OPENING AND THANKSGIVING

SO WE OPENED FOR BUSINESS ON MONDAY,  NOVEMBER 24, FROM 10:00 TO 7:00. WE DIDN'T HAVE OUR FULL CREW HIRED, BUT WE HAD A COUPLE OF THE GUYS COME IN TO SET TREES MONDAY MORNING.

LEWIS WAS A ROOKIE, BUT HE LEARNED FAST, JONATHON HAD WORKED HERE FOR A COUPLE OF SEASONS. DARRELL  HELPED THE GUYS GET THE TREES SET.

HE  WAS ALSO HELPING ME FINISH DECORATING THE CASHIER'S BOX.

 I THOUGHT IT TURNED OUT PRETTY GOOD!

BEFORE LONG, WE HAD A TENT FULL OF TREES!

WE WERE GRATEFUL DOUG'S CREW HAD SET UP THE LARGE TREES OUTSIDE!

WE HAD A FEW "LOOKERS" ON MONDAY, BUT DIDN'T SELL OUR FIRST TREE UNTIL WEDNESDAY.  DOUG HAD PRE-SOLD 170 WREATHS THAT WERE PICKED UP THAT DAY. IT WAS A REALLY GOOD DAY IN SALES! WE ALSO HAD A PASTOR LOOKING FOR ELEVEN TREES TO PURCHASE FOR HIS CHURCH. HE WANTED EIGHT OF THOSE TREES FLOCKED, TWO OF THOSE WERE 13'-14' TREES. HE WAS CHECKING OUT ALL  BENNETT'S LOTS BEFORE HE MADE HIS DECISION. HE ALSO  WANTED THEM DELIVERED SATURDAY MORNING.   HE SAID HE WOULD LET US KNOW IF HE WANTED THE ONES HE HAD TENTATIVELY  PICKED OUT BY CLOSING TIME ON WEDNESDAY. WE NEVER HEARD FROM HIM, WE WERE KIND OF RELIEVED, WE WOULD HAVE  TO  WORK  THANKSGIVING DAY TO GET THOSE TREES FLOCKED FOR HIM.  I COOKED A TURKEY WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS ON THANKSGIVING DAY. DOUG CALLED SAYING THE PASTOR HAD CALLED HIM AND HE WANTED THE TREES AFTER ALL, GUESS  DARRELL WOULD BE FLOCKING TREES AFTER THANKSGIVING DINNER!

SO, AFTER DINNER, DARRELL STARTED IN FLOCKING TREES!

WE HAD A SEPARATE TENT FOR FLOCKING, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE NEVER HAD IN SAN ANTONIO, MADE OUR JOB EASIER! THIS BIG ONE HAD TO BE FLOCKED OUTSIDE, BUT IT DRIED QUICKLY. IT WAS 80 DEGREES THANKSGIVING DAY, WE WERE AIR CONDITIONING. 

WHILE DARRELL WAS OUT FLOCKING, A FAMILY STOPPED AND BOUGHT A CHRISTMAS TREE!