Aaahhhhhhh! Relief. And Merry Christmas, Too.

In CLT (Charlotte) on my way to SEA(ttle).

Christmas break was wonderful!!!! It was a breath of fresh air to be with my husband and family again! This time, he got there before me by an evening, and left just after my flight. It was fun to have our roles reversed like that for once. As you can see, I had a great view out my window over the Cascades.

The first night, we had dinner at Chan's Place (this time with Dad, Meg/family along too), then Mom took Mike and I out to Benaroya Hall for a Seattle Symphony performance of Handel's Messiah. Although a little sleepy (I didn't make it all the way through the five-minute "Amen" at the end), we all thoroughly enjoyed it! KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS, indeed!

Sunday morning (well, late morning), we had a quick breakfast and went to Church with my parents for my sister and niece's Christmas Concert in which they sang beautifully. The rest of the day was taken up relaxing at home, playing games and singing some more.

Monday was a relaxing morning, and was typical of the rest of the week: nice long breakfast, take the dog on a walk around the block (circling the park) and then start the day. That afternoon, we all went on a cruise on Lake Washington with Argosy, taking off from downtown Kirkland. This was to sail around during a simply gorgeous sunset and listen to the Dickens Carolers. We all went out to Pizza Bank afterwords for a wonderful dinner.

 

Even though I was terribly sick Monday night lasting all the way through Christmas Eve, I had a decent Christmas Eve. I just didn't eat anything except about four crackers. Didn't feel at all like going to Church, so we missed out on that fine tradition... but we did still have a family gathering and Christmas story reading, and massive carol sing-a-long. Meg gave me a copy of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe that she had found cheap (I have a collection of different editions of the book), and while still laying down on the couch, I read the excerpt with Father Christmas out loud to everyone, which was lots of fun. LONG LIVE THE TRUE KING.

By Christmas morning, I was completely recovered from my 24-hr flu, and took part in our traditional Christmas breakfast with a glad heart. The day was fabulous and fun, and I took a lot of pictures of my little niece, Jonna. As for presents, my Darling found a new book of Tintin art for me that arrived just on time, Christmas Eve, from Amazon. Meg gave me useful and fun things to take along on deployment and some beautiful ornaments, Andie knit Mike and I scarves in our school colors, Mom and Dad, besides Messiah and the boat cruise, gave us gift cards, and to me, a set of tiny little glass sea animals!

The day after Christmas was our last full day home. Mike and I picked up our friend Julie for a little ferry ride to Bremerton and back, then our traditional "new year's" dinner at Ivar's on the Seattle waterfront. Besides the uncanny calm of Puget Sound, that night when we pulled back in to Seattle, there was a massive fog bank looming over the entire waterfront, blocking out the bright lights of the city. As we drew in closer, the tall buildings disappeared into blackness, and soon we could see nothing at all. Gradually, lights from the other ferry boat came into view as we pulled in, but you couldn't tell you were in a city at all!

 Bremerton (above) and my Dungeness Crab salad at Ivar's (below)

 Way too soon we had to leave. We had a nice, relaxing morning on the 27th, but our hours were numbered. I think that's Venus in the center of the pic below on the first leg of my trip back.

So, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Happy New Year!

Jw