Part one and part two already posted (and now with pictures in case you missed them the first time around). After we escaped the monorail station and were waiting in line to enter the Magic Kingdom, I called Bou back. She said they were just inside the gate, I swear she said to the left, and that I couldn't possibly miss her: "I'm wearing a big straw hat, part of my avoid the sun ensemble." We entered the park and headed to the left, I swear she said left. There were three or four dark-haired women wearing big straw hats. But none of them were accompanied by a plethora of boys. We looked around and couldn't see the restaurant we were meeting at, and we're not familiar with WDW eating establishments. While I called Bou again, Jim asked a cast member where Tony's Restaurant was. It should be noted we were standing right in front of the restaurant. The cast member had no idea where the restaurant was and suggested we get a map. Me: "Bou, where are you?" Bou: "At Tony's." Me: "When I entered was I supposed to go right or left?" Bou: "Right." Me: "I can't find Tony's" **immediately saw the sign for Tony's after saying I couldn't find it** Bou: "It's right inside the gate." Me: "Over there where the sign says Tony's?" Bou: "Yes." We walked over and saw a brunette wearing a straw hat and long sleeves. Having never seen even so much as a picture, I was surprised to recognize Bou; she looks so much like her children. We greated each other with a hug, and I felt like I'd known her forever. There are people in this world that you really have to work at to be friends with them. Fortunately, that was not the case with this group. Bou and VW and their husbands and children are so easy to get along with. I liked them all immediately. And even Jim found it easy to talk, and he's much more quiet and shy around strangers than I am. (I was surprised at how blurry the adults all were - like as if they had no discernable facial features at all. Weird.) (clockwise) Bones, Son #2, Son #1, Tot, VW Bug, Mr. VW Bug, Tater, Mr. Bou, Boudicca, Rachel, Jim We gathered around a long table. I tried to sit near the middle of the table to increase my odds of being able to talk to and hear the people I was stalking. It was difficult, however, to really converse too much. Jim and I were sitting near the Rolling Ball of Noise. Now, don't be mislead by the way Bou can go on and on about how mischieveous her boys are; I found them to be very well behaved and no more rambunctious than any other 7, 9, and 11 year old boy. Tony's is an Italian restaurant. Personally, I thought my food was bland, forgettable, and not worth the ridiculous price. But I wasn't really there for the food, I was there for the company. Some of you have read Bou's blog before and have heard tales about her boys and their unusual taste in food (they eat very adult foods). Son #2 had a plate a calamari for his lunch while Son #1 had the salmon. Rachel the Younger refuses to try either of those foods when we try to get her to eat them. So I was very impressed with their eating habits. Boys will be boys, and Bones and Son #2 tormented each other. Poor Bou! I think she was embarrassed, but really, they were just being boys. They kept tormenting each other by putting pieces of blue crayon into each other's food and drink. So Bou kept having to reprimand them. She said she was going to separate them, and Bones said, "Do I have to sit next to the lady in the green shirt?" And I laughed! What greater punishment is there for a seven year old than to make him sit beside me? Ha ha! But apparently the threat of sitting beside me wasn't scary enough, so next was the behave or no ice cream threat, which Son #1 loved. He kept encouraging Bou to take away ice cream from both his brothers. Ah, brotherly love! Son #1 was so funny with the way he enjoyed watching Son #2 and Bones get in trouble! And, I was amused watching the whole thing. Jim, Bones, Son #2, Son #1, Rachel Lunch passed far too quickly. VW and Mr. VW were taking Tater and Tot onto the train ride (Tater, who slept through lunch, kept asking to ride the train) and invited us to tag along, but instead we followed the house of Boudicca to the ice cream parlor. It was there that I received the strangest compliment of my life from Bou, "You have very pretty teeth." WTF? Of course my dad and Linette will be thrilled to hear that someone noticed my teeth since they paid for my orthodontic work in high school! We didn't hang out with them for too long; I didn't feel right crashing on their family vacation, and they were talking about heading back to the hotel to utilize the swimming pool. Oh, one more thing. Everyone was surpised (appalled?) by my socks being the same color as my shirt, so I kicked off my loafer to show the froggies on my socks. Son #1 said I should have also worn green pants and then everyone could call me Kermit. It's not easy being green! Jim and I had a great time. A big thank you to Bou and VW for letting us crash on your vacations. We really enjoyed meeting all of you, and hope we can get together again with you sometime soon, somewhere less crowded and easier to socialize. More to come in Part four.

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