Christmas dinner with Janell 12-8-2011

Thursday, December 8, 2011 was Alexander GeLinas' 13th birthday, but he celebrated Friday, December 9, with a sleepover.  This day's schedule was sanwiched in with school and other activities, so Richelle asked if we would help by taking William so that she and Larry could cover the other two boys' activities.  Lanny, Willy and I began the evening by attending the Christmas Dinner celebration at the Columbia Crest Care and Rehabilitation Center, as guests of Janell Thomas, an old friend of ours for over twenty-five years.  We had a good time.  It was well organized and as we entered we were entertained with live piano music and Christmas songs.  Appetizers and sparkling cider were there for the taking.  We were then directed to an activity room where several long tables were set up with flatware, goblets, and blue napkins, and tiny silver and blue stars sprinkled down the center of the tablecloth.  After a brief conversational period, dinner was served.  Willy and I had the seasoned barron of beef, vegetable couscous and roasted baby red potatoes, and Lanny had the smoked cloved ham.  We mingled, met some nice people and listened to William tell us a few stories.  He is a gifted converationalist.  A woman sitting across from him who introduced herself to him was delighted with his cheerfulness and conversed along with him. Willy had a craft activity at his school that he was anxious to attend so we excused ourselves and traveled to that.  Surprisingly they were still crafting so Willy was able to participate in a few crafts and get his picture taken with Santa.  Meanwhile Larry and Alex were selling Christmas trees as a money maker for the Boy Scout troop Alex and Philip belong to.  Richelle was at the high school concert watching Philip play the french horn.  Normally he plays the trumpet.
Remember the quotation Hiliary Clinton shared once, "It takes a village to raise a child."  hmmm.



Janell Thomas having her hair done