Saturday, December 26, 2015

Christmas 2015

Christmas Eve

Finally got to Orlando at 10:30 Christmas Eve.

Total amount of sightseeing was a drive through downtown Winter Park on the way to Georgiana and Chuck's Condo. WP looks really nice. Kind of like Chapel Hill, Pinehurst, Southern Pines. Wish I had arrived the 23rd as planned - would really have liked to see the sights around WP and walked around some.

Christmas Day

Condo Christmas Tree

Lazed around during the morning.

Then drove to Ocala to have Christmas lunch / dinner with Chuck's cousins - Patrick and Rose. On the way we got a phone call from the brother and sister-in-law. Nice to catch up with them. Really need to get to Atlanta to visit.

Pat and Rose
Darn it! Ceiling fan cord
Didn't notice it when I was setting up the shot

Had a really nice, traditional home cooked Christmas Dinner. Turkey, beans, potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, the works. They call it comfort food for a reason. Rose went all out.

Pat and Rose are tremendously nice. From Toronto - they winter in Florida like M&C are planning to do. It's good that M&C will already have friends / folks they know nearby.

And - they like Chuck. It's a Festivus Miracle!

Also, their dog Buddy is a really friendly laid back guy.

Fruit stand on the way back - red grapefruit and oranges
Grapefruit with a little salt = yummy

Got home, watched a little TV and conversation. Ate some grapefruit, then to bed.

Saturday

First flight from MCO to RDU.

Up at 5:15 - arrive Orlando airport 6:10 - and unbelievably LONG lines to check in (if you had luggage). I only had a small carry on bag - checked in via a kiosk and then through TSA fairly expeditiously. As expeditiously as one can go through TSA.

I'm tired of complaining about TSA - bored, non-accountable, self-important, rude government employees are just the way it is. TSA and DMV - no customer oriented service. Not all of them. Not even half or a third. But enough of them with 'attitude' to really piss you off.

Talk about two functions that should be privatized (or in TSA's case - re-privatized). The day I get elected Dictator - you can damn well believe this will be near the top of my 'to do' list.

Streaks are scratches on the outer window

Nice smooth on-time flight back to Raleigh.

Home. Having kielbasa and sauerkraut with brown mustard for lunch. Nuke left some Yuengling beer in the refrigerator. Watching college bowl games.

All in all - a very nice Christmas.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Pat and Rose are the Mostest as hosts. Buddy is the perfect complement for us pet-starved guests. For a price, I could let you know their address and room with board rates. But, otoh, they stay booked with their own select group of friends and family. (We plan to stay on that A-List. :)
mike of reston