The day after Christmas

Rick, Shari, Meaghan, Richard, Mellan & Amanda, 

Michael & Michelle, Mary & Sheila, Kyle, Don & me, 

John & Lillyanna, Anna, Gayle

A large group of us gathered for lunch on the 26th just to celebrate family.

We went to Maggianos at Pointe Orlando and it was great!  Anna suggested it and she did a good job.  Not only that, we got free valet parking!

We got there first, which was a bit of a surprise considering the traffic on I-4.  Followed by Sheila, Michael, Michelle, Mary & Kyle (Mary's boyfriend).  We all went in and found they had our table ready, so we settled into one end of it.  About 10 minutes later all the rest showed up.  Well, except Rick who had to work, but made it for dessert.

As we were finishing our entrees, Mellan called for Michelle to come to the other end of the table and tell stories of Paris.  She and Sheila went that way and they all had a good time.  Michelle is very good at telling here experiences.  There was a lot of laughing.  Anna and John were in Paris a few years ago, so they were really interested.  John, however, was entertaining Lilly.  Poor little thing got really tired of sitting in her chair and needed to move a bit.  She was so good, she just wanted to roam around and see what was what.  

I am not sure any of us was really ready to leave after dessert, but the time had come.  It still took us a while to get out of there - bathroom stops, you know.  It was just a really great time.

Oh, before everyone else got there, I gave Sheila, Michael, Mary & Michelle the gifts that I forgot to take to their house on Christmas day.  Yep, I was in charge of loading gifts in the car and I didn't get the smaller ones that were on the table.  Brilliant, huh?  We did have a delightful Christmas day with all of them.  Michael fixed an oh so tasty prime rib.  So tender, so juicy, rare for some and medium for others.  All the rest of the food was good also.  I took my famous, fabulous chocolate pie for dessert.  We stayed until about 6pm.  Traveling Dog decided he had had enough of the back yard and barked for us to come get him.  TM put him in the car and he was content.  But we did leave shortly after that.  Didn't want to be too late getting home.

God Bless