UMTravels

The trip was originally planned as a spring break trip for Bret since I was able to book the 3-bedroom Penthouse at the WorldMark Birch Bay. For last year’s out of town reading we had the 2-bedroom (but they gave us the top floor) next door at the WorldMark Blaine. The Birch Bay unit came with a private hot tub and BBQ, whereas the Blaine unit had both shared hot tub and grills.

You never when you book what the weather is going to be like – we lucked out – Sun, Sun, and more Sun! This might give you an idea of the size of this unit – it’s like twice the size of my house with 3 times the bathrooms:

Being three guys who all weigh over 200# each it shouldn’t surprise you that we brought enough food for the Armageddon:

Speaking of the other three (Bret, DancingBear, Rach):

Is that a happy crew or what? This is Bret at the swim-up window by the kitchen requesting drink service:

And the view from said hot tub (with the tide out):

Everyone (except me) was eager to check out the beach at low tide. Going:

At the beach:

Returning:

And what did I do while they were getting their shoes muddy? Watched The Simpsons, which for some reason was in Spanish:

Before you know it – it was sunset time!

Sundown means dinner time – hunks of dead pig on the grill!

It was a great dinner with the boys!

Yes, three out of four of us are in our WorldMark provided bathrobes. It definitely a couple of days of laying around, reading scholarship applications, books, playing Words With Friends and basically being slug-like:

Another day, another group dinner (well, there was breakfast, too) – but first we must have a PooPoo platter and a couple of dozens oysters that DancingBear picked up when he got lost heading to the Bread Farm in Edison and ended up at Taylor Shellfish on Bellingham Bay. One the upside, we got good oysters AND good bread – and Rach is a professional oyster schucker!

Tonight is steak night – hopefully we will have enough!

That would be four New York Strip Steaks from the Safeway 50% rack, and then the rest of the stuff to go with dinner – bread, salad, sautéed mushrooms:

And yet another beautiful sunset!

In closing, Rach forwarded some of his shots from his afternoon walk around the bay – THANKS RACH!

Sadly, we packed up, wishing for a third night in the three-bedroom Penthouse.

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My thanks to Ampersand Charmpop for the phase “xMess”. While not blessed with a totally dysfunctional family whom celebrate the holidays in a haze of drugs, booze, and over-eating, the Mess could refer to the roads, the shops, the mind.

Here is the photo of the xMess haul:

Presents nestled amongst Bacchus and Pan. Heavy on the reading, eating, drinking.

Slept until almost 11 – the plan was 10 and get up and bake bread. Turned out 11 was better for my health.

Ready for the proofing oven:

In the oven baking with an egg wash and black lava sea salt from Hawaii:

A little after 1 I’m off to the Faerie Mid-Day Christmas Meal. Seriously, I think there MIGHT be too much food for seven people.

Cocktails:        Kent will be bartender whenever he arrives; until then, you’ll have to pour for yourself.

Appetizers:        Grav Lax on toasts with mustard sauce.   Acquavit and Carlsberg as appropriate

Dinner:            Roast Turkey (Bread, Onion, Celery & Herb Stuffing), Pan Gravy, Cranberry/Blackberry/Orange Sauce (JackJohn, Scalloped Potatoes & Braised Asparagus (Bryan and Michael), Corn Pudding (Mick and Bret), Rosemary Bread (Mark)

Dessert & Coffee:    Pear Pie with Ginger and Black Pepper, whipped cream (JackJohn)

I bailed a little after 5pm – my head throbbing from not bringing my aspirin and antihistamines that I’m using since I’m out of cold medicine. But it was a great time. Thanks JackJohn for hosting – wish you didn’t have those two dogs to aggravate my allergies (on top of the head/sinus cold/thingee).

A quick call to Jeff confirms there will be no “fruitcake run” down the hill from White Center tonight… which is just as well.

I’m thinking early to bed, late to rise would be a good idea.

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