It was set to be quite a weekend. We remember the last
wedding in Baltimore that involved the same people and many
previous celebrations of Ben's birthday including
2003
and 2001 birthday and
2001 party
and 2000
with the sad observation that in 2002 my camera was broken and there was
a shortage of new digital cameras.
But, it was clearly time for a celebration or 2, so we got ready to roll.
So we packed the trunk
Suzanne and Sarah did their ritual handshake
and after Suzanne
got in the car, it was wheels up
only 54 minutes late. We hit traffic and so
decided to take a short cut through Haddonfield where this person on the street
was celebrating Jane's history teacher
as we followed the traffic
past the gas station
and back onto the highway.
When we approached the Delaware Memorial Bridge
I
was unhappy as was Suzanne
because the line
was long and we had forgotten our new E-Z Pass
so we didn't feel a little better
as the toll taker
went incognito. We drove on until a pit stop at which we left Sarah
in the car to prevent theft
as Jane acknowledged the culinary choices
and the dress code
before we paid homage
to Maryland's finest. Once inside, Jane
picked the food
and we paid
so that Ben
would feel nourished as we drove on
to the line
at the next toll booth and finally got Baltimore
and the hotel in our sites
where this fine man (grandson of P"53)
gave us one of our rooms with a less than ideal view
of the parking lot. As the girls
got ready to go upstairs, Suzanne called
to see if our other room would ever be ready. The views from Dansyl's
room of the harbor
and the tall ship
were excellent even as Benjamin got his monopoly game
and assembled it
as a way to fight boredom.
Next it was time to get dressed. I failed not once
but twice
to capture myself, so I tried the mirror trick
before deciding that Benjamin could take a better picture of me
before turning to his toes
over which he was watching Georgia Tech take an early lead over OKState
in the game that mattered. Jane appeared and posed with Ben
and then with Suzanne
before Ben
ducked out of the picture and headed for the window
where he posed
and then went further
and further
into the curtains until he was totally obscured
though he did emerge
and use his game
as a decoy as Sarah appeared
and showed her hair
before posing with Suzanne
and taking my picture
as we gathered
for an almost whole family portrait
and then a few of the children with Ben looking bored
then dorky
then sleepy
then bashful
which made us wish that we could remember all seven of the dwarfs.
Downstairs, we ran into Larry
and a reluctant Janet
who eventually got with the plan
as Suzanne, Jane and Ben
sat as DanSyl
and Fran
arrived. Sylvia
had one group
then a larger group
then an even larger group
and then a substitution
gather for photos as Isabel and Peter
joined Larry and Penny
joined Fran. Meanwhile, Sarah and Janet
and Jane and Suzanne
were watching the conversation
before we went into the ceremony and saw Michelle and Jason
and got their attention
before the ceremony began.
After the ceremony, Jane, Fran and Michelle
did the sister thing while Ben
watched until Suzanne joined
for a pair of pictures as I went off to meet Lynn
and Yitz
and chat with Bob
while trying to get the perfect picture
of the most interesting guest, but more on that later.
It was family time with Betsy and Matt
DanSyl
and Dick and Larry posing
before we grew the nuclear family, one
by one
as Jane and Eric
and then Barbara too
watched as Ben and Sarah
led us past Andy, our host,
to our table where the other brothers and wives
were waiting to see if we would join them for the perfect picture
for which, you gentle viewer, can be the judge. Adam and Bonnie
appeared and DanSyl
made Fran and Dick
stir as Rachel and Suzanne posed
for their collection of pictures to the amusement of Janet and Larry
and Dick and Fran
as I showed that my skill at self portraits
had slipped away so that Jane had to join me
and then pose alone
so that Fran
would do the same even as the rest of the table
conversed and Rachel explained something
to Suzanne. It was time for more pictures at our table with Fran and Dick
and a few tries
to get Larry's expression right and then Penny
and Peter
as Sarah and Ben
saw if the three children
could produce a good group picture.
At this point, DanSyl
happened by and chatted with Fran
before posing for pictures with Fran and Dick
then Janet and Larry
and finally Larry and Suzanne
into which PhotoShop may be able to paint this finer face
with more hair. A dark salad
was served as the table engaged in conversation
and Ben decided to see if Larry could amuse him
before the sorbet came
and Ben did variations on his sleeping on the table
which brought Barbara over
to try and massage his back
to energize him or at least Larry and Penny
who led to the dance floor.
Bob and Isabel
dined as Bonnie and Rachel
posed as did Ben, Suzanne and Jane
and Fran, Dick and Janet
while Dick brought Eric to the table of the next generation
so that they could talk man talk with Matt
while I went back to my delicious vegetarian dinner
and walked to the wedding cake
with Sarah who seems to need to show me her body parts feet
then hands
as we gathered her and Ellen together
to see if they were twins when their glasses were off. Ellen and Brian
posed and then we went outside where I captured the others
but missed severely on an attempted profile shot
before getting closer
so that I felt comfortable about having these groups photos
which Eric
took before he took the pictures of my next generation
and I got Dick's family assembled
for a collection of group photos
|
which made me feel like the day was done.
