Victorian Christmas

Our family Christmas present from Oma and Opa this year was a two-night escape to one of my favorite little cities: Victoria, BC. We hopped on the ferry on Sunday afternoon from Tsawassen to Schwartz Bay. At Active Pass, we were so close to shore that we could see individual Christmas lights on the island houses.

As we unpacked in Victoria, Mom pulled out a surprise. A Christmas mug for each of us, wrapped in very cute aprons, and a whole box of our traditional sugar cookies with frosting! Normally the four of us would have frosted them weeks ago, but being all over the country means we almost missed out entirely. The evening was spent watching How to Train your Dragon and ingesting… er, sampling… copious amounts of sugary goodness.

In the morning we walked around the inner harbour to breakfast at Shine Cafe. It was cute, crowded, and wonderful. We were all rather ravenous and chilly from teh brisk breeze (not complaining, though - it held the clouds at bay!), and after a few cups of coffee, our wonderful breakfasts arrived. Omelettes, hashes, and for me, a full UK breakfast with mushrooms, toasted tomato, banger, eggs, and a delicious blood pudding!

The rest of our morning had no agenda, and we meandered into quilt shops, Murchie’s tea and coffee, Munro’s Books, finishing our Christmas shopping. Our wander back home took us through the Empress, where we checked out the festive Christmas trees, and into Parliament, where they had the biggest Christmas tree yet.

In the afternoon we had a girls date: West Coast High Tea at the Grand Pacific Hotel. It was so much fun to sit around, without distractions, and catch up with Mumsy and the sisters! It was dark when Dad picked us up and we walked to our horse drawn carriage for a Christmas light bedazzled tour of downtown.

Between rounds of NERTS (the sisters skunked me), dad prepped the enchiladas. In the morning he was up early to make our favorite Huevos Rancheros. Before we got on the Sidney ferry bound for Anacortes, Mom took us by her old apartment and the UVic (University of Victoria) campus.

Southern Christmas

There are so many things that have made it feel less like Christmas time over the past few weeks. Being a long way from home means no holiday baking, no Christmas light scouting in PJ's, and not even snowflakes cut for the windows (Justin says he "doesn't really do those").

Charleston, though, has some serious Christmas spirit. The old market is overcome by ornaments and people hunting for last-minute gifts. South of Broad looks like it came straight out of the December edition of Southern Living. Evergreen swags, lights in the windows, and red-bowed wreaths on virtually every door.

 

The gas lights on houses have turned from summer evening fireflies to golden Christmas candles flickering through their little glass windows. Even the greens peeking around garden gates in little courtyards seem to have been dipped in the magic.

The one Christmas tradition that has followed me to Charleston - courtesy of my most amazing, creative, and wonderful mother, is the advent calendar she sent me in Charleston. I'll let you guess what was tucked in the little origami boxes... All I can say is there aren't any left! 

Another introduction to Charleston

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and with it Jim has returned to HQ in Washington. In his place, the engineering department sent a recently graduated design engineer named Justin. I feel bad for the new guy because I've already done most of the "explore Charleston" things that make newcomers fall in love with the city. Still, we went downtown last weekend to walk the Battery and see the beautiful houses on their flagstone walks. 

The character of the long, narrow houses with their spacious but hidden backyards always makes me feel warm and happy. Every once in a while, you even get to make a new friend. Like Lucy, who keeps an eye on the neighborhood (and all of its tennis balls). 

As we turned the corner on the battery, Charleston graced us with one of its stunning sunsets over the Ashley river. 

We ended the evening eating at the patio bar of the Blind Tiger on Broad street. The highlight of the meal was our chat with the soft spoken, bow tie wearing southern gentleman who sat next to us. As we got up to leave, he wished us a very sweet "wehl-cum tuh Chaahl-stun."

Thanksgiving Surprise!

It isn't easy to keep secrets in the Fakkema family. The Moms are members of the underground network we've labeled the Syndicate, the Dads keep each other in the loop, and Oma keeps an eye over everything. I was so excited when work offered to fly me home for thanksgiving and I was able to take Auntie KK  up on her offer to make it a surprise (we still call her that, even though all of us can now pronounce Carolyn).

