and oh, what a BLITZEN

More last minute gift buying, gift making, baking and holiday cheer. It's a bit of a whirlwind, trying to get it all done, feeling like there is not enough time and that we can't possibly accomplish everything we wanted to do during this holiday festivus. I know I'm not alone. It's a little more stressful and a little less cheery this year.

Tonight we are heading over to Gasworks Park to see the final night of the Christmas Ship. Another one of our holiday rituals. Usually we have a big group and there is dinner and drinks in Fremont first. This year it's a much smaller group and everyone is coming from somewhere else last minute so the dinner is probably drive-through or a cold snack out of the fridge before we head out. But we've rented one of the charming Electric Boat Company ships to dally around in the parade of yachts for this year's hoopla. I'm so excited! No standing out in the drizzle and mud. Taking our own beverages -- and nip is allowed for the hot cocoa! Sacks full of our own snacks, holiday cookies! A warm little chugger of a boat with plastic sides to keep us toasty, cheerly little strings of lights! I've never seen the Christmas ship from the water before, although I've seen it from probably every land location imaginable -- the locks, Golden Gardens, bonfires at Alki, all over here and there. So this will be something new and exciting. Can't wait.

Tomorrow is by far my most favorite ritual. No, not the wrapping mess. The Christmas Eve Champagne "FEAST OF 7 FISHES" that we do at my place each year. I'll post pics of tonight and get into that tomorrow when I can grab a minute. I still need to finalize a little bit of the menu with my friends who are doing 3 of the 7 courses. My Hot Buttered Rum Cheesecake is wafting through the house right this minute. It will be drizzled with Rum Caramel sauce . . . are your eyes rolling back in your head? You will die when you hear the whole menu. Cool Yule, Y'all!