The Olive Garden Project

Meelyn came up with a great idea today. She got out an unused piggy bank, shook the cobwebs out of it, and emptied her spare change into it. She then came to me and Aisling in search of our change: I donated six quarters and Aisling contributed $1.13.

"I think we should collect everyone's change every day and put it in this bank. We can save it up until after Christmas, and then maybe on New Year's Eve, we can all go out to dinner together," she said, rattling the bank.

"Where would we go?" I asked, eagerly contemplating hot garlicky breadsticks dipped in Alfredo sauce, or maybe a great big french-fried onion.

"Maybe the Olive Garden. Or the Outback," she said, obviously entranced by some mental images of her own, which happens more often than you might think, here in the Chain Restaurant Capital of the Known Universe.

It would be really nice to go out for a festive meal during the Christmas season, one where we didn't feel obliged to share meals or not order an appetizer -- or dessert -- because of our hopes of leaving the restaurant without being asked to wash dishes back in the kitchen to pay our bill.

So! Here's hoping we can collect a goodly amount for a nice meal to start off the New Year and not have to use the money to buy toothpaste or a box of bran flakes mid-December. We shall see.