Update from Saratoga, Spring 2007

Pat writes:
We have all been busy. Mary graduated from the "Saratoga Leadership Program" which is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. She then ran for the Board of Education. Although she didn't win (there were 6 candidates) she did very well for a beginner with 960 votes. Better luck next time!

In sports... Brennan has been playing AAU basketball and averages about 18 points a game.





Shannon is on the YMCA swim team and will be cheerleading for Pop Warner Football in the fall.





I go to a Pilates class on Mondays and Osteo Prevention class on Wed. and Friday.

I went on a nice trip with my "Red Hat Society" friends to the Shelburne Museum in Vermont May 23. It was a perfect day for walking around the grounds. A good time was had by all.

Patrick receives confirmation

Patrick received the sacrament of Confirmation on Sunday, May 6, at Our Lady of Fatima parish in Yonkers. Patrick and 34 other young men and women were confirmed by Bishop Ignatius Catanello.

Patrick was sponsored by his sister Vivien. His parents, Ted and Kathy, and his sister Genevieve attended, along with his grandparents Ted and Celestine and his Uncle Dan, who is also his godfather.

Double digit birthday for Christopher

Christopher celebrated his 10th birthday on May 5, 2007. As part of the festivities "he had a couple of friends sleep over Saturday night but there was very little sleeping on their part," reports his mom, Cathy.

Shown here in his current school portrait, Christopher is a busy guy these days. In Cub Scouts, he's a 2nd year Webelos, getting ready for the move up to Boy Scouts. "We have lots of camping trips coming up this spring," Cathy says.

"Also he is playing saxophone in the school band and continues to take piano lessons. He was also in the chess club at school this year." Christopher is an avid reader, and enjoys TV and computer games in his spare time.

Talent showcased at school art shows

The Scotch Plains-Fanwood (N.J.) School District Art Festival was held April 25 at the high school. Two pieces by Christine were shown, both stemming from art class assignments: The drawing above, of a dragon made from pencils of various sizes, and a self-portrait incorporating words and phrases of self-description.

The next day, April 26, Towson (Md.) High School held its own exhibit of student work in fine art and photography from the art department. Each student mounted a portfolio of his or her work for display. The show filled the entire gymnasium. Lizzie, a senior, took a first prize for one of her pieces. Grandfather Hugh writes that "Grandmother Dolores was particularly proud. She was also very impressed with the overall quality of the work."

Visiting the Liberty Memorial Museum

Hugh and Dolores this spring visited Kansas City, where the attended the Assembly of the National Academy of Needlearts. While there, they visited the Liberty Memorial Museum. Hugh provides this account.

FLASHBACK: Christmas 2006 in Yonkers

Scenes from the annual gathering at Lorraine and Dan's house in Yonkers. Enjoy!

More teeth! More smiles!

Xander helps Dad compose a tune

Xander marked his half-birthday on April 4 and has come a long way in his first six months. He now has 8 teeth - four top, four bottom - is trying out so-called solid food (strained peas, yum!) and likes his new high chair. The teeth help give him that grown-up-looking smile.

"He's getting better at sitting up," his mom, Marie, said on April 24. "He can play with toys for a short time before he topples."

Read the full article and see more photos in Xander's gallery.

The strange tale of the enterprising barber

Genevieve was assistant director of a recent production of Sweeney Todd by the Melodramatics Theater Company, an independent student organization at Cornell University.

The musical ran April 11-21 at Cornell's Risley Theater.

Click here to read an article about it in the Cornell Daily Sun. Or here for an article at 14850 Today, a Web site covering Ithaca.

Martial arts: Andy moves up a belt

Andy succeeded in winning promotion from Orange Belt to Green Belt in the martial art of Tae Kwon Do on April 19, 2007.

Under the demanding eye of Master Yoo at the Martial Arts Institute of America school in Scotch Plains, Andy performed admirably to win his new belt and a trophy. Here he demonstrates his forms at home after his promotion.

Continental Congress on school stage

The School of the Holy Child in Rye, N.Y. presented the musical "1776" April 13-14, with Vivien in the role of South Carolina's lead delegate to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.

The production was "great, terrific," and Vivien's performance was "fabulous," according to one critic. Well, more like a fan. OK, a mom.

Vivien adopted a Southern accent for the role, which includes a dramatic solo song, "Molasses to Rum." In the song, Rutledge attacks the hypocrisy of Northern delegates who rail against slavery yet profit from the "triangle trade" in "moasses and rum and slaves."

The Journal-News newspaper carried a feature article previewing the show. It quoted Vivien as saying her role "was a really big challenge at the beginning, but I'm getting to enjoy it more and more."

The strange tale of the enterprising barber

Genevieve was assistant director of a recent production of Sweeny Todd by the Melodramatics Theater Company, an independent student organization at Cornell University.

The musical ran April 11-21 at Cornell's Risley Theater.

Click here to read an article about it in the Cornell Daily Sun. Or here for an article at 14850 Today, a Web site covering Ithaca.

An Easter/Birthday gathering

Various members of the clan stopped by the Yonkers homestead on Sunday April 8 to mark the Easter holiday and continue celebrating Dad/Grandpa's birthday, which was April 7. See the full article with more photos.

NY-ers visit Florida in March

Back in mid-March, Nanette and her family were visited by her cousin Kathy and her children. Kathy's daughter Genevieve sent us this photo of the get-together. From right to left: Genevieve, her sister Vivien, brother Patrick, Kathy, Nanette, Nanette's mother Anamarie, Nanette's daughter Courtney and Courtney's boyfriend, Chad.

"We spent the day with Aunt Anamarie," Genevieve reports. "She drove us around and brought us to Nanette's turtle center, where things are really coming together and they'll be ready for their big move soon. We enjoyed looking at the turtles.

