Tue, 21 Dec 2004 23:59:59 -800

Every year, there is a parade of
Christmas Ships
that sails up and down the Willamette and Columbia rivers in Portland. They
are a bunch of powerboats that erect colorful lighted signs on their boats
for all to enjoy. This was the fiftieth year that they had run this parade,
so I figured that I ought to go see them. Unfortunately, I foolishly waited
until the last day of the parade, when they went *upriver* from where I could
see them. Alas, I got there ten minutes after the 19:00 launch, and all I
saw were seven tiny blobs of light floating up the river. Blast!