I got to Blaine on Wednesdsay night and was waiting when Mom, Dad, Oma, and Opa arrived. Uncle Dale makes the best blackened turkey, and there was too much pie and cake and whipped cream to follow (hope I still make my bet with Jim!). Ana and I got to decorate two trees the day after Thanksgiving, including the traditional hall-decking at Opa and Oma's house on the Island. Our drive down there also occasioned a stop by the cabin I am thinking of buying - 600sf of cedar-sided, craftsman cuteness in the old family apple orchard!

The weekend ended with a walk home from spending the evening with old high school friends at the pub... some things will never change ;) Early the next morning, Marcus drove me back to the airport and I was on my way back to Chucktown...

Bridesmaids

Sometimes there are friends you don't see for years on end but somehow stay close to.  Anne and I were both asked to be bridesmaids in Erin's wedding, which meant me flying home from Charleston (via Tulsa) and Anne flying in from Germany. We timed our flights to arrive at SeaTac  a few hours apart, with Erin coming in on the Bolt Bus a few hours later. Marcus chauffeured us back to Anacortes. We girls chattered nonstop the entire way home, through a stop at the church, and foosball at the pub - until those of us who were suffering jet lag collapsed.

I love these girls!

The next few days are a swirl of laying up carbon fiber, flowers, dinner with friends, shopping, coffee, rehearsals, catching up, hanging out... all things wonderful and home-y. Anne and I decided that we each need a house, one in Germany and one in Washington. Maybe we'll support it by opening a consulting company that does intercultural business training for German and American companies, or companies that do business in both places :)

Erin and John's wedding was on Saturday. Anne introduced me to Store Grocery muffins for breakfast, and then we were off at a breakneck pace to prep, preen, photo, and get in line. The bride was beautiful, the groom was handsome, and bridesmaids and groomsmen were looking sharp. The reception had good food and so many old friends... After the newlyweds escaped and the cleanup was finished, three of us wandered back home for a hot tub and Dad's Basque-style cider (yum!!) and a movie that we didn't make it half way through. Perfect exhaustion!

I think I had the handsomest date there :)

Anne and I both flew out the following Monday. We aren't totally sure when we'll see each other again, but plans are in the works for an escapade on her side of the pond next summer. After all, now it's my turn to visit!

Tulsa Stopover

I was priviledged to fly home in November for my good friend Erin's wedding, getting to have my friend Anne from Germany stay with me (and be a bridesmaid, too!), and have a stopover with my extended family in Tulsa. Does it get any better?

Luke picked me up in that same old beat up Ford Ranger we rolled in high school. From there, it was the same old routine - cook with C, play with Miss Magoo, shoot guns, plan for when everyone moves back to the beautiful Northwest, build a wood storage rack in the backyard out of stuff stacked in the backyard, walk with Cabree...

There's something beautiful about being with family. The feeling of hanging up your everyday mask at the door, slipping into your lazy day sweats and not brushing your hair, and being free to casually toss your dreams and ambitions against the steady sounding boards of people who truly know you.

Luke and Miss Magoo - I wish I would have waited a second and gotten C in the photo!

a Sunday Drive up the coast

Today I learned that there is a reason that we are always going south to Savannah or east to Georgia, rather than up the coast. I heard all about Myrtle Beach from people in NYC, but really wasn't sure why it was so special... the beaches in Charleston are pretty cool, right?

So, we started driving north. One stop in Georgetown for watery coffee, and on the road again.

Georgetown Waterfront

Turns out, Charleston beaches are missing one thing. Glam. Glitz. Bling. That sun-bleached, faded out, echo of last decade's flare. The entire town had that overwhelming feeling of being worn out by people who were there to use it for their week of excess and then discard it.

Not to say that we didn't enjoy it... not even overt consumerism can ruin that wonderful feeling of barefoot wanders on the strand.