BRRR! It sure felt like winter on December 1st when the Down East Yacht Club gathered at the Holiday Inn in Bath for the annual Christmas Party. No snow, but frigid temperatures—16°F—brought out the Christmas sweaters and holiday ties as friends greeted friends at the Happy Hour. The decorated trees in the dining room were merry and bright, complimented by red poinsettias and white tablecloths. However, nothing could outshine the cheery camaraderie shared by old (well, long-time) friends and new!

Lucky for us, the registration table was situated inside, but Sandy and Karen Young braved the blustering winds at the Ship's Store in the front lobby! Later, though, they moved their enterprise inside where Brenda Blake could model the merchandise in warm, toasty comfort. There are some great new items including DEYC dog collars and some neat shell ornaments handmade by Davey Shorey.

Like last year, the buffet was superb. We enjoyed a steamship round, chicken and fish, potatoes, vegetables and a great tossed salad. Some of us even had seconds instead of the harvest crisp for dessert.

After dinner, Commodore Dick Wood thanked Scott and me for hosting this event. It is very doable when everyone pitches in and Joe Byrnes and his staff at the Holiday Inn are so accommodating. We had four Ship's Store gift certificates to present, so we rounded up all the commodores, past and present, in attendance to do the honors. Winning tickets were drawn by P/Cs Bill George, Bob McCarthy, and Shirley Geoffrion, and Commodore Dick Wood.

Tom and Laura Blake had a chance to explain the details for the Sugarloaf Ski Weekend scheduled for February 8-10, 2008. There will be a newsletter coming with information and lodging choices, but it all begins on Friday night with a BYOB and appetizers at the Blakes' camp in Sugar Ridge. Dinner on Saturday night will be at Longfellow's Restaurant in Kingfield where there will be three menu choices and lots of fun, we're sure. Maybe there will even be some skiing that weekend!

Enjoy the rest of your holiday season, wherever you may be celebrating. Remember to check out our DEYC Web site and, if you're thinking of new members for the FUN Club, print the sponsorship forms right off the website. Cheers, and if we don't see you, Happy New Year!