2009 Second Half

After our return from China with the Speizmans on June 21, I embarked on my new role as VISTA for FIRST in Maryland. My first milestone was a four-day VISTA bootcamp in Philadelphia starting July 14. I was able to wander a bit around Philadelphia on my own, including a seeing the outside of the …

2009 First Half

The year started with a New Year’s Open House at our place on January 3. There were no photos taken at the time but we have proudly saved this fine decoration that Allie made for the event. The plate was a leftover centerpiece from the previous GCS auction. A couple of days later, there was …

2008 Second Half

Barb and I continued to celebrate our 50th birthdays and our 25th anniversary. Allie started 8th grade at GCS. It continued to be a big year. Allie spent two weeks in early July at a JHU CTY class, Whodunit? Mystery and Suspense in Literature and Film, at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. I think she …

2008 First Half

Barb and I got ready to celebrate our 50th birthdays and our 25th anniversary. Allie continued with 7th grade at GCS. It was a big year. We started the new year with an open house party for friends and neighbors at our house on January 5. I think this was the second of these annual …

2007 Second Half

Allie returned from Australia on July 12. We were delighted to have her back and hear all the stories of her travels. But no rest for the weary! On August 11, the three of us headed off on a vacation in Italy, starting with a one-day layover in London. See details in a separate post …

2007 First Half

Allie was in 6th grade, middle school at GCS. We gave the first of what proved to be a short-lived tradition of inviting friends and neighbors to a post-New Year’s open house. It was a nice idea: it forced us to clean up the house, it was a good chance to meet our expanding list …

George

George Jacob Jingleheimerschmitt was our little rescue kitty. We weren’t looking to add to our menagerie since we already had Harry Potter and Buster, but nevertheless, George inserted himself in our lives on Sunday, October 8, 2006, the morning of Allie’s 11th birthday party. We had been in our Pfefferkorn house a little over a …