I enjoyed an uneventful flight to Maryland last Thursday – got my preferred seat, and (despite the announcement that the plane would be full) the one empty seat on the plane turned out to be the middle one next to me.  With help I was able to connect my wireless earphones to my laptop, and watched a movie – at least the first part; unfortunately my (fully charged) laptop ran out of juice before the movie ended.

 

The weather that Andy & Sandy ‘arranged’ for my visit <g> has been delightful – not hot, and the humidity level isn’t even noticeable. I will say that EVERYTHING is very green here.

Saturday was somewhat involved (Emily would have been a great asset planning the D-Day invasion) but everything went off without a hitch.   She needed Ed away from the house in order to set up the surprise, so he started his morning here, when we enjoyed a bagels/lox brunch with 4 of the kids.  When he left to take Charlie and Harry to    rendezvous with a cousin, Maggie and Greta stayed here until Aunt Rachel came by later to collect them

And why take the stairs down to watch a movie when you can ride the elevator?

The boys dropped off Ed for his birthday massage, and Emily picked him up later, ostensibly taking him out for a birthday dinner at a surprise venue.  Meanwhile she had been busy all day, supervising the set up of their backyard for the party, which had 120 invitees. 

There was a Grateful Dead tribute band,

 

plenty of shaded seating for when it was time to eat,

and a tie-dying station.

 

The face painter created a lot of lovely designs, 

though Harry’s wasn’t the only artistry that frightened Greta.

Their pool was a happening place most of the day with so many kiddos there  –

and there were lifeguards on duty to take the pressure off the parents.

The large yard had lots of activities from which to choose.

Ed had no idea they were actually back at the house (where the street was lined with all the guests’ cars) because she had blindfolded him for the drive.

 

Ed was truly surprised!

Sunday was another bagel/lox brunch, with my cousin Rachelle & Bob, and 101yo Uncle Allen. (Wish I'd gotten a picture with him!) He continues to do great: still 100% ‘all there’, walks totally unaided (and faster than I do), and still practically breaks a rib when he hugs me.  Sadly his hearing is bad, and now his eyesight has begun to fail. 

 

Monday included a trip to the cemetery to visit Mom & Dad.

Tuesday we rode the Metro down to DC where Rachelle, a docent at the Holocaust Museum, treated us to a private tour.  Though I’ve been there numerous times it had been a while, and of course it’s always a moving experience.

 

The soldiers in this photo with Eisenhower, who had certainly seen their share of the horrors of war, all appear shell-shocked by what they encountered when they entered the camps.

Today has been pretty laid back.  While Andy taught his first class of the semester (he’s teaching Evidence again at the law school) Sandy and I zoomed The Only Winner in War is Medicine (from The Smithsonian) which we both found fascinating and thoroughly enjoyed.

  Tomorrow we’ll head to the beach for more relaxing – and, of course, crabs!