Jude

Some of our readers know Jude, but many do not. Jude works "in the back" at Village Craftsmen. She is a dedicated, hard-working, extremely competent employee. In a word, she's great. (But she always changes the subject when I try to compliment her.) She keeps our inventory current, pays the bills, & processes internet orders. If you call about an order you will usually talk with Jude. And you will always get her full attention. Once in a while you will see her at the front counter.

Jude has been off work for a couple of weeks now. She had both knees replaced, but is recuperating wonderfully. We even had her laptop connected to the Village Craftsmen computer so she can work from home (she was more than ready to get back to work even though she's still got several weeks before she will be able to play basketball with her granddaughter). We're all delighted that her surgery went so well.

In other news, I will be traveling to Indiana to see Lou Ann in a couple of days. On the way home I'll stop in western NC to see my son Stefen and his family. While I am gone Ernest & Joan Kelly will be staying at my house. They will be on the island for a couple of weeks, including this coming weekend when they will be teaching and calling the contra dances for Ocracoke's "Winter Chill Chaser."

I'll try to convince someone else to keep you posted on island life while I'm gone -- and maybe I'll add a journal entry every now and then from "off-island."

Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is Gary Mitchell's essay "I Believe in Pot-Lucks," published January 23, 2006. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news012306.htm.

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