Planned Trip to North Carolina

12/15/2008: 6:30pm CST

Dear reader,

I have written some stories about my sons and some negatives in my life. So now, let me share some great and wonderful things He has bestowed on me. The Clark familiy in North Carolina are my in-laws. But for some unknown reason, the see me more as a son than a son-in-law?

I have known the Clarks for almost 20 years and our bonds grow stronger each year. We plan a trip in the next few days for 8 days in NC with all the extended Clark family. It is a 453 mile, almost 10 hour trip by car, but Karen and I do this in a breeze.

We have been given almost the entire downstairs at her mom and dads and great times together. This Christmas we bought them a new 37" Samsung HDTV and hopefully the cable company will have it up and going by the time we get there Saturday night. They are so excited about this gift, and they hustled out to pick out the one they wanted.

Good food, a Zeigler ham graciously given to me by my company and nesting in the refrigerator. Karen will bake the ham Sunday and the Clarks have provided all the trimmings to go with it. The smell of it baking soon is infiltrating all the house and mouths begin to water. How funny it is how many gather in the kitchen before this is ready, offering to test the ham to make sure it meets their standards.

I will bake it about 3 and 1/2 hours then let it sit for a time. Never try to slice a ham hot as it will be fall into pieces and the slices will look terrible. But let it set, and cool a bit, and it will slice like hot butter. I usually slice the entire ham, making several trays for dinners, lunches and sandwiches and snacks all for this next Christmas week. We buy several kinds of breads and mustards, with pickles and olives galore, so you can make you a wonderful meal anytime. Plus snack crackers of several varieties and they took make wonderful snacks and even a meal...

There a are a few vegatarians in our midst, and Karen and I are wondering how they will hold out with these great smells and of course, TaStE! I will fill you in!

We do Christmas Eve services at Northminster Presbyterian Church, Karen's home church as well as her mom and dads. It is candle light service and a love fiest where sweets and hot chocolate is served by the members to all attending making all of us a particating part of their Christian family(ies). It is a moving service when they darken the Church and one candle lights another and they pass from person to person until the Church with the glow of Christ in the world.

I will write some more stories as the progresses and it is my way of letting you, my reader, share and learn of some great and wonderful days of Christmas in Hickory, North Carolina. News at 11:00.

Jeff the Knutt in the Ham