December 23, 2006

Feeding Landy his bottle	I got to bed around 11:30 Saturday evening hoping to get a good rest, but it wasn't to be...  My cell phone rang right at 12:00 Sunday morning with a message that there was a burglar alarm in at the shop.  I quickly checked our surveillance cameras from my computer and sure enough there were glass shards all over the floor and a concrete block where it shouldn't have been.  When I called the police dept. they were already on the scene. (Our alarm calls them first)  Once again they must have missed the perpetrator by just minutes.  When I watched the surveillance tapes the thief was only in the store for about a minute and a half.  He didn't get much of anything because we have been locking everything of value up.  He did carry away our cash drawer when he couldn't figure out how to open it.  (There was nothing but loose change in it.)  Unfortunately, the biggest loss by far was the glass in the front door.
Kayla Good with Carolina Sue	The alarm had also called Adam so he came in a little after I got there.  We cleaned up all the glass and taped card board over the broken door.  I got back home 3:30 and got a couple hours of sleep before the children started to wake up.  Ina Sue and Landon were both feeling pretty poorly this morning and we decided to stay home from church this morning.  We weren't sure if they were going to feel well enough for our trip in the afternoon.  By 12:30 Ina Sue at least was feeling better so we set out for South Boston to be at Norvan Yoders' commissioning service.  We got to Jerrel Goods around 6:00 and just had time to freshen up before heading to the service.  Kelvin Good brought the message and Nathan Good (Jewel's father) conducted the commissioning.  After visiting with friends at church we headed back to Jerrel's for a late supper of sloppy joes and other goodies.  Jerrels had offered us the use of their outside guest quarters.  It really gave us a great place to bed down before leaving early Monday morning.
The children at at the ladies cookie bake.	We left South Boston around 6:00 Monday morning and had a nice trip home.  We got to Govan around 11:30 and I decided to just take the rest of the day as my day off from work this week.  Ina Sue got started on the laundry while I finished up the raking and mulching to get our yard ready for the winter.  In the evening I mixed up a batch of Monster cookies while Ina Sue got the children bathed.
The Computer Solutions guys get into a spirited debate at the company supper.	We both got up early on Tuesday.  I went in to work for our meeting while Ina Sue got the children all ready and went to the church for a cookie bake with other church ladies around her age.  (The mini-van gang)  Lynette Bange and Ina made monster cookies while other made three other delicious varieties.  Then they all mixed them together and took home an assortment.  They also had lunch together.  When Ina Sue got home she put the children to bed for a while then got them all up and ready for our evening out.  This was the evening for our annual Christmas business supper.  We went to the 1058 Grille in Orangeburg this time.  It was pretty nice and had good food but the table was so long that it kinda divided us into two groups.  We are thinking about doing it ourselves next year at home.
We shop REALLY fast... :)	On the way back to our car we walked past a shoe repair shop with row upon row of shoes waiting to be picked up.  There must have been thousands...  There was also an interesting sign in the front window.  After we left we stopped by Bilo to pick up some groceries then drove through Edisto Gardens so Carolian Sue could take in their immense display of Christmas lights.  She calls them "Merry Christmas lights".  It was almost 11:00 before we got home.
Grandma Strite tried on some new glasses in the checkout row...	Ina Sue finished her washing and ironing on Wednesday.  I had a very busy day at the shop then came home just a little early to get ready for the evening.  We joined our group with Leon Dueck's group for an evening of Christmas caroling.  We went to homes around Govan here then finished up at the mule barn for snacks and fellowship.  An enjoyable evening with friends and good food.
Carolina Sue loves the gingerbread houses that Ms. Bonnie P. made for us.	Ina Sue took Landon to the doctors office on Thursday to get a set of shots.  Four different ones actually.  He was not very happy about it and is still feeling a bit grumpy.  When she got home she worked on making up a fruit tray to take for refreshments in the evening.  After I got home from work we quickly got ready and went to the school Christmas program.  The children did a wonderful job and gave a very meaningful program.  After the program we had the normal carry-in snack with lots of good food.
The snack after Christmas caroling	Friday was a rainy dreary day.  I spent most of my time during the day in the shop doing office work.  Ina Sue cleaned the house with the help of the children :)  For supper Ina Sue fixed us Horseradish meatballs, corn, salad and potato rounds.  After supper I worked on more ancestry research.  So far I have located approximately 1500 ancestors in our lineages.  Ina Sue went to bed but I stayed up pretty late (or early) working on this.
Ready for the Christmas program	I had to work at the shop on Saturday.  This is our last big day open before Christmas.  Richard, Thomas & William worked along with me.  We were extremely busy with almost no time to break for dinner.  By the time we closed at 6:00 we were all pretty beat.  Ina Sue did another couple loads of laundry in order to be ready for next week.  She also took the trash over to the site and took cookie plates to numerous of our neighbors.  Hendrick and his sister Lola stopped in for a while with her two children, Danny & Julian.  Ina Sue made us pizza and salad for supper.  Afterward we cleaned up the house, folded clothes and bathed the children.  After this busy day I am thrilled to look forward to a restful Sunday and Christmas.