Happy New Year!

 Every year we have a family party on New Year's Eve.  We serve fancy hors d' eurves horsderves hordeveres appetizers, and sparkling cider.  We count down to midnight in another time zone (this year it was Paris!), we watch the fireworks from Sydney (thank you, YouTube), and then we watch a Cirque de Soliel show (thank you, Netflix).

This year, shortly after Christmas, Leena suggested that we do a masquerade party.

I opted for pirate.  Completely independently, the Emperor went for pirate, too.  I'd claim he stole my idea, but if he were stealing stuff, it would make him more piratey than me.

 Leena was a medieval damsel.  This was a late switch from archer, when that costume proved too difficult.

Me: Don't you need a bow?

Leena: Why would I need a bow?

Me: Well, don't archers have bows?

Leena: I've never seen an archer wear bows.  They wear a pointy green hat with a feather.

Well, she made a great damsel, anyway!

 Moving right along, Choclo was a knight, and Oob was a king.  We are terribly proud of the king cape, although you can't see much in the picture.  I taught Leena how to use the sewing machine, and she sewed on the "ermine" trim.

Klenda was the Guardian of the Forest.  She designed and sewed her costume in secret (by hand!) and it looked fabulous!

 Mxyl was the Doctor (yes, that is a sonic screwdriver he's holding: he made it from a kit he got for Christmas!), and Zorg is a robot (but not a cyberman).

Unbelievably, we had, not one, but two adults drop by unexpectedly while we all dressed up.  They were both quite surprised.

What can you do except say, "Arrrrrrr!"

And, "Happy New Year!"