECOND STORM CAME...... DOUG CALLED AND TOLD US TO TAKE THE SIDE FLAPS DOWN ON  BOTH THE TENTS. .IT RAINED HARD ALL NIGHT  AND THE WIND BLEW HARD..........THIS IS WHAT WE WOKE UP TO.

TREES BLOWN OVER INSIDE AND OUT, WATER AND MUD EVERYWHERE!

 BUT THE BIGGEST  PROBLEM WE HAD WAS THIS BIG  BULDGE  IN THE TENT ROOF!

DOUG CALLED EARLY THAT MORNING  TO SEE IF HIS TENT WAS STILL STANDING....HE WAS RELIEVED TO HEAR IT WAS. ALL THE TENTS HAD MADE IT! I TOLD HIM ABOUT THE ROOF AND SENT HIM A PICTURE. HE SENT ABLE OVER TO HELP DARRELL.

THEY HAD TO TAKE ONE OF THE POSTS OUT, BUT FINALLY THEY WERE ABLE TO DRAIN THE WATER.

EVEN THOUGH  WE HAD TIED ALL THE BIG TREES OUTSIDE  TO THE TENT, WE STILL HAD BIG TREES DOWN.

DOUG CAME OVER LATER TO CHECK ON EVERYTHING....HE SAID IN ALL THE YEARS HE HAS BEEN DOING THIS.......NEVER HAD THE WIND BLEW THAT HARD AND RAINED THAT HARD  AT THE SAME TIME. WE FELT FORTUNATE THAT WE HAD COME THROUGH THIS STORM WITHOUT ANY MORE DAMAGE THAN  WHAT WE HAD.   THE BIGGEST WEEKEND WAS  COMING UP....I WAS DREADING IT! WE WERE  PROJECTED TO SELL 175 TREES ON SATURDAY AND 161 ON SUNDAY.  WE DIDN'T MAKE OUR PROJECTIONS....WE SOLD 106  ON SATURDAY AND 128 ON SUNDAY. BUT,  WE WERE  VERY BUSY!

WE HAD MADE IT THROUGH THE BUSIEST WEEKEND! IT SLOWED DOWN QUITE A BIT THAT NEXT WEEK. WE FINALLY HAD TIME TO TAKE OUR CHRISTMAS PICTURES. 

AND MAGGIE AND MARLEE IN THEIR CHRISTMAS HATS!

AFTER THE WEEKEND OUR TENT WAS STARTING TO LOOK EMPTY!

DOUG'S CREW CAME AND PICKED UP ALL OUR LARGE TREES THAT WERE OUTSIDE. WE WERE STARTING TO CUT BIG  TREES DOWN AND SOME WE WERE THROWING AWAY. ONE SLOW EVENING THE GUYS GOT TOGETHER AND DUG ONE OF THE LARGE TREES OUT OF THE GARBAGE AND CREATED THIS!

WE PUT IT OUT ON THE FLOOR TO SELL....IT SOLD WITHIN THE DAY!

SO, THEY STARTED CREATED ANOTHER ONE....

WE CALLED IT........NOBEL FIR........CALIFORNIA STYLE!!!!

WE SOLD IT TOO!! OUR CUSTOMERS  LOVED THEM!!!
WE HEADED INTO THE LAST WEEKEND,  FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, WE SOLD 31, SATURDAY 35, SUNDAY 29, IT HAD DEFINITELY SLOWED DOWN!!
SUNDAY WAS THE LAST DAY FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. WE WERE HOPING TO SELL OUT SUNDAY, WE ALL TRIED HARD, BUT BY SUNDAY EVENING WE STILL  HAD 29 TREES LEFT. ON MONDAY MORNING, WE JUST GOT OPENED AND GREG CAME WITH A TRAILER LOAD OF TREES. COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS HAD CLOSED THEIR LOT AND WE WERE  GETTING  ALL THEIR TREES!  DARRELL TRIED TO TELL GREG THAT WE WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO GET THE WHOLE TRAILER LOAD, THAT DOUG SAID WE WERE SHARING THE LOAD WITH STEVENSON RANCH LOT. HE SAID, NO, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GET THE WHOLE LOAD.

DARRELL WAS UPSET!! WE HAD A FULL TENT AGAIN!  WITHIN THE HOUR, GREG WAS BACK AND TOOK HALF THE LOAD TO STEVENSON RANCH......WE SOLD 21 TREES ON MONDAY.

 DARRELL SET UP THE DRIVEWAY ALERTS AND WE SPENT SOME TIME IN THE RV FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS....WE CLOSED AT NOON ON THE 24TH  WITH 10 TREES LEFT.