HAPPY NEW YEAR

 WELCOME - 2014

This is year is the first time in a long time that we did not party on New Year's Eve.  The last several years have allowed us to celebrate and welcome in the new year with our RV friends.  This year Rich and I  stayed in.  We had an excellent dinner;  Beef Stew, Salad and Garlic Bread.  The Chuck roast cooked all day long and was absolutely delicious!  We skipped the Champagne, the dropping of the ball  and were in bed well before midnight!

We did however welcome in the New Year with friends; old friends and new friends with a gathering at our place.   A few couples had to miss the gathering due to illness, and we want them to know that we send our "get well wishes"   Don found himself in the emergency room a few days ago, so he and Linda were not able to make the trip down from Tampa, and Nate called this morning to say that Krystal was under the weather as well.  We missed them.

Nick and Tonyia were the first to arrive, followed shortly after by Buddy and Diane.  After a successful few hours out on Lake June, our new friends and neighbors, Al and Barbara joined us.  They had family, Charlie and Peggy, visiting from Kentucky - so we invited them to join us as well.  They have rented a home here on the Lake for the month of January.  We enjoyed meeting them - and hope we get to see them again before they leave.

Pictured below, the group relaxing, enjoying a cocktail before dinner and getting better acquainted.   Clockwise from the top left:  Rich and I,  Rich, Nick, Buddy, Diane and Tonyia.  that's Tonyia with her back to the camera, with Barb,  Nick, Diane, Buddy, Rich and Peggy ( in pink).  And the bottom right is Tonyia and Barb.

Dinner was absolutely delicious.  We had an assortment of beverages, including beer and wine and some finger sandwiches and cheese and crackers.    I made baked ziti and chicken and potato casserole.  We had rolls, fruit salad, coleslaw, tossed salad (Barbara), Meatballs (Tonyia), Green Bean Dish ( Buddy).    Below - at the dining room table is Rich, Peggy, Nick, Al, Charlie and Tonyia.  At the kitchen table is Diane, Me and Barb - and another with Buddy.  ( Thanks Buddy and Nick - for getting me in the picture this time!)

I had made some cookies, but Diane and Buddy brought some (white) chocolate covered pretzels and marshmallows AND a cake decorated perfectly for the day!

It was an absolutely beautiful day, even the weather was perfect.  We thank our friends for welcoming in the new year with us. We are so fortunate.

Well - Al and Charlie had to head out ( they had all those fish they caught earlier int he day to clean!)  By about 6:00 - everyone had left except Nick and Tonyia.  So she and I finished putting left overs away and settled in for a game of Mexican Train while the guys visited out on the lanai.

It's after 10 o'clock now - time to call it a day!