Dairy,
This has been a good year, so far, there is still 2 hours left.

Me and Lynn and Kimber have all been sick this week. I think we are all pretty much over it. Hope so.

PSALM 100:5 FOR THE LORD IS GOOD; HIS MERCY IS EVERLASTING; AND HIS TRUTH ENDURETH TO ALL GENERATIONS.

I AM VONSTEGALL AND 2005 IS ALMOST OVER.

Hay Dairy,
Sorry I isn’t talked to ya lately but to tell the truth I was sort of depressed the last week or so. I is feeling better now. CHRISTmas is an awesome time even when you do suffer from depression.

Me and Lynn went to Grifton NC to help organize the warehouse that will be sending supplies to Gulfport Mississippi, to help with the rebuilding from the hurricanes. We had a good trip going on Tuesday, we ate a good buffet lunch and stopped at a state park and did some hiking. Wednesday we worked. Lynn started feeling bad Tuesday night and by lunch time Wednesday she had to take to the bed and she stayed there all day today(thursday) also. I tell ya Dairy I’m wore out. I hurt all over. We loaded a couple of pallets of plywood and drywall. We did get some easy work we loaded about a hundred or so twin size mattresses. I told Billy(the dude in charge) we needed more mattresses and less plywood. We also put together shelving that Lowe’s has donated(ya’ll shop Lowe’s ya hear) and we pretty much filled it up as soon as we got them together.

I was amazed at all the stuff in the warehouse. All of it had been donated. I bet there was over a hundred interior doors, and twice as many windows. Someone had donated about five hundred fiberglass columns, the kind you see on front porches or in entryways and living rooms. Billy said we would not have much demand for them but there are builders in the area that will trade needed materials for these columns. Billy don’t waste nothing, cardboard, scrap metal, pallets, and anything else you can imagine will be recycled or used elsewhere. The previous owner of one of the warehouses left about 500 boxes of kitty litter boxes. At first Billy thought that kitty litter was in them and he was gonna dump it in barrels and use it to absorb water or oil that was leaking. He found out later that it was just wax covered boxes to put kitty litter in and he has found someone who will use them.

Billy has one full time helper, Millard. He was pretty cool. One day we worked with a group of teenagers. There was about a dozen of em and when there leader said go do so and so, they jumped all over it, they had a very good work ethic. I met some other cool people and we had a good time working hard and cutting up.

Dairy, everytime I go on one of these trips that is disaster related I am tremendously blessed. Lynn was so sick but she said for me to keep working, that she could stay in bed there or at home. Since she had a nice room and bed to sleep in I stayed and worked. That meant a lot to me that she had a good attitude even though she felt like crap.

The kids seemed to have had a great time also. They got that individual attention; Kimber from Lynn’s parents and Jamie from mine’s. I reckon I’ll sign off now Dairy, you take care now ya hear.

REVELATION 7:17 FOR THE LAMB WHICH IS IN THE MIDST OF THE THRONE SHALL FEED THEM, AND SHALL LEAD THEM UNTO LIVING FOUNTAINS OF WATERS: AND GOD SHALL WIPE AWAY ALL TEARS FROM THEIR EYES.

I AM VONSTEGALL AND THAT PLYWOOD WHUPPED MY TAIL, GOODNIGHT ALL!!

Hey Dairy,
The radio station we listen to has been playing CHRISTmas music for a couple of weeks now. One of the songs that they keep playing is called Breath of Heaven, it is written from Mary’s perspective while carrying my Savior before His birth. I was listening to this song yesterday and it made me think of something that I had never thought of before, I had never heard it that I can remember but that don’t mean I haven’t. I was thinking that Mary was experiencing something that God wants all of us to experience. That being His Son living inside of us. That is the reason that Christ left heaven and was born of man, so we can experience His presence in our lives. Mary was an example of what God wants for all of us. I believe she would be sad if she knew that there was people who worshiped her instead of Jesus Christ. I thought that I had done had some great revelation made to me but as soon as the song ended the radio announcers read part of a book that Max Lucada wrote that was saying practically the same thing I was thinking, so much for me having an original thought, but I feel it is an important thought whether it was my original thought or not.

CHRISTmas is a wonderful time to remember the birth of The Savior but I would like to encourage each of us not to forget His death and His resurection. Without these His birth would not mean anything.

