A multi-occasion celebration in Maryland

Dolores and Hugh hosted a family dinner last weekend to celebrate multiple birthdays, anniversaries and other occasions in the middle months of the year.

It was Dolores' idea to have a July get-together to mark the month's significant dates - her birthday (7/11), Lisa's birthday (7/9), Dan and Julie's anniversary (7/8) - plus events from:

• May - Stephanie's master's degree, Lisa and Doug's anniversary, Wren's birthday
• June - Hugh and Dolores' anniversary, Christine and Jamie's move east
• August - Andy's upcoming birthday

The result was a very enjoyable dinner-for-twelve at The Fireside restaurant in H&D's senior-living community.

Grandchildren fill Kathy's summer home

All six of Kathy's grandchildren were on Eastern Long Island in July, making for some lively times in her summer home.

Liam carefully constructs, then	deconstructs, a block tower.

The gathering happened as Kathy's daughter Vivien, son-in-law CJ, and their three boys - Charlie, Austin and Oliver - were just back in the USA after more than three years in London. They would soon be settling into their new home in White Plains.

Dan and Julie visited for a few days, staying at Ye Olde Fair Play Cottage, and joined the crowd at Kathy's Place for a Friday evening pizza party. Above: D&J with Kathy, Robert, Genevieve and Vivien. (Both John and CJ were at work in NYC that day.) Photo by Beatrice. 

Below: D&J with (back row) Charlie, Liam, Genevieve, (front L to R) Bea, Kathy, Jack, Austin, Vivien. (Oliver was asleep at this point in the evening.) Photo by Robert.

All this against the backdrop of another glorious sunset over the water behind the house.