Middle of December

Yiannis said to us that he will be going to a village with some friends for Christmas and asked if we wanted to come along. We said yes. He said that there is small hotel that we'd be staying out. I had said that Jayne and were thinking about going somewhere just to get out of the flat.

Then about this time, Angela wanted to know if we wanted to come with her and Jan to a Holiday Inn for dinner for Christmas night (25th). I told her about our plans with Yiannis.

Later Yiannis said that guy would not be going as he can't bring his dog. Well, later Jayne and I figured out that he had invited us where he was not in a postion to invite us. You never do this when you are invited yourself.

Anyhow, thinking that I had already talked to Angela and she made plans with Jan, we would book a place in a hotel somewhere in town. Even if we did go out with Angela, it would only be for a few hours and it's not a nice thing to spend out anniversary in a junky studio flat that we are in now.

So, I went to check on two nice hotels in the area. The Applonian wanted 175 euros per night and that would include the gala dinner and lunch the next day. Then I went to the Miremare and they wanted 100 euros per night (for the room not per person). The dinner would be 55 euros each and if we wanted the Christmas lunch it would be 30 euros each.

I talked to Jayne and we decided to go to the Miremare for the night of the 24th and 25th.
I got an email from Clive saying that Mary had talked to Angela. I was told that Angela seemed upset that we wouldn't be joining them. He asked if we could compromise. So, I got on the phone with Angela and told her the story of our original plans; the plans that fell through with Yainnis and of us booking a hotel. I invited her to come for dinner and I would pay for that. She said no. then I said what about breakfast the next day and she couldn't because of the dog and cat she takes care of and it would be too much food to eat, since she would be going out that night again.
Then I finally said that we would join them on the 25th if she could get the space. She thought that was good and was happy.

Since we will be having our gala diner on the 24th, we would be just having a regular dinner on the 25th, we thought it would be better to be with Angela. Now Jan is not a happy person to be with but that's the way she is.

I wrote back to Clive about this and he wrote back to me saying he was happy about it.
Angela is proud that it was through her that I met Jayne, so it's only natural to for me to make a special effort to be with her. I have been glad of all the places and times she invited me to join her and her group. This year, most of the people she knows will be with their family – some of them back in England. Also, her husband, Derrick died this past June, and it's the first Christmas she'll have without him.

The dinner at the Holiday will be 27 euros, so that might be the same as the regular dinner at the Miramare for Christmas.