MATTHEW 28:5&6 AND THE ANGEL ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THE WOMEN, FEAR NOT YE: FOR I KNOW THAT YE SEEK JESUS, WHICH WAS CRUCIFIED. HE IS NOT HERE; FOR HE IS RISEN, AS HE SAID. COME, SEE THE PLACE WHERE THE LORD LAY.

I AM VONSTEGALL AND I SERVE A LIVING LORD DO YOU?

Dare Deary,uh I mean Dear Dairy,
What up do dude? Me and my boy spent some quality time together this morning. We eated breakfast at Quincy’s and then got his hair cut. We had a good time just talking. Actually I was being a smart aleck about quality time, as far as I’m concerned quanity time is more important. Kids need that even if it is with someone like me.

I also cleaned up some leafs from the yard and I helped Lynn wid sum house work. We is hasing company over tomorrow(some rag tags that nobody else likes and we take pity on them and be their friends(sorry sinc)) and Lynn just has to has everything just right. So there will be more cleaning tomorrow.

The plant has said several times if we did not meet their concessions by 12/31 they would have to cut production to save cost. We did not meet their concessions so I am expecting my pink slip in the mail tomorrow. I would expect it on CHRISTmas day exceptin the mail don’t run that day.

MATTHEW 2:2,11 SAYING, WHERE IS HE THAT IS BORN KING OF THE JEWS? FOR WE HAVE SEEN HIS STAR IN THE EAST AND ARE COME TO WORSHIP HIM. AND WHEN THEY WERE COME INTO THE HOUSE, THEY SAW THE YOUNG CHILD WITH MARY HIS MOTHER, AND FELL DOWN, AND WORSHIPPED HIM: AND WHEN THEY HAD OPENED THEIR TREASURES, THEY PRESENTED UNTO HIM GIFTS; GOLD, AND FRANKINCENSE, AND MYRRH.

I AM VONSTEGALL AND I WAS JUST PICKING SINC!!

How do you do Dairy?
I writ that letter that I told ya I was gonna write. In my letter I asked the plant manager what personal concessions he would be making, that is fair since he expects me to make concessions. I also pointed out the similarities of the letters I recieved from the union and company and pointed out the main difference, which was the greeting the company letter greeted us as charlotte team members, while the union letter greeted us a brothers and sisters. I stated that while I was concerned about the future our plant I could not see working as hard as I do for what they are offering. The last thing I did was make a suggestion to help our plant improve it’s process cost; my suggestion was that we get better management since it had been over a year and the process cost still hasn’t come down any. Hey Dairy, I didn’t talk real stupid to him like I do you sometimes, I actually made it coherent and intelligible. Most people who saw it thought it was real good and conveyed how we all felt. I could not sign it for fear of retaliation. All I had to do was show it to one guy who usually writes letters like that and he said he liked it and immediately made copies and started distributing them. I sort of lied I told him I saw it in the break room of another department while I was getting ice for my cooler. But it will be seen by management I am sure.

I had a good and easy night wed night but thursday morning was looooonnnnngggg. I went to get the oil changed on Lynn’s car which was making a whining noise that we figured was the power steering, and it was. They told me it would take about 2 hours to get the part so I said I will wait and it took about 4 and then another hour to get it on and then traffic was so bad it took forever to get home. I finally made it home about 8 hours after I got off work then we went shopping. Whoooo what a day. But I arsn’t got to work again until the 3 of January. These 10 or 11 days is gonna fly by.

I reckon that is all I have spour this morning Dairy. You have a merry CHRISTmas now ya hear.

MATTHEW 2:1 NOW WHEN JESUS WAS BORN IN BETHLEHEM OF JUDEA IN THE DAYS OF HEROD THE KING, BEHOLD THERE CAME WISE MEN FROM THE EAST TO JERUSELEM.

I AM VONSTEGALL AND I NEED TO BE PRODUCTIVE FOR THE NEXT 10 DAYS!

Dear Dairy,
It continues, the plant manager sent us a letter yesterday. In this letter it stated that the company had shared their re-structuring plan to save money, it also stated that we need to discuss real issues. He stated that the union was unwilling to negotiate and that at the last meeting the lead negotiator was not even in attendance. He closed by stating that he wished the union would buckle down and get serious about reaching an agreement.

