Christmas parties and first dates.....

Doesn't this place look amazing?

I should have pulled a Jason and brought my camera to capture all the wonderful food that was at dinner last night...but let me start at the beginning....

Okay, I got off work at three so I would have plenty of time to get ready. Ran to the bank to cash my check and stopped by the storage units to pay for the small unit I reserved and didn't end up getting home until four. Eeps---George and Joyce were picking me up at five so I jumped into the shower long enough to wash my hair, dried it and did like the worlds fastest makeup job before zipping into my room to get dressed. Found out that washing my patchwork black skirt at Jase's the other night ripped a lot of stitches and there was no way I could wear it so I frantically dug through my wardrobe, trying on and discarding half a dozen get-ups before going back to my original maroon sweater and a different black skirt. Now this skirt was one I had never worn before as I was a little too big for it when I bought the thing on sale and never really fit into it. Well, I fit into it now with a little room to spare and even though it is miles shorter than skirts I like to wear (mid-knee) it actually looked great on me. George and Joyce pulled up and we drove over to Bill and Kris' to all carpool up together when I realized I hadn't brushed my teeth since that morning! I really hadn't eaten anything that day so I wasn't tooooooo worried, but I admit I grabbed a paper towel from Bill's place and gave my teeth an impromptu scrub before we piled into Bill's new Cadillac (oooohhhhhh....leather seats!) and headed north for Salt Lake.

We didn't find out what happened but the traffic was at a crawl from Orem Center Street until Lehi so we were definately running late by the time we got to the restaurant...Dan and Lori were there on time and my date was there as well--apparently they were having a pretty good conversation with eachother until we showed up. Surprisingly, I still wasn't nervous but I had no idea what to do when I met Richard for the first time--I ended up shaking his hand! We all headed up to the table and the fun started. Richard seems fairly shy but was nice talking to (and was very nice looking!) and I had a lot of fun talking and laughing with him and the crazy bunch I work with.

Dinner started off with appetizers--I had a veggie neopolitan which was a slice of portabella mushroom with other veggies stacked on top (yum!) George and Debbie split a seafood medley and we all laughed to see this 4 layer tray come to the table stacked with oysters, crab, lobster, scallops, salmon and sushi--the thing was a meal in and of itself! Debbie's husband ordered Escargo (I'd joked to Dan about ordering it but chickened out!) The idea of eating some slimy snail just repulses me... Next was salads--I had wilted spinach (servers recommendation and it was great) Dan had an avacado/crab/grapefruit ring that looks delicious though I didn't sample it. Richard had stepped out for a moment to take his insulin and George started laughing when Richard's "salad" showed up--it was a long leaf of romaine, a slice of tomato on the side with one soggy onion ring in-between. The laughs turned on George though as his salad showed up and it turns out he'd ordered the same thing!

Next I had rare lamb rack with mint jelly...and when they say rare they mean rare...chunks weren't even cooked but oooohhhhhhh it was delicious...I can't believe I managed to eat it all! I didn't think I would be able to but one minute I was starting to eat while talking with Richard and the next thing you know it was gone and the dessert menus were being handed out. I didn't even bother to look--if creme brullee was on the menu then that was all I wanted and they didn't disappoint. Oh... I only wish I'd had enough room left to eat it all! Yes, I finally found the top of my stomach.... I don't even want to see the bill... Dan ordered bananas foster flambe and it was wild watching them pour this burning liquor over the top of his dessert (with Dan and I leaning well out of the serving wenches' way!)

Richard and I left while everyone was finishing up to walk around the building-- ice had formed on the fountains outside, turning them into crystal stacks and I stopped to pet a huge gray cat that came trotting up. He followed us a few feet down the driveway and then jumped into the open window of a car sitting alongside the driveway. I can only think that the cat belonged to the car as it was drizzling outside and no one would be insane enough in that cold weather to leave a window completely unrolled! We stood outside talking for a few minutes before heading in out of the rain and then explored the turret--climbing the stairs up to the second floor and balcony--before heading back to see how our party was faring. Lori said we should check out the view out the back windows so we went over to take a peek. Old french doors led out onto that patio and Richard dared me to go out--so I did. Outside a large raised fire pit was merrily blazing so we stood out there for a few minutes warming up while admiring the lights that spilled across every tree in the yard down to a detached summer porch (boy would I love to see this place in the summer!)

Then it was time to go...we all headed out to give the valets our parking stubs and headed our separate ways (Richard got a hug this time). I settled in for a peaceful ride home and listened to the chatter in the car all around me. It was just after eleven by the time I got home...I had no idea it was so late...happily brushed my teeth and tumbled into bed...only to wake this morning at 5:30! Actually I set my alarm for that early because I had to be at Sam's Club before 7 to be sure I'd be the first in line to get snow tires on the car....I didn't want to be late for work! So here I am, still happy, tires on the car, first date out of the way and perhaps a second date in the future. sigh. Even if Christmas turns out to be nothing special I still feel all aglow and about as far from "Bah Humbug" as a girl can get!