Christmas is Near, and Winter is Here

I joined with two others from the Single in the City Meetup Group (https://www.meetup.com/STLSingleInTheCity) for a tour of the Brewery Lights (http://brewerylights.com/) at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery in south St. Louis Sunday night (17 December). It was my first time going through this display and the three of us had a wonderful time admiring the light displays, posing by one of the Budweiser Clydesdales (http://www.budweiser.com/en/clydesdales/history.html), and sampling beers along the way. Our wristbands had five numbered tabs that we would remove, one at a time, to redeem for a free cup of beer. It was nice trying out the various beers from the AB InBev (http://www.ab-inbev.com/) family. One of those I tried is Budweiser 1933 Repeal Reserve (http://www.budweiser.com/en/our-beers/1933-repeal-reserve.html), an amber lager brewed for a limited time and based on a recipe last used just prior to Prohibition (1920-1933). I really liked this beer. Overall, it was a very nice night.

It was back to work at the rental branch bright and early Monday morning, and it was one busy morning. Perhaps, the busiest in my time with Enterprise (https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html). We had a line of customers in the lobby at times, waiting to either pick up or drop off their vehicles. It was a scramble, but we of the branch got it done and kept our customers most satisfied.

Great news came on my computer that night, as the St. Louis Post-Dispatch website (http://www.stltoday.com/) approved my press release and Julie Vaughn's photo from Friday morning's IPMS/Gateway (http://www.ipms-gateway.com/) check presentation to the Marine Corps Reserve in Fenton for this year's Toys for Tots (https://bridgeton-mo.toysfortots.org/local-coordinator-sites/lco-sites/default.aspx) campaign in Metro St. Louis (http://www.stltoday.com/pr/lifestyles/gateway-chapter-ipms-donates-to-toys-for-tots/article_e63d9d82-e28b-11e7-8cee-5cb9017bb5c0.html). I also posted the story on Mehlville Patch (https://patch.com/missouri/mehlville-oakville/gateway-chapter-ipms-donates-661-toys-tots) and on IPMS/USA's website (https://news.ipmsusa3.org/news/gateway-chapter-ipms-donates-661-toys-tots).

After another busy day Tuesday (19 December), it was off to Calvary Presbyterian Church (http://calvarypresbyterianchurch.org/) for this month's IPMS/Gateway meeting. It was a busy meeting, as we discussed the proposed revision to the Constitution and By-Laws (C&BL). After much debate, the members decided to not vote on approving the C&BL until the February 2018 meeting, to allow more time for members to study and discuss the changes. We did have elections for next year's executive board (eboard), and I was selected as Secretary by acclamation. (I was the only candidate left for the office. Members also voted for the Bob Stroup (Member of the Year) Award, which will be presented at next months' meeting. We then had our annual recognition contest, in which we had to guess the subjects of images projected on the wall. I got 15 of 25 correct, a low score by my standards. (I usually win or are in the top three finishers in this contest.) Finally, we had our big raffle of kits and some hobby knife holders. I had the last ticket drawn, so by default, I got one of the knife holders, made at home by our outgoing president, Bill Wagner.

Plenty of work yesterday at the branch, as we and our customers looked ahead to Christmas this weekend. Looks lie the same for tomorrow. Yesterday, by the way, was my fifth anniversary at Enterprise. During the week, I received brief congratulatory emails from two higher ups in the organization, which I was very honored to receive on this occasion.

Off work today--the Winter Solstice here in the Northern Hemisphere (Summer Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere)--I did my laundry, helped remove leaves from the front lawn, and made my last deliveries of newsletters and cookies to my colleagues. After delivery to the area office, I stopped by the Manchester car sales location to give its manager a newsletter. I now feel I have accomplished my mission of spreading holiday cheer among my colleagues. I then did a bit of Christmas shopping before coming home.

Later.