The union handed out letters to everyone yesterday stating that the plant had submitted a re-structing plan to save money. The union also stated that we need to discuss real issues and that the company was unwilling to negotiate. This letter also informed us that the plant manager was not even in attendance of the last meeting. The union also stated that we need to buckle down and get serious about reaching an agreement.

Who do I believe? Well, I’m not so naive that I beleive everything the union says, but in this case I’m leaning toward believing the union.

Hey I heard the best rumor yet last night Dairy. They said that if the company is gonna shut us down when the Brazilian plant gets running then they are gonna have to wait awhile longer. The word is that the factory is built and that machines are in the factory but they can’t install the machinery. It appears(according to a “reliable source”) that Continental told the Brazilians what their pay would be and now before they even start paying them they want to cut their pay. We have heard(from a “reliable source”) that Brazilian vigilantes armed with machine guns have surrounded the facilily and will not let the contractors in to install the machines. How’s that for a good rumor?

To work, to work, to hear all the pork.
To bed, to bed, to rest my tired head.
Up again, Up again, when will it end?
I don’t know I’m just a fart on the wind.

LUKE 2:20 AND THE SHEPHERDS RETURNED, GLORIFYING AND PRAISING GOD FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY HAD HEARD AND SEEN, AS IT WAS TOLD UNTO THEM.

I AM VONSTEGALL AND A MACHINE GUN MIGHT NOT BE A BAD IDEA.

Dairy,
How the heck is ya? I’m doing very good today. I am real sleepy though it are been busy today. We went to church to eat breakfast and to make fruit baskets. Good food, good fellowship, and good entertainment, ya can’t beat that. We prepared about 40 something baskets.

After the baskets we sorted Christmas cards. We had a ball. We cut up and worked hard. I really enjoy being around those utes. I am so proud of them for being involved in doing The Lord’s work, they have done so much this year and I have seen lots of growth in some of them. We ate lunch, so that was 2 meals we got at church today. Me and Carson passed out some little gifts for the kids and I gave Carson a gift box from VonStegall Bath and Body Werks Unincorporated, it contained bath salt, soap and a lot of corn. She loved it, or so she said. She laughed so hard reading the homemade labels, which really made my head swell. I like to see and hear people laugh, heck I also like to see people scratching their heads looking at me like I’m stupid, when it is actually them who arsn’t getting the joke, heck I don’t mind looking stupid if’n someone gets a good laugh out of it.

After we finished sorting the Christmas cards me and Lynn had to deliver some of the fruit baskets. We had 7 and found 4 people at home. This is the first time I have helped make and deliver the baskets, it was such a blessing to just go in and talk to the people who recieved them. Everyone was just thrilled to get them. Heck they weren’t even all that big. I think a few of them appreciated the visits more than the baskets.

On top of all that the tarheels won tonight also. So it was a very good day and a very rewarding day. That is all for now Dairy ol pal, see ya tomorrow, or maybe monday.

LUKE 2:19 BUT MARY KEPT ALL THESE THINGS, AND PONDERED THEM IN HER HEART.

I AM VONSTEGALL AND I HAVE HAD A GOOD WEEKEND AND STILL HAVE ONE DAY TO GO!!

Yo Dairy!
Today is Lynn and Kimber’s birthday. Jamie done a pretty cool thing for them. He made both of them a coupon book. For Lynn he made coupons for doing the dishes and even watching a race(he hates to watch a race) with her. He made coupons for cleaning Kimber’s room and playing any game she wants for one hour. He may have messed up though he gave both of them 3 coupons each to do anything they wanted him to do, he may regret that one.

We gived Koo a digital camera. She was so excited, she loves to take pictures. I usually let Lynn pick out her own and she got a down filled throw. She loves things like that, we have so many afgans we can’t use them all, not at once anyway. We will be going to eat lunch/supper at Ryan’s on our way to see the lights at Hollywild. We all like Ryan’s although the kids don’t each much. Kimber will eat mac and cheese and Jamie likes the fruit bar. I guess I will make up for what they don’t eat though.

