I was afraid to stray too far from the house yesterday, at least until the mail man was by. I've been waiting and hoping for the year end bonus. Yep, could sure use that 53M about now.

As you can tell, I'm still hung up on this bonus deal I've been reading about. I've been wondering what in the world that person did to qualify for a bonus that large?

Do you think this person is so vain that they believe they did it all by themselves?

I still belong to the Billy Sol school of success. Surround yourself with good people. Multiply by dividing. Don't ask anyone to do something that you can't do or aren't willing to do, if you are an effective boss and manager, you will find someone who can do it better than you.

I still think Billy Sol was one of the great business minds of his time. He just pissed the wrong people off!

Well, well. The company travel trailer is gone from in front of the house. Funny how it works, two of the neighbors came over and visited with me in the front yard, once the trailer was gone.
It felt really good to return the trailer to it's proper place.

Krl and did an inventory of the grandbabies Christmas yesterday afternoon. Everything has to appear equal. Later on, when they are older the measuring bar will turn into equal dollars. We decided to make a quick trek, mid afternoon. Krl announced that this was her last effort to find the elusive item she had placed multiple orders for, online. The last place we went knew exactly what she was looking for and they knew how many they had on hand. Zero! And with that she called off the search. After that we went to the grocery store. Krl and Trc talked and opted for a traditional Christmas meal. Trc told us that we didn't need to go to all that trouble and her Momma told her what trouble. "We can cook for a small group like this with no effort!" When you prepare for one-hundred-twenty for Thanksgiving, you have to have your program in order. All the fixings are here. I probably should have some cornbread in the oven right now!
This will be a fun meal because we will get to do some things that the co-workers at the jobsite didn't like. We will do squash dressing, green bean casserole, and mandarin salad instead of fruit salad and don't you dare forget the sweet potatoe casserole! We bought pies from our pie lady. Trc is fixing fresh bread. It will be a feast!

After dropping the groceries off at the house and taking a break, we made our way out and about. Target, the new Wal-Mart, and finally Abuello's. Target was the target of many late shoppers. It didn't matter if it was after dark. The new Wal-Mart was the least packed of any place we had been. We did our leveling buying and then headed for Abuello's and we were starving! We figured since it was after eight-thirty in the evening we wouldn't have much problem getting a table. We were wrong. They asked us to sit in the bar, and we were lucky as a couple got up just as we walked in. Krl headed for the ladies room. I ordered a couple of margaritas and when Krl returned I had just ordered two Los mejores de la casa, which used to be los mejores especialle. Bacon wrapped shrimp and beef medallions, papas, frijoles, and a side of espiniche. While it was good, it wasn't quite up to standards, even though we were starving! Use to be we thought Abilene's Abuello's was better than Midland's, it may be the other way now. Krl and I discussed the difference in meal portions, and the different ways they present their offering. There is more than one way to hike prices.

The company we enjoyed was excellent.

Best part of the outing is that we are through. Today begins a gift wrapping medley. That won't be too bad because we shopped primarily for little people. If we did shop for a big people, you must be present to win! Otherwise, the gift goes back to the general population.

Once of the last things I did before the company trailer left was borrow the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. All four feet of it adorned with lights as it exits the box sporting two hundred fifty seven pine needle appendages. If I get through wrapping gifts, I may just count them.

And with that, we begin to reflect on the reason for the season. I doubt that the man upstairs ever dreamed how commercial it would become. Growing up in a CoC family, it always seemed as though extra precautions were taken to insure that we didn't celebrate the birth of Christ. While we communed regularly with his death (and this point was regularly pointed out, that we didn't celebrate his death and resurrection only at Easter, we did it weekly), there was no celebration to his entry into this world. I don't know the CoC might be too uncomfortable with the immaculate conception. Regardless, for me there had to be a birth for there to be a death, a death for there to be a resurrection. And I see no reason not to celebrate Christmas.

And this is all I have to say about that:

For unto you a savior is born.

And the wise men had come a great distance, bringing gifts.

Merry Christmas. May the peace and love of Christ be with you and yours throughout this season and the coming year.

FATHER, thank YOU for that precious baby, born in a manger.