The holidays are about sharing. And so are birthdays. And what could be better than joining good friends during the holiday to celebrate a special birthday!

That's why Susie and I jumped on a plane early Friday and with a wad of frequent flier miles, skipped across the country to join the Martin Clan and surprise Jim Martin as he turned 50. Jim is one of our favorite people, a member of our GKPI crew, and also captains our Mega Flag team. So basically, he has our single most valuable possession in his driveway and we want to stay on his good side.

It was raining hard when we landed in South Carolina. In fact, it was raining so hard that several roads were closed and our GPS got confused. But we managed to arrive in time to make a grand entrance for dinner.

Saturday morning dawned brisk and clear. Everyone in the Martin Beach House wanted to fly kites. But the beach was narrow and the wind was coming right over the houses. Even the Birthday Boy couldn't keep anything aloft. So instead we enjoyed lunch and went shopping. Later on, Jim suffered whiled we watched old movies of his childhood.

Saturday night was the formal celebration. There were speeches, toasts, lots of laughter, a great meal and a fine cake. It was just how birthdays are supposed to be!

The following morning Susie and I headed back for the airport. We needed to get home to Oregon and ship last-minute orders out for the Holidays. Weather across the country was a mess. But with only modest delays, we managed to get home and are back at work.

No matter what you are celebrating this week, we wish all of you the very best that life has to offer. See you in the coming New Year!