Oh what a busy day we are gonna have, and tomorrow will be just as busy. I will have to be at the church from 8:00 a.m. until who knows when. A group wil be making and taking fruit baskets to the elderly and then my sunday school class will be sorting Christmas cards. I don’t know if’n I have told ya about that Dairy, but every year we put a mailbox in the church and everyone can bring Christmas cards for church members and the youth sorts them out for Christmas. I like it because it allows people to send more cards because of the savings on stamps. We have been doing this for many years and whoever thunk of it had an excellent idea.

Well we is getting ready to go so I’ll say so long, farewell, I hate to say goodbye, but goodbye.

LUKE 2:18 AND ALL THEY THAT HEARD IT WONDERED AT THOSE THINGS WHICH WERE TOLD THEM BY THE SHEPHERDS.

I AM VONSTEGALL AND I LOVE MY GIRLS!

My dearest Dairy,
Man it was cold this morning, until I got home, Lynn has a fire going and it’s 83 degrees inside the house. It is icy out also. Ice is on the trees and but not on the road. I hope the weather clears by tomorrow so we’s can do our birthday stuff for Kimmie and Lynn. I’m off work for 3 days, work 4 and be off for 11.

Hay Dairy, ever since we went to Gulfport and then had our disaster relief training I have been praying for an opur, oppor, a chance to participate in helping with some disaster relief. Now I ain’t praying for no disasters, just a chance to help out someone who has experienced one. I got an e-mail from the NCBM yesterday saying they needed voluteers to help load and unload trucks in NC. There is limited warehouse space in Gulfport, so supplies is being shipped to NC to be stored until it is needed in Gulfport. I is going the 27th of this month and are hoping to get some others from the church to go. We can be of service hurricane victims and not have to travel as far. I am sort of leaning toward trying to go at least onct a month. They give ya place to stay and feed ya, so if they close down the plant I can just do volunteer work, if Lynn and the kids can do it also we won’t need a home or food, hey we’ll have it made.

Arsn’t it amazing how God answers prayers? Yes it is!!!

LUKE 2:17 AND WHEN THEY HAD SEEN IT, THEY MADE KNOWN ABROAD THE SAYING WHICH WAS TOLD THEM CONCERNING THIS CHILD.

I AM VONSTEGALL, WHY AM I SWEATING WHEN IT IS 29 DEGREES OUTSIDE?

Hay Dairy,
I doesn’t know why I are’s writing this morning ain’t nothing much happened since our last correspondence. I worked sadturday for pop and since then ain’t nothing happened. Well maybe one thing was alright. Last week we hit the trifactor twice. That means we built, cured, and wharehoused 9,000 tires. So they opened up the drink machines for two hours on each shift. Some guys walked away with to and three plastic grocery bags of drinks. My machine is right next to one of the break areas and I got to watch people get their drinks while I worked. I got three to start with and then as it neared time for free drinks to end I went back and got about 6 more. The last time they did this they opened up the snack machines too, but I guess that was just too much to give seeing as how we is in dire straights. We even had some people who wanted to be belligerent about them giving us something. Most of us took the attitude that we gone take whatever they will give us.

Well, I only got to work 4 days this week. I’m taking friday off so we can celebrate Lynn and Kimber’s birthday. We are going to eat out at Ryan’s and then go to Hollywild to see some lights and deer. We are gonna do some other stuff but I arsn’t sure what all else, yet. We got Koo the coolest gift, she will love it, I’ll tell ya what it is fri or sat.

Hey one other thing Dairy. How do ya spell that word that you use to keep from saying the same thing someone just said or that you agree with. I say it is spelled ditto, but some of them teenagers in SS tried to say it is spelled dido. That is crazy, they would not listen. But Webster agrees with ditto and I just have to take a dictionary next week and show them the old man can still spell. We disagreed about it but we had a good time, we stopped people in the halls and asked them and they usually agreed with me. I will have fun rubbing it in next week. Now dido is in the dictionary, it means a mischievous trick or prank. Hay maybe they were playing a dido on me, I doubt it.

I reckon that is all for now pal. Well take it easy dude.

LUKE 2:16 AND THEY CAME WITH HASTE, AND FOUND MARY, AND JOSEPH AND THE BABE LYING IN A MANGER.

I AM VONSTEGALL AND I CAN SMELL THE COFFEE BECAUSE I AM A WAKE.