CHRISTMAS TREE SELLING SEASON

ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, WE WERE PROJECTED TO SELL NINE TREES.....WE SOLD 26 TREES. ALL OUR GUYS WERE AWESOME!!!

 THE GIRLS THAT MAKE THE WREATHS WERE OUT IN FULL FORCE.......THEY STARTED WITH FOUR GIRLS THAT WEEKEND.

 WE LOST A LOT OF SALES BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A  VERY GOOD SELECTION OF  LARGE TREES....THERE HAD BEEN A MIX-UP AND OUR LARGE TREES WERE UNLOADED AT STEVENSON'S RANCH.  DOUG'S CREW WAS SUPPOSED TO BRING THEM BACK, BUT WE NEVER SAW THEM! IT WAS COLD IN THE EVENINGS IN THE TENT!
ON MONDAY MORNING WHEN I GOT UP AND TURNED ON THE WATER NOTHING CAME OUT!  IT WAS 34 DEGREES!  THE WATER  HYDRANTS HAD FROZEN AND THE WATER THAT  THE TREES WERE STANDING IN WAS FROZEN.

WHEN THE SUN CAME OUT, EVERY THING THAWED!

ALONG WITH OUR PAYCHECKS THAT FIRST WEEK WE HAD A VERY NICE NOTE FROM DOUG AND DEIDRA.

I MADE SCHEDULES FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND TEXTED THEM TO ALL THE GUYS. WE WERE VERY BUSY THE SECOND WEEKEND AND ONE OF OUR GUYS WAS SICK, SO WE WERE SHORT HANDED. WE STARTED WITH TEN GUYS, I  DECIDED TO ADD TWO MORE TO THE SCHEDULE, SO WE WOULD BE COVERED IF ANYONE CALLED IN SICK.  WE WERE LUCKY TO HAVE A FEW GUYS WORKING FOR US THIS YEAR THAT WANTED TO DO THE DELIVERIES. THAT HELPED A LOT! THE NEXT WEEKEND WAS TO BE ONE OF THE BUSIEST WEEKENDS.
ONE DAY AFTER TYING ON A TREE,  DARRELL RECEIVED THESE BEAUTIFUL LEATHER GLOVES FOR A TIP!

DARRELL BROUGHT OUT THE PROPANE HEATER, THE NIGHTS WERE COLD!!

DARRELL  FLOCKED A LOT OF TREES AGAIN THIS YEAR!

WE REALLY LIKED HOW DOUG'S CREW SET THE BACK TENT THIS YEAR.

IT WAS MUCH MORE CONVENIENT!

EVER SINCE ARRIVING IN CALIFORNIA IN SEPTEMBER, THE WEATHER MEN HAD BEEN WARNING ABOUT EL NINO RAIN. WE HAD RECEIVED VERY LITTLE RAIN, UP UNTIL THE 19TH OF DECEMBER. THAT DAY IT RAINED AND RAINED! WE HAD THE SMALL CARS PULL INTO THE TENT SO WE COULD LOAD THEIR TREE.

IT WAS CHILLY TOO!

SALES WERE SLOWING DOWN AND WE HAD CUT WAY BACK ON OUR HELP.
DARRELL HAD TAKEN SOME OF THE DRIED OUT TREES TO THE RUBISH PILE OUT BACK.
 JOEL AND BRIAN WORKED TOGETHER THAT LAST WEEKEND  AND THEY GOT CREATIVE!

THEY CAME UP WITH THREE CREATIONS!
THE 1/2 OFF TREE..............

BECAUSE THEY TOOK HALF OFF...

THE  LORAX......

EVERYONE LOVED THE LORAX!

AND OF COURSE THE SO-CAL TREE!

THE CUSTOMERS LOVED THE TREES! SOLD THEM ALL!
WE SAID GOODBYE TO OUR EMPLOYEES FOR THE LAST TIME. DARRELL AND I HAD DECIDED THIS WOULD BE OUR LAST PUMPKIN/CHRISTMAS TREE SELLING SEASON. WE HAD A GREAT BUNCH OF BOYS!

SHAY

BRENT

COUSINS JOEL AND ZACHARY

NICK.......HE WAS ALSO OUR "BOUNCY BOUNCER".

DARRELL AND I RAN THE PLACE BY OURSELVES THE LAST WEEK, AND SOLD OUT ON CHRISTMAS EVE!

AN EMPTY TENT.....THAT'S WHAT WE HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR!!

OUR TIME OFF

WE FINALLY GOT TO DO OUR "PHOTO OPP"  BEFORE THEY TOOK AWAY ALL THE PUMPKINS.

I SAVED A FEW PUMPKINS FOR MYSELF TO SET UP MY THANKSGIVING DISPLAY.

WE WASHED CLOTHES, RAN ERRANDS, WENT OUT TO EAT. WE PLANNED ON DOING SOME SIGHTSEEING, BUT WE WERE COUGHING AND BLOWING OUR NOSES THE WHOLE TIME WE WERE OFF. WE TOOK NAPS EVERY DAY, KEPT BUYING DIFFERENT MEDICINE.
ABOUT A WEEK AFTER WE CLOSED DOUG TOOK ALL OF US MANAGERS OUT TO EAT AT OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE ......IT WAS DELICIOUS!

IT WAS A FUN EVENING!

WE TOOK THE HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS DOWN AND CLEANED AND ORGANIZED THE CASHIER'S BOOTH.

WE BOUGHT SOME CANDY CANES AND DECORATED THE CASHIER'S BOOTH FOR CHRISTMAS.

ONE DAY WE PUT THE TRUCK IN THE TENT AND WASHED IT. FIRST WASHING SINCE LEAVING MINNESOTA.

ANOTHER DAY WE WASHED THE RV. IT WAS DIRTY TOO!

THE MANAGER'S MEETING WAS HELD  AT OUR LOT ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19.

DOUG AND GREG DEMONSTRATED HOW TO FLOCK A CHRISTMAS TREE.

WE WASHED CLOTHES AND WENT TO THE FARMER'S MARKET ONE MORE TIME. GOT SOME BEAUTIFUL FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

WE OPENED MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, JUST DARRELL AND I. WE HAD A LITTLE BUSINESS. THE CUSTOMERS WERE MORE THAN HAPPY TO  HELP DARRELL CARRY THE TREES. WE CELEBRATED THANKSGIVING.....WE HAVE MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR.

WE HIRED FIVE NEW GUYS AND WE HAD FIVE OF THE GUYS THAT WORKED FOR US LAST YEAR. WE WERE OFF AND RUNNING ........ANOTHER SEASON OF SELLING TREES!