November 30, 2014

Reflection

As we fly home to reality (yes I have discovered United Airlines Wi-Fi) it is time to reflect on the last fun-filled week. We had a lot of family togetherness yet we managed to get along although three of the group loved to play, "let's pick on mom!" Sometimes it was deserved, most of the time it was not. Anyway, there are some observations we made throughout the week:

1. Approximately 1/2 of the world's population is in Orlando with most of them visiting Harry Potter.
2. It is an urban myth that Florida is a warm place to visit. 
3. There are no driving rules in Florida or no one there has read them.
4. Disney is still the leader in amusement park management. Universal is fun but you can see the difference in talent and park management.
5. Spare change does not exist. Either you spend it at the toll roads or you spend it at yet another gift shop.
6. All rides end at the gift shop

But to be positive, Disney, Universal, Sea World, and all the other numerous attractions in the Orlando area entertain and bring together families from all over the world every day. We saw more smiles than frowns, especially on us, even though the weather was not the best and the crowds could be overwhelming. It is a wonderful thing to be able to overlook the negatives because there were so many positives that are now fantastic memories of our week together!

 

November 29, 2014

On Campus

Today we trekked over to Tampa which is 55 miles west of Orlando, to see the University of South Florida campus and where Alex spends all of his time. He lives in graduate housing on campus and his apartment is very small. I would have liked to take some paint to it and add some interior decorating but Alex is happy with the state penitentiary look and reminded me that it is just temporary until July. He gave us a walking tour of campus which is large and filled with palm trees. At the student center a poster was advertising Winter Wonderland day when they will be bringing in real snow for the students to sled on and play with. Alex didn't think that he would be participating! Our next quest was to find a beach. I've been asking Alex since he has been here if he had been to the beach. Well now I know why he hadn't. We had to drive 30 miles to get to the closest beach. I guess I'm geographically challenged. Just like people outside of Colorado think all Coloradoans live on the side of a mountain, I think all Floridians live on the beach! At the end of the day it was sad to say goodbye to Alex but the best thing is that he will be home for winter break in just two weeks!

USF Bulls amongst the palm trees!

Star student

We found the beach!

November 28, 2014

Lights, Camera, Action!

I love movies and I watch more TV than I should. Well, today I enjoyed both but not from my couch. I lived it in person. Yes, we went back for a third day of fun at Universal Studios. We stayed clear of Harry - too many people today - but instead explored the rest of Universal. It was great because I visited all my favorites in entertainment. First we passed through Springfield and visited our favorite family, the Simpsons! We went on The Simpsons Ride which was hilarious! The humor was right down my alley and it seemed like the adults on the ride had way more fun than the kids because we got the jokes! Then it was off to go on an E.T. Adventure on a simulated bike ride to take E.T. home. It has been too long since I've seen that movie. Then, my all-time favorite...Men in Black. The ride is called Alien Attack and involves shooting aliens. I was the winner in my car with 125,000 points...aliens beware! Great movies and great ride. Other entertaining attractions involved Beetlejuice, Terminator 2, Shrek, Twister, and Revenge of the Mummy (Paige and Alex were on their own for this rollercoaster ride). The Animal Actors show was as cute as it sounds and Paige the pug lover was ecstatic to see Frank from Men in Black make an appearance. Alex was our movie expert and gave us the background scoop on many of the Universal productions and actors that were represented at the park. It was a great day even though it was cold...again. We started the day at 46 degrees - it was warmer in Colorado! No amusement parks tomorrow so we get to sleep in and dream of E.T. going home to Springfield with the Terminator during a tornado caused by an alien attack....

November 27, 2014

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today we were thankful for sunshine! No rain today as we went back to Universal Studios for another visit. Of course with the nicer weather came more people to maneuver around. We went back to revisit Hogsmead and Diagon Alley but we also explored the rest of the Universal Island Adventure Park. They have a few rollercoasters there that you could not pay me enough money to ever ride on. I am not a thrill seeker at all. My idea of a thrill is going another mile when my car's gas gauge light comes on. We did have fun seeing other attractions together and we were pretty tired when we left. We had to leave before 6pm because we had a surprise coming for Alex. We didn't tell him that we arranged to have Thanksgiving dinner delivered to our condo tonight. The resort was offering this wonderful service but we led him on to think that we would just go out to dinner or get a pizza or something. He was happily surprised and it was delicious! The best part was the cleanup - easy peasy! We did miss being with our extended family today and are thankful for all our friends and family! Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thansgiving from Hogwarts!

