Score! I found a forgotten $25 Barnes & Noble gift certificate from last Christmukkah that paid for most of the Captain AmericaDVD. I have absentmindedness to thank for getting a really good movie rather than blowing it on some spinach movie this summer that I'd probably only watch once or twice.

Wow, today clearly a great day for birthing humans! Happy day to the birthday peeps!

Thanks everyone! And Happy birthday Theo and Jesse!

Boxing Day brunch: [link]

I think that should be public. Also others I've been fooling around with up here on Strawberry Hill.

And here's yesterday's dinner: [link]

Boxing Day brunch: [link]

What a gorgeous looking plate and table!

Ugh to your brother, sumi. Glad you have such good friends.

Happy belated birthdays!

I am home, unpacked and put away. Cats are happy to see me, but clearly spoiled. I have the new battery charging and the new backup backing up. I shall eat something and go swim in an hour or so.

Christmas Special Trivia Question:

Who knows the names of the two girls in purple dresses who are doing the cool dance in the cool dance scene in Charlie Brown Christmas?

Timelies everyone! I hope everyone's Christmas was nice. I'm working on threadsucking a whole bunch so I can pretend to be informed into everyone's lives, but I haven't had a chance yet. Christmas here was INSANE!! The big crew party was at night on the 23rd, and it was lovely. Good times were had by all, and I managed to only get respectably drunk and not do anything stupid.

I was planning a nice day at the beach with friends on Christmas Eve, but the seas were rough and the port of Nawiliwili in Kauai closed, and so after being out VERY late at the party, I got a phone call telling me to be up and teaching a line dancing class in 20 minutes. So surprise work day, but oh well! In the evening on the 24th they made it snow in the Atrium of the ship, there was a GIANT gingerbread house display, the Captain read "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" and then there was a huge Christmas carol sing-a-long. I *may* have been so overwhelmed the the festivities and the sudden incredible homesickness that I got a little teary. Just maybe. Afterwards we did our Secret Santa exchange in the Cruise Director's cabin, and then we all headed down to the crew bar where some of the musicians had their guitars out and everyone was singing. So it was lovely.

Christmas day didn't feel like Christmas at all... I had to work all day and most people were off the ship. But the 24th was so nice that it almost doesn't matter. We're also having a big Entertainment Department party next cruise (we're too flipping busy this cruise!) and THEN on Jan. 7th we go into drydock and I don't have to deal with any passengers for a month! So happy happy times.

Oh, and that whole thing with that boy from before? Moved on and done. We're still definitely friends when I see him, but that's so flipping rare that even if he DIDN'T have a secret girlfriend, it just wouldn't have been feasible. But! I think I have a date tomorrow night? To the extent that one can go on a date on a ship. So yay? I checked to make sure this one was actually single first. He's very sweet. He left a candy cane on my door last night with a note that said he likes me very much, which I can't decide is sweet or a bit juvenile, but I think I'll just go with sweet.

And OH! They sent us an extra staff member, which we're all really puzzled about because we aren't short anyone and we're doing well, but anyway, there's now 3 people in my position, and I've been here the longest, so guess who now has her own room with PORTHOLES? I am SOOOO not ranked high enough for a room this nice, but I'm definitely not complaining! But I'm not gonna lie.... I miss my roommate!

Violet and Lydia?