On Thursday evening, September 20, 2012, Nancy and Gary Bennett helped Al and I celebrate his 93rd birthday at the Horse Inn in Lancaster.

We were delighted to learn the details of Elly’s acceptance of a one year clerkship in the United States Court of Federal Claims with Judge Charles F. Lettow  in Washington, DC, beginning in the week of August 19, 2013. She expects to get her law degree in May 2013, and take her bar exam that summer. Her offer of a position at Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen and Hamilton in Washington, DC, will be postponed until the following year.

She is enjoying her semester in London and learning about the European Union law systems. They have three day weekends to travel, and last weekend she and John went to Dublin to visit a family that Elly had baby sat for in high school in Lancaster and who had moved to Ireland.

I updated my iMac desk top with these recent photos. They greet me every time I waken it from sleep and remind me of our many blessings

Jilll and David Staggert, with Ben and Jacob, David’s grandchildren.

Anna and Mike Himes, with Ryan, Molly, and Leela,

and

Becky and Dan Shirer, with Evy, Barby’s grandchildren.

Michael and Rachel Lassman, with Henry and Dillon

and

Jaime and Amy Lassman, with Jack and Reed, Nancy’s grandchildren.

My cup runeth over.

Al and I were delighted on Sunday, September 9, 2012, to have Suzy and Fran, Andy and Meghan Talarowski from Philadelphia here at Willow Valley for Sunday dinner and a great afternoon of family conversation.

Meghan is starting her second year of graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania in Landscape Architecture, and in our tour of the court yard she especially liked the wisteria area.

She is pleased with her schedule this year, which includes a trip to New Mexico to study desert aspects for her studio project, and to San Francisco to visit family and friends later in September.

When we returned to our apartment we discussed their summer’s activities, which included several weeks in Japan, a week at the shore with Fran’s family, moving to a new apartment, and canning lots of tomatoes.

The pleasure she showed with the quarts and pints of her efforts reminded me of my Dad’s Mother, Ma, showing Mother and me, as a child, the shelves in her basement full of her summer’s canning.

Andy is studying for another exam at Ace Insurance Company in Philadelphia on October 31. As an actuary specializing in workmen’s compensation he was in Atlanta, Georgia, on a business trip and just missed Suzy, who was there for her job as Executive Director of the Engineers Club of Philadelphia.

Fran is still enjoying teaching math at Springfield High School, and part time at Widner College. The four of them went hiking over Labor Day weekend, and their pleasure in each others company is a joy to behold.

On Friday, August 31, 2012, Al helped Nancy and Gary Bennett prepare five dozen ears of corn for freezing.

It has become a tradition in the family to try to have your own frozen corn for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.

At 12:30 on the same day I met Anna and Mike’s family at the North Museum at 400 College Avenue, Lancaster. Ryan turns 11 in November and is entering fifth grade. Molly, who will be 7 on September 26, starts first grade, and 4 year old Leela  will be in preschool several days a week.

In the Living Animals area they saw a Blue-tongued Skink, and had the opportunity to touch it.

The Ball Python took a little more courage

Molly and Leela investigated the many boxes of exhibits, and Ryan was attracted to the bees outside the window.

Mike the engineer taught him about gears and astronomy, and a fun afternoon was had by all. I enjoyed the opportunity to see great grandchildren play and learn where I had taken seventh grade students when I taught math at Garden Spot from 1963 to 1970.