Surprise!

November 26, 2014

Magical Day

There are not many words that I can say that would accurately describe Diagon Alley at Universal Studios.....Awesome, Incredible, Fantastic are three words that come to mind! They built it just the way you would imagine it to look and with careful attention to detail. Paige was our resident expert on all things Harry Potter and approved of everything. One of our first stops of course was Ollivanders Wand Shop where we picked up our wands. You can select the wand of your favorite character or choose your own. It was a difficult choice but I decided to go with Hermione's,  Paige with Ginny Weasley's and Alex with Dumbledore's. Don preferred to stay a Muggle. The fun part is that as you walk around Diagon Alley, there are spots to wave your wand and make things happen....awesome wizard fun! Then we hopped on the Hogwarts Express and went over to Hogsmead. This park had beautiful structures and the majestic Hogwarts castle. We enjoyed delicious Butter Beer here but we could have used something warmer as it was another cold, rainy day. I guess the weather completed our British experience. Throughout our magical day, I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to be JK Rowling and see what she created in her mind, now physically real and visited by thousands of people every day! 

  Diagon Alley

Hogwarts Express

November 26, 2014

Magical Day

There are not many words that I can say that would accurately describe Diagon Alley at Universal Studios.....Awesome, Incredible, Fantastic are three words that come to mind! They built it just the way you would imagine it to look and with careful attention to detail. Paige was our resident expert on all things Harry Potter and approved of everything. One of our first stops of course was Ollivanders Wand Shop where we picked up our wands. You can select the wand of your favorite character or choose your own. It was a difficult choice but I decided to go with Hermione's,  Paige with Ginny Weasley's and Alex with Dumbledore's. Don preferred to stay a Muggle. The fun part is that as you walk around Diagon Alley, there are spots to wave your wand and make things happen....awesome wizard fun! Then we hopped on the Hogwarts Express and went over to Hogsmead. This park had beautiful structures and the majestic Hogwarts castle. We enjoyed delicious Butter Beer here but we could have used something warmer as it was another cold, rainy day. I guess the weather completed our British experience. Throughout our magical day, I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to be JK Rowland and see what she created in her mind, now physically real and visited by thousands of people every day! 

Diagon Alley

Hogwarts Express

November 25, 2014

Soggiest Place on Earth

We were up and at it this morning and surprised ourselves by being at the Magic Kingdom gate before it opened. It was a little misty but not cold. We walked onto three rides without waiting but then the skies opened up and it poured rain. The scariest thing was that there was lightening as well and it was a little unnerving to be slogging through 2 inches of rain while seeing the bright flashes and hearing the thunder. I didn't want to be the accidental star of the Electric Light Parade! If this wasn't  enough, while waiting in line (inside thankfully) several phones went off with a weather warning - tornado in the area! Well, our Disney friends didn't seem too concerned about this and we figured that a tornado might add to Peter Pan's Flight so we stayed put. Luckily, there was no tornado and it didn't pour all day but we were pretty soggy all day. We still managed to have a great time and it helped that we had been to Disney World a couple of times before so we were just hitting our highlights. I felt bad for all the parents of young children - Paige only whined once so we bought her a beer and then she was fine! The best part of the day was that Alex arrived safely and we get to spend the rest of the week with him. Now it's the happiest place on earth!

Prost!

Rainy Kingdom

November 24, 2014

Because of Winn-Dixie

Today was our lazy, get-our-Florida-legs day. We didn't do much except for get ready for the rest of the week. Siri guided us to the local Winn-Dixie which of course reminded me and Paige of one of our favorite books. We found the liquor store first but then when we went into Winn-Dixie for groceries realized that we could have stocked up on our wine and beer there. In Colorado you can smoke what you want but you can't buy your liquor with your cold cuts! Tonight we topped off the leisurely day by realizing we can watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from a distance on our balcony. Perfect - I don't even have to get off the couch! However, we will not be lazy as we head off into the fray tomorrow to see the Mouse. Although most of our week will be dedicated to Harry, we felt we had to spend at least one day at Disney. Yes, we are optimistic that we can fit it all in in one day.....because we have an app for it! I was thrilled to learn that now you can set your fast passes with your iPhone app and keep track of wait times. I love technology!

At the vacation resort with thousands of our best friends!

Vacation supplies! Lessons learned from Don Wasson!

