WOke up this morning thinking we’d spend the whole day in Baltimore with  my mom, brothers family and relatives.. went for a run.. came back, packed.. then checked n our flight.. ooops. I had made a late change to a flight segment from munich to Baltimore.. and as a result, United had canceled the last leg from Baltimore to Burlington.   .. and.. all the flights back from baltirmore to burlignton were full..

 

Luckicly, the united people.. were very helpful.. it seemed that  are trying to be particularly friendly this week after last weeks incident about dragging a paying customer off a plane…

 

we were able to find tickets out of Washington dulles.. but we had only an hour an a half to make it.. and a one hour drive.. The good news is.. we made it…  and got hoem to Burlignton aroudn 2..

 

the silver lining was that we were able to get out side with the dogs for a long hike in unaturally warm and humid weather.. It was like an early summer day..  complete with the soudns of life everywhere..

 

listen to these peepers !!

great weekend…

nice to be home

 

nite all. noite sam

-me

Amazingly full day here n Baltimore..  It began with a birth. April the giraffe has been about to give birth for about 2 weeks.  April, who lives near diane’s hometown .. has become a media star as people wait to see her calf.  DIane had been following Aprils projects as had several other folks we know. . Early this morning   Diane got an automated TXT msg that it was almost showtime. Diane, my mom and I watched for about 30 minutes as first two tiny holves, then a nose.. then fonllay the very tiny (for a giraffe) baby

 

It was wonderful to watch.. we knw that at least 1.2 million other folks were watching too !.

 

around noon we went to visiting  our very good friend Vince  in Saverna Park. VInce’s wife.. and our good friend Catherine die d last Wednesday after a tough battle wth cancer.  We’d planned this trip to Baltimore in part to see Catherine just one more time.. but fate did not allow that.

 

It was very good seeing VInce.. we had a good cry and a whole bunch of laughes with Vince, his daughter Jo and his son Kelston and his fiancess Caroline. We also got to sit and spend time with VInce’s so Nick

 

it was sad and fun all at the same time .

our mutal freind Phil called to check on vince from the UK  we had a great facetime chat with him

 

 

we waled down to the river to see Vince’s beautiful boat..  the ‘Ms Prim’ named named after Cahterine

before we knew it , it was 3:30 and we had to zoom  back to the hotel.. to get ready for Pesach…

we got to Ellen’s at around 4:45 .. people were slowly trickeling  in..

I hadn’t been there in decades.. bit the place hadn’t changed !

 

lots of relatives everywhere @

we had the passover service at ellens..

 

here’s mom and billy’s family

 

kate and  her partner kate presided over the service. they started with the lighting of the candles . They duid a great job on the service. they brought in stories ot balance the geneder innequality  and noraly slanted world view of formal religion.

 

we all shared small passover plates.

 

there wqere lots of rweadings and signing..

here are zevi and foster

 

and a bunch o fthe random cousins

 

after the observence, we all walked through the golf green to the country club for the evening meal    Here’s diane and my cousin Nina

here are kate and ben

 

this kid found the aufekomen.. the hidden third peice of matzoh which means she wins somen prize.. not sure what. 

 

again.. lots of people !

a wall of cousins

 

shawn gave me here poleman brecelate.

 

then time for a picture of the whoe cla.. no small feet herding the Katz

 

ok.. I’m having trouble keeping my eyes open.. so I’ll end here

very nice seeing som many family and freinds.. such a mix of emotions today./

hag sameach all.. happy passover

nite all, nite sam

-me

Here in Baltimore with my mishpocha. Mispocha is a wonderful Yiddish word that means ‘more than family’ .. it’s relatives, in laws ex-laws close friends that everyone always assumed were related , neighbors and dogs . I found one translation that said the closest English word in meaning might be ‘clan’

We’re gathered at the houses of my great aunt Ellen.. and her daughter suzy who lives next door .. for their annual huge Passover Seder . That will be tomorrow night . Tonight was just a warm up of eating drinking and catching up.

Ok .. gotta tell more stores tomorrow . Falling asleep as I type

Nite all, nite sam
-me

It’s a really diverse group of folks .. physicists , doctors lawyers, teachers , Artists, dancers

It’s

I got back to my room tonight and was very sad to leanr that our good friend Caatherine ‘Kiki’ Nix passed away thisn morning after a long battle with brain cancer.. it’s strange the use the word ‘battle// Catherine was joyous and funny abotu everyhting she ever did .. even in these last tough years.   I know people often say things liek that when soemoen passes.. .. still i dare you to look at pictures on Catherine’s Facebook page and not come away smiling..

she was/is one of the most smily and funny people I’ve ever met..

 

I can still remember when we met Catherine.. Her acting troupe was presenting ‘Miss Prim’ in a traveling rep. theatre. My good friend Vince had seen the play.. (which was pretty good).. but was really impressed with the huge spread of food after the play (which was REALLY Great).. He invited us.. and our friend Stuart who was visiting from England to see the play again.. and help ourselves to the yummy food afterwards..

The play was great.. and Catherine was so funny in the title role.. We were filling our plates afterwards when the cast came in.. Vince started talking to Catherine.. and the rest is.. as they say.. was history.

VInce and Catherine got married.. and moved back to the UK.. where we saw them many times.. then they moved back tot eh US. We havent seen them much for a couple of decades.. but reconnected in the last couple of years. Lots had happened.. they’d had 2 kids. Nick and Kelston . we’d had three.. much love, fun.. and sadness as all families have had

We visited them last year..

 

Diane and I were hoping to see catherine one last tiem when we were in baltimore this weekend.. When I realized that might be too late, i tried to change my plans to visit last Sunday.. but it was too late for her to have guests

I’m very sad I didnt get to see here one more time.. crack one more joke with her..

but I’ll always remember her laughing anyway

 

bye Kiki.. we love you and miss you

 

nite all, nite sam

-me