The Christmas Party Weekend

Well we’re now another weekend down and five days to go until Christmas. YIKES! Time is zipping by and this past weekend was no exception. Friday night at 7:00 PM was the company Christmas party and with all politically correctness put aside it was called a Christmas Party and it was held in the clubhouse of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course west of Manassas, Virginia.

The office closed up at 2:00 PM on Friday so folks could go and get ready for the semi-formal event. Even though we closed at 2:00 it would have been near impossible for me to drive home, pickup Jenne and get back to Manassas in time for the party. Recall the traffic photo of the last week and it is clear why. So a cunning plan was devised. We made use of Lynn’s services and Jenne was driven to Leesburg, VA via Frederick, MD that afternoon and I hooked up with her at 4:30. We then went to Jeff and Becky’s to get ready for the party. We would also stay overnight at their Centreville, VA home and make the trip home Saturday afternoon. We made it to the party early and after passing through two security gates into this gated posh community we arrived at the club house where four young men were waiting to open our cars doors and valet park my hybrid. It was nice to be called “sir” all night without it being followed by “you’re making a scene!” Inside the club house, which puts the Bushwood club house to shame, was a thirty foot tall Christmas tree standing at the base of beautiful spiral staircase. We were approached by the maitre de who asked if we would like a drink while we waited by the fireplace for the host and hostess. We asked for a merlot and seconds later were handed crystal wine goblets. We were informed that our hosts – the company owner and his wife – were still at the ‘cottage’ and would be with use shortly. Co-workers began to arrive and we began to snack on the hors douvres of shrimp the size of small lobster tails, oysters on the half shell and crab dip. Drinks of all kinds flowed from the open bar. Dinner included, but was not limited to roast beef au ju, wasabi encrusted white fish, roast duck in bing cherry sauce, baked potatoes the size of small footballs and a selection of salads, vegetables and breads. After dinner awards were presented to the top employees of the past year. The four employees (out of twenty eight in the company) each received a plaque, a week’s vacation to anywhere in the world that they want to go and a thousand dollars! The fifth employee to win an award won the brand new annual Ascent award and they were presented with my framed 16x20 photograph called Ascent. It is the new top award in the company presented to the individual that helped the company, its products and clients ascend to new heights in the past year. The Ascent award also includes the above week vacation and $1000 bucks. Work has already ordered another framed print for next year. Having a photograph of mine presented as an award is quite the honor for me. All of it made me feel really appreciated by my employer and it was great to hear the owner/president of the company speak so highly of me to all gathered as a creative artist with the camera and the computer, and as a highly valued employee. A little less than a month ago he also showed me his appreciation of my hard work and testing efforts by giving me a bonus and 25% raise! Bonuses and raises are things that I haven’t experienced in over three years. Jenne was really proud to hear me spoken of so highly by the president, my managers and co-workers. After the awards each employee was given two crystal wine glasses and a company jacket. Everyone was then invited back to the ‘cottage’ for drinks, coffee and desert. Now I don’t know what comes to your mind when you hear the word cottage, but I think of a small cozy place made of logs and surrounded by trees. The kitchen in the ‘cottage’ was bigger than our entire first floor. This place was a home about six times the size of our town home. The word cottage was a big misnomer, but it was a very warm and comfortable place and everyone was made to feel welcome. The wait staff from the club house was there to serve coffee, deserts and to man the open bar in the family room. In the middle of the family room was a beautiful pool table and Jenne played pool like a shark. She put the guys to shame in three straight games. Jenne got along great with everyone and even teamed up with the president of the company to whom she said, “Ron, give us a little kiss for luck!” She had had a few drinks by this time. Ron gave her a hug, a peck on the cheek and said, “now let’s kick some ass” and they did. He had also had a few drinks by this point. The evening ended all too soon and we departed around midnight and headed back to Jeff & Becky’s for the night. The next morning we enjoyed a fine breakfast prepared by J&B, we exchanged Christmas gifts, and sang some Christmas Carols to the Becky’s fine guitar playing before heading up the road to Ellicott City. The rest of the weekend we shopped, played video games, watched movies and enjoyed time with friend Ted on Sunday drinking wine and watching football. It was aChristmas party weekend! Now there are four days to go and then I am off until January 3rd, 2005. Jenne is off now until January 3rd! She's probably still curled up in bed with the cats.