Subway on the balcony...life is good!

November 23, 2014

Florida Bound

I'm writing to you tonight from Orlando, Florida. Since Paige and I have the week off for Thanksgiving, we convinced Don to take off the week and go see Harry....Harry Potter! Oh yeah, Alex is an hour away in Tampa and he will be joining us Tuesday night and of course we came to see him too! Tomorrow will be the hottest day of the week but then the rest of the week will be cooler - with the highs in the 60's and 70's. This is still a little warmer than Arvada so we'll take it. Tomorrow will also be a day of exploring since it was dark when we got here. The last time we were in Orlando, we were chaperoning the high school band and orchestra trip when Paige was in high school and before that when our kids were in elementary school. We have never been to the Florida Universal Studios but were VIP members before kids in Los Angeles. So, we have new territory to investigate this week...stay tuned!

Family trips are a time for bonding....

Cool fluffy clouds below the plane.....

 

November 22, 2014

These Little Piggies

Paige and I started off our vacation with a much needed pedicure today. If you have never had one, you should treat yourself. Most pedicurists are much more thorough than when you do it yourself. Also, it is much more comfortable to sit back in a massage chair than lean over your winter insulation with your foot on the bathtub, balancing on one foot! And if you think about what our feet do for us on a daily basis - standing, walking, running, we really do need to spruce them up from time to time. 

November 21, 2014

Grandparents Day

One of my schools has been having an annual Grandparents Day the week before Thanksgiving break even before my kids went there. The big event was today and coincidentally happened while I was conducting a Book Fair...weird! The school was packed with these caring adults who came to support their grandchildren. It was such a heartwarming day to see all the smiles on faces - young and old - and the profound feeling of mutual pride. I remember when Don's grandfather attended this day when Paige was in Kindergarten and Alex was in 4th grade. The 4th graders were captivated by his stories which included how he rode his horse to a one room schoolhouse. Children can learn so much by listening to the stories of the older generations. And yes, the Book Fair did very well too!

November 20, 2014

Old Saying

There are many things that remind me that I have been on Earth for a lot longer than some. Lately my humor has given me away. High school students were helping me at the Book Fair the other day and I made a comment that signatures on the credit card machine looked like an Etch-a-sketch.I then remembered that they probably didn't know what an Etch-a-sketch was! "Calgon take me away" is a wasted declaration around Elementary school kids as well as "funky". I also need to remember to "record it" rather than "tape it." Whatever. I need to powder my nose and retire for the evening. Sooner than later I'll be up with the chickens and have to head back into the salt mines. 

November 19, 2014

What Just Happened?

Today was just a flurry of activity with things seeming to spin out of control so that at one point I thought with dismay, "what just happened?" But then I thought about "what just happened" in a different way. Yes, I was running around like a mad woman but in the meantime I was teaching kids, managing the Book Fair and putting out ipad fires. Too often I focus on what didn't get done or the bumpy ride to get it done that I don't see the great things that resulted from the chaos. Great things have happened this week in spite of it all so I am going to step over the mess and celebrate!

November 18, 2014

Zzzzzzz.....

I'm beat, worn out. I had a busy day and am enjoying the couch right now and checking the Facebook. My problem is that I keep dozing off. I drifted off enjoying yet another cute baby/puppy post and the next thing I knew I was on Messenger! I apologize right now if I sent you a strange message! This reminds me of a long time ago when I was PTA secretary. I would try to write up the Minutes in bed on my laptop. Later, I would proofread what I had typed and all I saw was ccccccccccccccccor lllllllllllllllrwerrrrrrrr. I guess I'm not a very good sleep typer! I've been known to enjoy a little snooze in all kinds of situations...in the car, at the theatre, various tours, in the loo, at football games, and once during a meeting with our financial advisor (I'm no longer invited to the meetings)! Am I the only one that the school secretary has kicked under the table during a committee  meeting when my head started to droop? Oh well...I guess I'll go to bed.gmfjmrmf,.......

