A most meaningful Mother’s Day celebration began on Friday evening, May 10, 2013, when David and Janet Best arrived about 4 PM at Willow Valley from Rochester, NY, for our usual Friday dinner with Nancy Bennett. Gary was spending the week helping Geoff Bennett paint the exterior of his Abington house. Nancy met Elly Bennett’s train from Washington, DC on Saturday morning at Aberdeen, MD, so she could work in Lancaster on her take-home final exam of her law school years.

David and Janet picked us up about 11 AM on Saturday and drove us to Andy and Meghan Talarowski’s new house at 4800 Springfield Avenue in the U. of Penn/West Philly area of Philadelphia.

Paul Ruskin from State College and Anna and Mike Himes family from Allentown had arrived about noon and joined Meghan’s relatives from California who had arrived last Thursday for her Penn commencement next Monday. Matt came by train from New York City.

 

 

 

 

 

We arrived about 1 PM and Suzy took us on a tour of the new house.

 

 

 

 

She was delighted to deliver the contents of Andy’s Havertown bedroom to the new house, including his childhood toys, which Molly and Leela Himes devoured.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The potluck lunch and barbecue were delicious, and we enjoyed eating on the back porch in the enclosed back yard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meghan’s brother Bobby Pecaut’s family and cousins basked in the sunshine. The studio professor at PennDesign introduced himself to me and explained how much he appreciated Meghan in his classes. He was responsible for the trip to Zimbabwe which was part of her class.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoyed the chance to chat with Meghan’s parents, Jon and Maryanne Pecaut, who we met at Yosimite, and with Fran’s sister, Paula Kendrick. Fran made traditional presentations of bread, salt, and wine as housewarming gifts, and we had a wonderful time immersed in family conversations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was good to watch the kids play around a house that must have seen many generations of children having fun on its lawns.

 

About 3 PM were about ready to return home when Geoff, Amanda, and Gary appeared from Abington. It was a great conlusion to a beautiful day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paul took us back to Willow Valley, dinner, and an early bed time. We were exhausted but exhilarated after a wonderful family day.

On Monday, May 13, Elly Bennett came to Willow Valley for lunch and to say goodbye before returning to Washington for commencement on May 19. It was a fitting conclusion to one of the best possible Mother’s Days.