Boat Parade Party

Here in South Florida there is a tradition every December. Various towns/cities sponsor a boat parade. People decorate their boats with holiday lights, snowmen, Santas, music and more, and sail in a parade down the intracoastal waterway. The parade in Delray Beach isn't too big, maybe 8 boats in all. A friend of a friend, Jennifer, invited a group of us over for the second year in a row. She has a lovely apartment on the intracoastal. I made GREAT oatmeal raisin cookies from a container of cookie dough that I purchased as a fund raiser, plus made my hot artichoke dip with crackers. Both the cookies and the dip were a huge hit. We stayed about 2 1/2 hours. I knew most of the people there as they are also friends of friends. Now we are home and I can't wait to get out of these clothes because they smell badly of smoke. Yes, people were smoking in the apartment, but I couldn't say anything because it's not my house!!

Work was pretty nice today. We had our usual morning - reading, PE, math. The kids had "lunch bunch" with me - we all eat in my room, followed by their language class. After that the entire kindergarten, first -third grades put on a holiday music show. Lots of parents showed up to watch. I have to say that they were adorable, and pretty well behaved. We had some time after the show before dismissal, so we went back to the room and got silly, something we rarely have time for.

After work I went for my manicure - ah, love that! My nails are really short so I didn't do my usual red - just pale pink. Then home to get ready for the party.

I am looking forward to tomorrow - Saturday. We are going early in the morn to pick out our holiday tree - a REAL one. Then I get to decorate it all by myself, which is my preference. Gerry takes care of the outside, the inside is mine (at least for the holiday). Then I have to squeeze in a haircut appointment, Costco to order holiday photo cards, and bake Alison's recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies. I hope they come out good, as I am going to use egg substitute, Splenda for the white sugar and Sugar Twin Brown for the brown sugar, plus I Can't Believe It's Not Butter for...butter. Trying to keep it as low cholesterol and carb as I can (of course, it uses flour and chocolate chips, but I save where I can). We have another holiday party to go to that night. Sunday I have the monumental task of shopping for our office staff because I am head of the Sunshine Committee.

I started working on another pair of socks, this time for our friend's 9 year old son, AJ. He saw me knitting red ones while at a NASCAR race and asked if I would make him a pair. I said yes, and he said he would like them in black. I really didn't want to knit in black yarn as it's so hard to see the stitches, so I am making dark blue. I have half of one done already. I really like making socks!!

Time to get out of these yucky smelling clothes, shower and relax on the couch - and knit, of course!