November 17, 2014

Purs-ona

You can tell a lot about a woman by looking at her purse. A small purse with lots of compartments tells me that they are probably very organized and sees a purse as an efficient tool to house only the bare necessities. An old battered purse could mean that the owner likes to stick with a good thing and doesn't like change. A large designer purse may show that the owner likes the finer things in life and wants to take them with her wherever she goes. My purse shows the usual state of my mind - scattered! Coupons, receipts, used tissues, squished snack bars, a heart shaped rock I found and 10 Rupees.......random stuff in no order at all. I know this because I couldn't find my car keys when leaving work tonight so I had to dump it. Don't get me wrong, I love purses and have quite a collection but no matter how big, little, cheap or expensive - all my bags are black holes. Things go in and rarely come out. One time I found a banana in the bottom while searching for my wine opener! I'm hoping that when I retire and have time on my hands, my purse will be neat and oderly....and match my shoes!

November 16, 2014

One More Week

Thanksgiving vacation is sooooo close, I can feel it! I need to summon  up the energy to push through the week and finish strong. It's been a long haul since August and all the teachers and students are counting down the days until we can give thanks for the break from each other for awhile! I think of it as recharging the batteries just enough to have a spectacular December. So it is nose to the grindstone first thing tomorrow to make it to the finish line on Friday!

November 15, 2015

Hello Again!

We had a wonderful evening tonight with our long time friends, Dave and Colleen, and our new friends, Fiona and Andy. We met Fiona and Andy when we visited Dave and Colleen in Australia two years ago. We met them on New Years Eve - which is summer time in Australia so it felt like 4th of July. We felt right at home with them and truly enjoyed their company while we were there. While it certainly didn't feel like July 4th tonight, it was fun to see them again during their brief visit to Colorado. It's funny that sometimes new friends can seem like old friends in such a short time. Hopefully our paths will cross again soon!

Fiona, Andy, me, Dave, Colleen, Don

November 14, 2014

Half Baked

Say it ain't so! The Cake Boss, Buddy Valastro, was arrested for drunk driving. Apparently his yellow Corvette was swerving around Manhattan. While being arrested, he told police that, "you can't arrest me, I'm the Cake Boss!" I'd say his ego might have risen over the bowl. I went to see him a few years ago when he was at the Paramount Theatre and when he made his entrance you would have thought that Jesus had arrived due to the way the crowd behaved. I remember thinking, "um..doesn't he just bake cakes on TV?" I guess when you have such a fan base you tend to get puffed up and filled with importance. I certainly don't want to glaze over the fact that Paige and I did stalk the alley behind his bakery in Hoboken and got a glimpse of his brothers in law and got to meet his mama! However, I don't want to sugar coat the situation- he shouldn't have been driving impaired, although I would need more than one piece of rum cake of courage to drive in New York City! Hopefully he ate his piece of Humble Pie and learned his lesson so he won't fritter away his talent on crummy things like this anymore! 

November 13, 2014

Presents

Today was like Christmas morning. My site technician and I got to hand out school ipads to 4th grade students. All the time and effort put into getting the devices ready was worth it to see how excited these kids were. For the past three years this group of students have witnessed the lower grades receiving iPads and have been patiently waiting for when it would be their turn. Well today was that day. The best part is that on Monday and Tuesday we get to do it again with the 5th and 6th grade students. By the end of next week, every student in our school will have their own iPad to use. I  am as excited as the kids because of all the doors we are opening for learning. Finally, I can move on from setting them up to actually fostering their use. Yes there have been major, stress inducing glitches that we have had to overcome and yes I still have some annoying problems to solve but in the long run I think we have some awesome adventures ahead of us! I can't wait!

November 12, 2014

Baby It's Cold Outside

At 6am I was waiting for it....the announcement that it was too cold for school. Well, it never came. The bus garage must have used electric blankets or something. So we all slip slided to work in weather only a polar bear could love. This was day 3 of students not getting to go outside to play. In our district it has to be 20 degrees before students are allowed outside for recess. Last year I was curious to see what the requirements in other states were so I researched it.In a northern area of Minnesota the cutoff is 15 degrees below zero! In Alaska it is 20 below zero. I think Colorado should toughen up and at least go down to zero. Of course this would mean that kids would have to wear some warmer clothes. Some of us adults were talking about staying in for recess when we were in grade school. I don't remember that it was an often occurance but  I do remember that the popular game to play was Heads Up 7Up. I think now they have a politically correct, nutritional name for it- Heads Up Sparkling Water or something like that....

I recall we also had to walk to and from school, uphill with no shoes. Kids sure are soft these days. Excuse me while I go fill out my AARP application...

