Covering activities from July – September, 2006.
Betsy, Joe, Sara and Kristen made their first return east from Colorado just after July 4. To celebrate, and show off our Pfefferkorn house for Barb’s extended family of “Chinese” aunties and uncles — the old Fisher cohort of China hands — we hosted a brunch on Saturday, July 8. It was pretty much the only time we would clean the house up enough to have them over or could convince them to make the trip into the wilds of the Maryland countryside. As it was, Auntie Mary, Auntie Jessie and the Irelands thought they were journeying to the far side of the moon to get to our house. We also invited Ann Walters who brought along Luke, and Leslie Stafford who brought along Emery.
Aunties Jessie O’Neill and Mary Dean 
Jim and Mary Ellen Ireland with Betsy 
Ann Walters and Jim Ireland 
Leslie and Auntie Mary 
Joe and Betsy 
…and Sara! 
Jessie is just a little skeptical of Joe’s story 
Luke, Mary and Jessie 
The indoor crew, and a quasi-tidy house
There was also an outdoor crew on the deck. The Aunties did a fine job of circulating. Our brunch centered on smoked salmon and bagels, deviled eggs, some fresh fruit and other goodies including little brownies. Mary Ellen Ireland threw off our portion estimates by taking a lot more salmon than Barb expected, but somehow we made it through.
David Dean and Jim Ireland 
Mary Ellen Ireland and Uncle David 
Barb, Sara, Mrs. Ireland (and salmon) 
…and Leslie
We set up an escape hatch for the kids upstairs where they could eat and watch movies. This was in the days when we had a couch and functioning TV and VCR upstairs.
Allie and Kristen helped make brownies 
Escape room for the kids, including movies for Emery 
Leslie and Emery not wanting to go upstairs 
Sara and Luke hanging out 
Ann and Barb commiserate after the Aunties left
Emery stayed that night for a sleepover with Allie and Kristen. They took over Allie’s room with sleeping bags and sofa cushions. Sara had the rest of the sofa while Betsy and Joe were in the guest room. A fine time was had, I believe.
The next day, we headed into Baltimore for a day at the Inner Harbor. The weather was chilly for July but we had a good time exploring, culminating in a crabcake lunch at the Rusty Scupper. This restaurant right on the harbor is a venerable Baltimore tourist destination; our meal was better than I expected but we’ve never been back.
The deck outside the restaurant made a good spot for some family photos.
It was also a good spot for our goofball girls to mug for the camera a bit.
Before leaving, Joe helped tidy up. It was his first introduction to swiffing. He was a natural, and whistled a happy tune while he worked.
On July 28, Barb took Allie and Paige to “Operation Secret Slumber,” a Center for Talented Youth sleepover event at the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC. All three girls had a great time at the event, marred only by having to sleep near a display that played Vera Lynn’s “The White Cliffs of Dover” over and over. Barb couldn’t find a plug and ended up somehow pulling the radio out of the display. The next day, I came down with Paige’s mom and the adults toured the museum while the girls finished the program.
Getting ready for the sleepover at home 
Orientation at Operation Secret Slumber 
Group project in the morning 
That same weekend, Barb and Allie headed out to Dan and David’s place at Dewey Beach, Delaware, where they met Pepper and got some sun.
Allie returned to the Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts, Toby’s Summer Performing Arts Camp where she was a “featured performer” in productions of Seussical and Schoolhouse Rock.
At some point, no doubt through the Barbizon people or Allie’s erstwhile agent, we were talked into getting a professional photo portfolio. I took her to Tim Coburn’s studio in Baltimore and was told in no uncertain terms that I needed to leave for the duration of the 2-3 hour shoot. I left very reluctantly, not wanting to leave my 10-year old daughter alone with this photographer and couple of assistants. They proceeded to doll her up in makeup and a succession of different clothes which we had brought. I don’t think Allie was physically or psychologically scarred by the episode, but I was, a bit. Neither Barb or I were pleased by the resulting photos though that’s certainly not Allie’s fault. We just felt they didn’t really look like the girl we knew. I’m not sure we ever knew exactly how Allie felt about them.
On August 10, Allie finished this PowerPoint project, The Allie Files, collecting various photos of friends and family. I don’t remember working on it with her, therefore I’m thinking it was part of a summer camp, either through the Center for Talented Youth or Howard County Community College. Either way, it showed better familiarity with PowerPoint transitions than I had at that point.
On August 16 we headed to San Francisco to start a two-week West Coast vacation that took us north along the coast to Oregon. It was an excellent driving trip.
Golden Gate 
Union Square, San Francisco 
Yosemite 
Oregon Dunes
The next weekend after returning from the West Coast, we made a Labor Day visit to Philadelphia to see Laurie and Maggie and some of the city’s many historical sights. We had never properly been to Independence Hall or seen the Liberty Bell. This was our big chance. We took tours of each, and wandered more of downtown Philadelphia, including the Benjamin Franklin Museum and the famous steps, at least, of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Independence Hall 
Another fine day in Philadelphia 
Ready for the tour 
The tour begins 
Some of us are learning 
Others think we know it all 
Maryland!
Da Liberty Bell 
Constance, the Constitution Cow 
Our Hamilton 
We stayed for a couple of nights at a downtown suite hotel, I think maybe the Hampton Inn. Laurie and Maggie met us there where we took these pictures together. We went to several nice dinners…but I’ve lost track of the restaurants. We made a pilgrimage to introduce Allie to proper cheesesteaks at Pat’s, though not with Laurie and Maggie. It was a fine little Labor Day getaway combining many of our favorite things: Laurie, Maggie, a little history, a little walking, and lots of good food.
To start Middle School at GCS, Allie and her class went on an overnight expedition. Allie took a camera and this becomes a test to see how many of her buddies’ names we can remember. Allie can fill in any other details of the trip she can recall.
We recognize Allie 
Miss Maragakis and Sydney 
Saraniya and Kevyn Ann 
??? 
Sammi 
Erin and Ellen 
??? and Sammi 
The next day was a bus ride to somewhere with rocks to climb and rappel.
Syndey and others boarding the bus 
On the bus…no photos please 
Allie and an instructor getting ready to climb? 
The task at hand 
Ellen sees no evil 
Erin 
Jess and others 
???, Kevyn Ann, Ellen, ???
While Allie was gone, we got some well-earned rest at home.
At the end of September, we invited Ellen Moxley to join us on a weekend in Williamsburg, Virginia. We started with a visit to Busch Gardens.
Give Barb anything that spins 
On Saturday we visited Colonial Williamsburg and did the usual touristy tropes. We had fun, but I’m not sure how much anybody really learned.
That evening we found another ride for Barb. I can’t remember if this was back at Busch Gardens or somewhere else. Not Colonial Williamsburg.
On Sunday, we headed to Jamestown for a different dash of history; technically we visited the Jamestown Settlement museum. We most enjoyed the replica of the Susan Constant, one of the ships that brought early settlers.
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