The next morning, our bed
showed the effects of sleep but Janet
and Larry
looked like they needed more though Suzanne
seemed awake as Fran and Sylvia
hugged goodbye. We ventured out
to the street
and crossed to the fountain
so we could take pictures
as we walked through
which amused Larry
but made us realize that it was going to be a cold day.
As others checked out of the hotel
we drove past the Bromo Seltzer clock
inspiring Sarah to do an artistic portfolio
even as the road
distracted but she was soon back
|
with another break
before more orchids
a traffic scene
or more
and more orchids
|
with closeups
of traffic
and even of the seat sticker
then back to orchids
|
before we mercifully parked the car
on the neighbor's grass and headed into the house
where Eric and Barbara
greeted Larry and Janet
as Betsy ate
while Ben played
and Suzanne
and Fran
ate though Dick and Jane (remember reading about them)
posed without baby Sally.
Not to be outdone, Fran
posed with Sarah
though they don't seem to have ever had their own basal reader.
The food,
coffee,
groom's cake,
cookies
and other desserts
amused the crowd
as Bob
and then Sarah and Jane
posed for picture triples before Sarah and Emily
decided to do the twins with glasses pictures.
Meanwhile, our attempt to get a picture of him
was interrupted by the cocktail hot dogs
as Barbara conversed
and Larry approached him
for the group picture
that Dick joined
so that we could have a family portrait.
At this point, Larry and Janet were feeling lonely, so Sarah and Dick agreed
to pose as their children
so that their whole family could be represented at the wedding.
After saying our good byes to Rachel and Toba
we followed this car
whose tags may never have existed as I drove
into the frame
and except for a few required orchid pictures
and a pass of the Gilman School
where we noted that our water
was paid up we got to Betsy's house where we entered
group by group to see a crying baby
and a sleeping baby
and after some discussion
Suzanne and Jack
|
did a major bonding ritual with a break to record the play area
and then more bonding
|
as Sarah and Emma
|
had a bonding ritual of their own though Betsy
interrupted one picture
as Suzanne and Jack
did nothing to amuse Ben
though Pat
seemed happy to see Emma
with Sarah
as Suzanne bounced Jack
and Sarah held Emma
so that the twins
could bond with each other as Dick
tried to capture the image and Jane and Pat
watched
into the darkness. There followed a potpourri of pictures
|
some of which were recorded
against a backdrop
of amusements. This is what they saw
unless they were shooting in this direction
or waiting for Jack to get in his seat
as the girls watched
and Emma got in her seat
for fun
so that we could all watch
and Betsy and Matt
opened the gifts Suzanne had brought (not for them).
Next, the candles were lit
on the birthday cake and Ben
stepped up to the challenge and blew them out
so that we could celebrate
and he could open his gifts
|
before an attempt to get a family picture from afar
and close up
as Fran took
one that looked like this
and the food was served
as Ben did magic toothpick tricks
and I got a good self portrait
before the basketball men appeared
encouraging me to take some self profile pictures
that are among my best. After noting that the creme filled Krispy Kremes
were left, we hit the road, following this Gilman car
to the toll booth
where they charged an exorbitant rate
and then the cheaper toll booth
though Jane
slept through the journey until we got to Market Fair
and I toasted Ben's birthday with pizza
washed down by Diet Snapple
while he had birthday hot dogs
so that we could see the family movie he had picked.
Back at home, Ben turned to the first of the accumulated gifts
while I posed in my raincoat
|
from all sides and Ben continued the process by opening the next gift
and the one after that
|
and yet another
|
and a final gift
|
before declaring it a very active and very enjoyable weekend.
Good life together, Emily and Jim.
Happy birthday Ben
|
Suzanne and Sarah did their ritual handshake
and after Suzanne
got in the car, it was wheels up
only 54 minutes late. We hit traffic and so
decided to take a short cut through Haddonfield where this person on the street
was celebrating Jane's history teacher
as we followed the traffic
past the gas station
and back onto the highway.
When we approached the Delaware Memorial Bridge
I
was unhappy as was Suzanne
because the line
was long and we had forgotten our new E-Z Pass
so we didn't feel a little better
as the toll taker
went incognito. We drove on until a pit stop at which we left Sarah
in the car to prevent theft
as Jane acknowledged the culinary choices
and the dress code
before we paid homage
to Maryland's finest. Once inside, Jane
picked the food
and we paid
so that Ben
would feel nourished as we drove on
to the line
at the next toll booth and finally got Baltimore
and the hotel in our sites
where this fine man (grandson of P"53)
gave us one of our rooms with a less than ideal view
of the parking lot. As the girls
got ready to go upstairs, Suzanne called
to see if our other room would ever be ready. The views from Dansyl's
room of the harbor
and the tall ship
were excellent even as Benjamin got his monopoly game
and assembled it
as a way to fight boredom.