November 11, 2014

Creature Features

There is a mouse in my house. I hate mice and quite frankly I'm afraid of them. I know it doesn't make sense because I am a hundred times bigger than them and I haven't heard of any human being attacked by a mouse. Maybe it's because they're quiet and can sneak up on you or maybe it's their tail. What if  mice had bushy tails? Would I then think they were cute? If a bunny snuck into my house I would think it was cute. But not a mouse. My children learned from a young age that when there was a mouse involved they were on their own. It was every man for themselves and mama was a mile away and on high ground! I would possibly be willing to coexist with these unpleasant creatures if they would agree to stay out of sight and be housebroken. The fact that they leave a trail of pee and poop wherever they go is just bad mouse parenting in my opinion. If mice would just go outside to do their business, I would be willing to ignore their existence and have a truce. But, sadly, this is not the case so I have called in the heat (Don and Maggie) to hopefully solve the mouse problem. RIP rodent!

L

November 10, 2014

Strengths and Weaknesses

Some days my weaknesses are more recognizable than my strengths. Today was that day. Our school district does not have enough substitutes, so often times when a teacher is sick, the school has to scramble to fill the classrooms. Usually I fly under the radar but my blip was picked up and I was drafted into service today. The class that I was in charge of was a sixth grade class. I have known these kids since they were were in first grade so we weren't strangers to each other but maybe that would have been easier. I had to teach most of the day but I was the most nervous teaching math. Hopefully this is one lesson they won't retain or their dreams of MIT have been dashed! One math problem I did learn today was: The drastic change in temperature + no outdoor recess + hormones + a substitute = a negative! Halfway through the morning, the PE teacher took pity on me and hand delivered a Starbucks latte to sustain me! The moral of this story is that there is a reason I am a Teacher Librarian. My talents lie with having a flexible schedule, teaching all things technology and books and seeing all grade levels only 45 minutes at a time! I salute all classroom teachers and substitutes who are in the trenches every day!

November 9, 2014

Shopping Frenzy

I did a crazy thing this morning. I decided to go to Costco and King Soopers. Why was this crazy? Well, two reasons: 

1.  This is precisely what all the Bronco fans were doing before the afternoon game. It is a known fact that the only way to truly prove that you are a tried and true Bronco fan is to be on the couch by kickoff. However, all my previous football viewing did come in handy when trying to push the shopping cart through the openings in the crowded aisles and defending my spot in the checkout lane.

2. There is cold weather coming. All native Coloradoans know that as soon as the forecast predicts snow or cold temperatures, we feel the need to pack the pantries. Not having the kidney beans for chili or chicken for the noodle soup during bad weather is against the Colorado Constitution - or it should be. 

It was pure havoc inside the stores and out but I survived to tell the tale. From now on I will be staying away from Bronco Sundays and checking the forecast before my next shopping spree!

 

November 8, 2014

Brrr...

We attended an evening CSU game tonight against the Hawaiian Warriors. We've been to a few games this year but tonight something was different....oh yes...it was cold! We have been so spoiled this year with the weather at game time - basically sweatshirts at the most. That is why I just wasn't prepared. Granted it only got down to around 46 degrees but at Hughes Stadium it felt like 23 degrees! I didn't wear the right clothes so the whole time I was going through my closet in my head thinking about all the clothes I should have worn instead. On the plus side, the Rams knocked the flip flops off the Warriors and won 49-22! I think the Warriors were cold too!

Thank goodness for hot chocolate!

November 7, 2014

Holiday Rollercoaster

This is the time of year that I'm optimistic about the holidays. It seems like I have all the time in the world to start getting ready. I'm strapped in and clicking up the track - not actually doing anything but thinking about getting ahead so I won't be stressed. As the days progress, I usually start getting a little more uneasy when I realize the things I should already have done. Then before I know it I  start careening toward the Holidays in panic mode dashing through the halls, trying not to deck anyone while screaming fa-la-la- la! But not this year. Nope, this year will be the year that my Christmas cards will  be delivered before the Valentines, the house will be decorated with more than a week to spare, and all the presents will be purchased and wrapped before Midnight Mass at the Vatican. This will leave me with nothing else to do but to lounge in my holly pajamas, sipping cocoa while being saturated by love and goodwill from the Hallmark Channel Christmas Movie Marathon. Well...at least that is what I am thinking....I'll start on this tomorrow....thinking that is...

