First I learn that the Grinch from Chef Warren's Downtown tree has been stolen.  I am THRILLED that the person was caught.  Then I learn that someone grabbed the lights on the Ice Cream Parlor's downtown tree and broke a bunch of the light strands.  Today I arrive at work to learn that someone completely destroyed the tree that Scribner Associates Sponsored and my son's 2nd grade class decorated.  The kids worked so hard and were so proud of their tree.  The town employees found the tree lying on its side.  It was so mangled that they couldn't put it back up.  They brought it to us so we could salvage what we could.  It was very sad and depressing to see our beautiful tree lying on its side with the top 1/3 of it completely gone.  Yes, gone.  Most of the decorations had fallen off and broken but the town employees saved what they could.  Three strands of lights, 180 bulbs, were gone.   My mother-in-law said she hopes that someone who needed lights for their house because they couldn't afford them took them.  I guess I'm not in a very charitable mood because I doubt it.  I think whoever did it was just trying to be mean and spiteful.  An unhappy person who wants to make everyone else unhappy right along with them.

Right now I can't imagine wasting my time and money to decorate a tree next year knowing that people just randomly walk down the street and destroy what we have done.  Down town Southern Pines looked so beautiful this year.  It was definitely the best year since I have been here.  Why do people want to ruin that?