"Later in the day, Courtney came home from school and Nanette arrived back home from Ft. Lauderdale. We all went to dinner at the Four Seasons where we were staying, and Chad joined us.

"It was great to see everyone again -- I hadn't seen Courtney in years. Hopefully another reunion is in store for this summer, if Nanette and Courtney have the chance to visit Shelter Island."

FLASHBACK: 2006 - Holiday concert at Park MS

The student newspaper of Park Middle School recently published 8th-grader Christine's account of the 7th & 8th grade chorus and band's Winter Concert held at the school before the Christmas holidays.

Click here for an audio file of the "Carol of the Bells" as performed at the concert.

Read Christine's account as printed in the Park Press.

Dolores and the art of needles

Dolores enjoyed some exciting and rewarding professional needleart activities in early 2007. In February, she was part of the judging team at Woodlawn Plantation, south of D.C. near Mount Vernon, to judge the largest, oldest Needlework Exhibit in the U.S. “It was a most enjoyable experience, judging about 500 pieces of extraordinary work,” Dolores writes. “However, it was memorable for another reason: driving there and being there, around our February ice storm was a real challenge!”

The committee invited Dolores to return during the show to demonstrate embroidery techniques. That trip was on a lovely, warm spring day, with no ice at all. People from all over the country attended, watched her work and asked questions -- and possibly someone decided to try stitching some day.

Dolores and other members of the Embroiderers Guild of America conducted a Children’s Needlework Tea and Workshop at the Maryland Historical Society, in conjunction with the opening of a major exhibit at the Society of “School Girl Samplers.” Girls aged 6-9 attended, with moms and grandmoms, to enjoy tea, cookies, and peanut and jelly sandwiches and learn to do a few simple stitches on a bookmark. “It was fun for all, and especially delightful to see our students 'turned' to stitching,” Dolores said.

Laughing and dancing

In an annual tradition, Dan and Christine attended their hometown Girl Scout Father-Daughter Dance on March 29, 2007. Two dances are held each year, one for Brownies and their dads, the other for older Girl Scouts and their fathers. For Dan and Christine this was their seventh year attending one of the dances.



As in past years Christine had a great time on the dance floor, sometimes with friends (as pictured) and other times with her ol' Dad. This year the event for older scouts (mostly middle-school-age) was held at a local catering hall, which contributed a full buffet dinner -- a nice step up from the sub sandwiches of past years. But of course the important part of the event is not the food; it's the chance for some quality time for dads and daughters. And on that basis it's been a big success every year.

New Scout completes first camping trip

Andy went on his first Boy Scout overnight camping trip in March as a new member of Troop 33.

The troop headed up early on the morning of March 24 to Alpine Scout Camp, in northeastern New Jersey along the Palisades.

After setting up camp, Andy set out with his and another patrol for a day of hiking. The plan was for the younger scouts to take one route while older scouts took a longer route. But there was a bit of a mix-up, and it seemed that the younger group, including Andy, took the long route. Tiring, but a lot of fun, Andy says.

They followed one trail that wound down the from the ridge of the Palisades to the bank of the Hudson River below, where they had a picnic lunch beside the Alpine Boat Basin. Then they hiked south along the river a couple of miles to another trail that climbed back to the top of the cliffs, and finally back north to their starting point.

Back at last at the campsite, the troop built a campfire, cooked dinner, and then put on a series of skits before retiring to their tents for the night. There was a bit of rain during the night but fortunately nothing heavy.

The trip wound up next morning with breakfast and breaking camp. Andy said some of the leaders remarked that this camp-out had more work and hiking, and less fun and games, than some of the troops trips, and perhaps wasn't the easiest introduction for new Scouts. But Andy enjoyed himself and is looking forward to future trips with Troop 33.

Andy just recently moved up from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts. Having earned his Arrow of Light award, he qualified to bridge up to Boy Scouts before turning 11. He was scheduled to receive the award patch at his pack's annual Blue and Gold dinner on March 16; unfortunately the dinner was postponed by a sleet storm and is now scheduled for late April. Meantime, at a Troop 33 Court of Awards on March 27, he received his Scout badge as he begins his Boy Scout career.

Here's Andy (2nd from right) with members of his Webelos den after participating in a Pinewood Derby in February 2007, just before moving up to Boy Scouts.

Marie, Brian and Xander back in California

Editor's note: This was the lead article on the home page when The Birch Street Web debuted in March 2007.

After an eventful 10 months in Sparks, Nevada, Marie and Brian moved back to California in February along with young Alexander. They found a very nice duplex rental in Morgan Hill.

"We're really loving our new house," Marie writes. "It's a huge step up from anywhere else we've rented. All the fixtures and appliances are nice and new."

Brian and Marie are now taking a larger role in the family business, Regal Ribbons, which has its shop in the same town. "Bridal season is starting, so work has been very busy," Marie writes. "We're doing well, and Brian is very happy with the work environment."

Brian worked for Regal Ribbons previously before going to work as a printer for Block Graphics in Paso Robles, Calif. It was Block that later closed that plant and transferred Brian to a new plant in Sparks. However, the company was then sold, and the Sparks plant was never properly staffed; Brian was its mainstay, and as soon as he gave notice that he was leaving, the owners decided to close the Sparks plant.

Of course the highlight of their brief residence in Sparks was the birth of Alexander on Oct. 4. As he approaches the 6 month mark, "Xander is getting really big," his mom reports.

"He's a little over 16 pounds now and wearing 6 and 9 month sized clothes." His top front teeth are starting to come in, too. These two photos are from early February.

Friends and family can get more information by contacting the Birch Street Web.