November 6, 2014

Ceramic Therapy

Tonight I got together with some old friends at a local ceramics shop. If you have never painted ceramics, you should try it. It is actually very therapeutic. Once you get past the stressful part - deciding what you want to paint, what color you want to paint it, stencils or free hand - then you can just settle in, paint, and visit. Our group also added food and adult beverages which is as important as paint in my opinion. It was a great way to catch up since we hadn't seen each other in awhile. In a week I will get a chance to see how much fun I had...when I pick up the dish that I painted! I have a feeling it might be the world's ugliest Christmas plate but I will cherish the conversations I had while I created it!

I forgot to take a picture!

November 5, 2014

Support

I am so thankful for all the people that I work with who support me every day. When I'm angry you calm me down, when I'm sad you make me smile, when I'm tired you hand me coffee. You encourage me, work with me, thank me and laugh at my dumb jokes. I can't imagine not seeing your friendly faces and experiencing your collegiality every day. Thank you!

November 4, 2014

iTouchdown

This afternoon I prepared for high school volunteers to help me after school. We had 120 iPads that needed Otterbox cases and I knew it would take me a year to get them on by myself! Well, 4pm came and went, the pizza was delivered and....no volunteers. After some investigation, we found out that there was a misunderstanding about the time so ten Arvada West football players showed up at 6pm! One look at the iPads and cases piled up prompted me to not hesitate to throw the doors open wide and welcome them with open arms! We worked them hard - with a little cold pizza and cookie break- and after 2 hours we had all the Otterboxes on, chargers labeled, bagged and labeled! It was a late night at work but well worth it....many hands make light work! Special thanks to the adults who helped including my principal and the Arvada West Athletic Director, his wife and daughter. 

 

November 3, 2014

Medium at Large

I don't know if you are familiar with the show, Long Island Medium but it features Theresa Caputo who claims that she can communicate with those who have passed on. I like the show because she is such a character and seems genuine. Theresa was live at the 1st Bank Center tonight and my friend scored some free tickets so I got to go. It was a fun night. I wasn't sure how she would be able to "read" people within a crowd of 5,000 but she pulled it off. She spoke to several people by walking the floor and tuning into spirits who wanted to communicate with their loved ones. Whether her abilities are real or not, I don't know for sure but what I do know is that she makes people feel good and comforted that those they lost are in a better place. 

November 2, 2014

Welcome to America

This weekend, while in Fort Morgan, my nephew Toby came over to mom's house with his wife, Abby along with her sister and sister's husband. They also brought with them Abby's sister's one week old baby. Of course he was adorable and so tiny. His name is Yosuf which is Joseph in English. Yosuf was born in America but his parents are from Kuwait and will be returning home as soon as Yosuf's birth certificate arrives. Abby is also from Kuwait but is now an American citizen. I witnessed her Citizenship Ceremony at the Federal Court House in Denver two years ago. It was very heartening to see so many people from all over the world who were so dedicated and serious about becoming an American. The process is time consuming and requires applicants to learn more about our government than the average American who was born here. Part of the ceremony included the introduction of the prominent Americans who have made a positive impact on our country and also had immigrated here. Yosuf now has choices and may decide to come back to America one day and be another one of our great American citizens.

"Little Joe" and mom.

November 1, 2014

Dinner in the Gallery

I'm spending the weekend in Fort Morgan in order to visit my mom and sister and also to attend my third annual Dinner in the Gallery. Every Spring Don and I attend an auction fundraiser for the Fort Morgan Heritage Foundation. This foundation operates the Fort Morgan Museuem and they have been working on a huge renovation for the past few years. A big auction item that we try to purchase every year are tickets to the Dinner in the Gallery. Don wasn't able to go to the Dinner this year so I took my mom. The night started off with a Cocktail Party at the home of the Heritage Foundation's President who also happens to be my father-law. After this party, the 24 guests made their way over to the museum where tables were set up in the Gallery which houses many new and wonderful displays encapsulating the interesting history of Fort Morgan. The highlight of the evening- and the reason we try to get the tickets every year -is the food. A local gourmet chef, Donnie Edson, cooks up an unbelievable 5 course meal without an established kitchen. He brings in a mobile kitchen and grill and you would never know it because each course is to die for. I don't know the official name for all the dishes but Donnie came by when each course was served and told us more about it and how it was prepared. Tonight we had a crispy egg salad, a chicken chipotle corn chowder, crab cake with lobster sauce, lamb meatball and polenta and cinnamon roll bread pudding with pumpkin ice cream and homemade Carmel sauce. Mom and I had a great time but we may not be eating very much tomorrow!