The dinner party last night was fun. The interesting thing about being a listener, rather than a talker, is you get to hear about cool stuff.

I know one of my friends will want to know about the decorations ... they were nice. I don't know who did them ... didn't look like Stanley's work. Lot's of big silver like that cake pedestal that you Southern girls serve your fabulous cakes on ... three tiered cookie servers with gorgeous Christmas cookies ... catered by that group on Magnolia. The tree was decorated with only organics ... instead of traditional ornaments they used real orchids ... those white ones with lime green throats and crimson freckled centers. They were placed near the end of each branch in clusters of three (With individual water vials hidden below). Lots of soft white lights ... pretty. I would love to know how they maintain them over the next several weeks. The buffet was sumptuous. A vegetarian's nightmare! I ate a couple of fried oysters ... those woke me up several times during the night before I was willing to get up for an antacid. Every time I woke up I was dreaming (not in a good way) about the lamb which was served on the bone. There were seven different meat dishes served ... the salad was heavy on the cheese (which I really liked) and a pasta salad (with salami) was the only other non specifically meat offering ... even the bruschetta was garnished with prosciutto! My favorite was a shrimp/corn/avocado concoction. I was seated beside a local politician (retired ... now teaching History and PoliSci in Macon county schools. His wife was the reason they were there. As I sat down I noticed she was having only salad and commented that the buffet wasn't very veggie friendly ... she said normally she wouldn't even eat cheese ... I told her "Tonight, you are a warrior!" Everyone laughed. Her husband was a wonderful dinner companion ... a black man raised here in the deep South ten years older then I, Vietnam Vet, an alumni with advanced degrees from Ivy League schools ... . Smart, funny, serious about the shrimp ... careful about his wine glass being refilled ... my kinda guy. I wasn't able to converse with her very much, but she asked for my phone number as we left, and I'm looking forward to coffee with her soon. She told me that she has two Doctorate degrees ... one an ED, the other a PhD in religion ... I smiled and said, "I don't." She busted out laughing and said, "You are good people." I look forward to becoming acquainted with her ... we'll probably become friends. To her left was a younger couple ... I think they are both librarians. I asked them if they knew our friend HG. Yes! They said they love the Gs ... I do too!

Must be close friends because they knew all about the recent promotion.

Christmas break has officially begun ... my children will be out of school next week. I am soaking in the quiet and gathering cookie ingredients, gingerbread house candy, bits and pieces for craft projects ... developing a game plan.