Sunday, June 29, 2025

Christine & Jamie complete move from LA to new home in NYS

Christine and Jamie have moved back across the country and into a lovely house in Schenectady, N.Y. They closed the sale and got the keys on June 25. 

Parents were on hand to congratulate the new homeowners and help with their move-in. Here next to Jamie and Christine are Jamie's dad, Paul; Christine's parents, Dan and Julie; Jamie's mom, Bonnie, and her husband, Jay. 

The house is a 1960-vintage split-level that's been very well maintained and updated through the years. Its large back yard has a swimming pool and plenty of room for entertaining.

And there's a finished basement that is destined to host many board- and video-game gatherings.

By the time they had been in the house for a couple of hours, the couple's two Bengal cats seemed to be adjusting well to their latest move. They were certainly enjoying their new surroundings more than they did the cross-country plane trip.

C&J spent a couple of nights on an air mattress before their furniture and belongings from their Los Angeles apartment arrived on Friday. By Saturday they were making good progress on unpacking.

More photos coming soon
Previous coverage: Christine and Jamie prepare to move back east

Saturday, June 28, 2025

Andy, Wren and long-time friends play at suburban summer party

For a second year in a row, Andy and Wren and their friends were invited to perform at a "music fest" held in the large back yard of a house in New Jersey's outer suburbs. The homeowners invite family and far-flung friends to gather each summer and share their love of music.

Andy and Wren have been making frequent trips to New Jersey this spring to rehearse with their bandmates - who are friends from their high school marching band days. The lead guitarist (at left above) and his family (his father sits in on keyboards) are friends with the hosts of the event.

Although they played harder rock than any of the other groups at the party, they were well received, and complimented by many of the other musicians. 

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Family and friends celebrate Daisy's 1st birthday

Dozens of family members, neighbors and friends gathered to celebrate Daisy's first birthday. Her parents, Shanna and Rick, hosted the gathering at the Rockland Gaelic Athletic Association on June 8. Here, the guest of honor poses with her big sister Lucy and her parents, Shanna and Rick - plus Shanna's parents and brother, Kevin (above) and Rick's parents and sister, Stephanie (below).

Daisy, whose actual birthday was May 31, was presented with a "smash cake" - which, after a few tentative pokes and licks, she dove into wholeheartedly.

Friday, June 6, 2025

Julie returns as president of her Rotary club

Her arm having been well twisted, Julie will spend the next year as president of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Rotary Club. She was sworn in at a club dinner on June 5, and her term officially begins July 1.

Julie previously served as president of the self-proclaimed "greatest Rotary club in the universe" in 2020-2021 - keeping it operating and continuing its mission of community service despite the pandemic by moving its meetings, fund-raisers and other activities to various online platforms.

Sunday, June 1, 2025

Dan's Class of 1975 feted at Fordham reunion

Class of 1975 group photo. Dan is 3 rows back, 3rd from left.
Dan and Julie attended Fordham University's Jubilee 2025, its annual class-reunion celebration. At a dinner in the Rose Hill campus center on May 30, Dan and the rest of the Class of 1975 were welcomed as the newest members of the Golden (50-year-plus) Rams Alumni Society. More than 40 of Dan's classmates attended, including a handful of old friends he was happy to see.

The event included a brief address by the university's president, Tania Tetlow.

Dan and Julie are seated just outside the right margin of the photo!
Dan decided to go back to campus the next day for a tour of the studios of WFUV - much modernized since his tenure there - plus a "picnic" lunch held in the athletic center due to rain, and a nostalgic walking tour of the campus.