Easy hike, fun party

Lake Whatcom hiking group (picture by Mikey)

It was pretty frigid this morning, when eleven Senior Trailblazers headed out to Lake Whatcom to make an easy out-and-back of six miles total, before attending our annual Christmas party. It's one I wouldn't miss on purpose. The temperature never got above freezing, so we walked at a pretty brisk pace to keep warm. We knew that we wouldn't be stopping for lunch, since we had all brought something to share for the party at Amy's house.

Comparing our long underwear

A discussion emerged on the trail about what we had decided to use to stay warm under our hiking pants, and I was amazed at the variety: polyester, silk, wool, in varying thicknesses. (I'm wearing the pink ones.) We finished around noon, with the sun making a brief appearance before we got back to the cars. This was the best shot I got of the lake, and it shows the sky beginning to clear.

Lake Whatcom

We made our way over to Amy's house to join her and the twenty-some other Trailblazers and family who gathered for our annual potluck. The food was simply amazing, but none of my pictures were in focus or got anywhere to capturing the incredible variety we enjoyed. Many of us dressed up a bit; Karen made herself this incredible jacket, each individual piece, and then put it all together and lined it with silk. I was so impressed!

Karen's coat of many colors

This picture is the best I got of the table. Just picture this food times ten, and you've got an idea of how much we had to eat. Plus we had beer, wine, juice, and coffee. We visited and ate until we couldn't hold any more, and then we helped Amy clean up.

Steve starting the food line

It was fun to see our fellow hikers and their partners, the spouses who stay home while we gallivant around the hills and dales of our beautiful country. In the winter, we stay close to home, but in the summer we get to see breathtaking vistas, which I try to capture on this blog. Today it was all about family, the kind you make from shared activities. Amy asked us to introduce our guests and she thanked us, one and all, for enriching her life with our presence. I feel just the same! And I was given a special thanks, along with a few others, with this gift:

More than a pound of chocolate!

What a fine gift! I think I will be waiting awhile before I open this, since right now any food at all seems to be only remotely appetizing. It never fails that I eat more than I intend at these gatherings, but it was all so good! And I had to try everything, right? It was a great time, and now I can consider my job done for the day. (Will I ever be hungry again?)
:-)