Dan preparing to change jobs

After 12+ years at The Star-Ledger, Dan will be taking a buyout and moving on to a new job.

He'll start in Oct. 12 as an editor at Harrison Scott Publications in Hoboken, which puts out specialized newsletters for professionals in real estate, finance and investment fields.

Dan, NOT at work

Dan says: "It's going to be a big adjustment after nearly 35 years of presenting general news and politics to a wide audience. But working with reporters, helping them develop stories, editing and polishing the copy - all that will be familiar.

"I've been happy at The Star-Ledger, and it will be hard to leave. But the paper is now going through its third phase of cut-backs in the last two years, and I could not pass up this new opportunity."

Dan joined the Ledger in the summer of 1998 and worked in its Trenton and Union County bureaus, then in its Newark newsroom as politics editor before joining the editorial board in November 2008. After starting out in radio news in 1975, he joined The Associated Press in 1977 and spent 21 years in AP jobs in New York, Washington and New Jersey.

With Patrick in goal, Fordham Prep soccer is off to a great start

The Fordham Prep varsity soccer team went undefeated in its first three games this season, thanks in part to Patrick's goalkeeping.

After playing Iona Prep to a 0-0 draw, Fordham Prep shut out Regis and Stepinac, both by 2-0 scores. Pat was credited with three saves in the game against Regis, according to LoHud.com.

The New York Post's report on the Stepinac game said Patrick "made five saves for his third clean sheet, extending his shutout streak to 240 minutes."

Dolores exhibits her 'Art in the Park'

On Saturday Dolores participated in her final outdoor art show for the year at "Art in the Park" in Chestertown, Maryland.

Chestertown is a pretty Eastern Shore town on the banks of the Chester River, a Chesapeake Bay tributary. It is the home of Washington College, one of the oldest in the country.

The show is held in a compact park area in the heart of the town. This year it was blessed with beautiful autumn weather, so a large crowd came out.

Here Dolores is discussing her work with a potential customer.

Christine and Andy in first official marching band show of the season

Looking spiffy in their SPFHS Raider Band uniforms, Christine and Andy took part in the band's first official show of the season, at the high school's football season opener on Saturday.

The band is off to a fine start this year, and everyone's hoping for a great season in the band competitions.

Pastels by Dolores in museum show

This week Dolores delivered two pastel paintings to the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts in Hagerstown, Maryland for inclusion in an exhibit at the museum.

The exhibit will feature works by Signature Members of the Maryland Pastel Society, and will run from September 21 until November 10, with an opening reception on September 26.

Here are images of two of the paintings Dolores is entering.

Further information can be found at the museum web site, or the Pastel Society web site.

Labor Day weekend at the lake and the falls

Cathy, Christopher and Stephanie visited with Cathy's parents, Hugh and Dolores, at Deep Creek Lake, Md., over Labor Day weekend.

Cathy writes:
We were fortunate to have nice cool fall-like weather so we visited some sights while we were there.


Here's a bunch of pictures. We found the llamas hanging out near Schoolhouse Earth gift shop nearby. We did some shopping there too.

Mom wanted to find some of the barns on the "Barn Quilt Tour" that is available in Garrett County. There are about a half-dozen barns in the vicinity that have replica quilt squares on them of various quilt patterns. Mom and Dad have sponsored a new one that should be completed later this fall.

Of course no visit to the Lake is complete without seeing the whale (a big climb-on sculpture behind the Uno restaurant). They have also added giant deck chairs in back of Uno's since we were last there. The kids thought they were a lot of fun.

On Sunday we went to Muddy Creek Falls & Swallow Falls. There was an apple butter festival going on that day. Chris & Stephanie had a blast climbing around on all the rocks. As you can see the water level was quite low.

All in all it was a delightful yet brief trip. We look forward to going again many more times.

Enjoying the waning days of another Long Island summer

On a beautiful Labor Day weekend (unspoiled, as it turned out, by Hurricane Earl), Kathy and Ted, Dan and Lorraine, Brien and Dan squeezed in a little more summer fun to round out the 2010 season in Noyac. Above, they relax after a fine meal at Kathy & Ted's. Below, the guys sail Spindrift on a windy bay.



Here, Brien contemplates the mysteries of the ocean - including why it swiped one of his flip-flops.



Here's a nice portrait of Dan and Lorraine, spending their 50th summer in their cottage on Birch Street.


Yes, it was in 1961 that they first brought their family to the cottage known as Fair Play, after renting another house on the same street two prior years. Where does the time go?

Marching band season under way for Christine and Andy

The SPFHS Marching Band previewed its 2010 show for parents and friends on Thursday at the high school football field. This season both Christine and Andy are members of the band.

Christine, a senior, is leader of the flute section. Andy, a freshman, plays drums and other percussion in "the pit," the group of musicians who set up and play their stationary instruments at the edge of the field in front of the marchers.

In the photo above, Andy is at the drum set at front right, while Christine is near the top left corner of the picture, the second flute from the left.

This photo of Christine appeared on the local news web site "Scotch Plains-Fanwood Patch."

Here is a very brief video clip that shows Christine and other players marching past Andy as he plays congas.

Tish unveils her paintings

Tish writes:
After many years of not painting, I finally returned to it last year. My website is in its early stages but I thought that it is far enough along to share it with family.

Here's a yarn about a night at the ballpark

Cathy writes:
The kids and I went to a Columbus Clippers minor league baseball game over the weekend. It was the 2nd annual "Stitch n' Pitch" game. (You may recall that I attended the same event last year with Mom & Dad when they were visiting.)

From Clippers ballgame

Stephanie and I stitched while Chris took pictures. The game wasn't all that exciting as the home team lost 8-0. The highlight of the between-innings entertainment was when the bat boy danced to some Michael Jackson songs on the dugout. Happily though, Stephanie was able to complete her needlepoint project that she started a couple of years ago, so that made it worthwhile.

Here are Chris's photos:

Lizzie joins Doug and Lisa for California sight-seeing (Updated 8/29 with more photos)

Sentinel Beach in Yosemite National Park

Doug, Lisa and daughter Lizzie, who was visiting her parents before returning to RPI, took a late-August swing into California to visit Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks.

Here are just a couple of the Sequoia photos Lisa has shared on Facebook.

Sequoia National Park

Nice generic t-shirt, Lizzie!

Sunset from Moro Rock in Sequoia National Park. Amazing!

And here are some photos from Yosemite.

Yosemite Valley seen from Tunnel View: El Capitan on Left, Half Dome in middle and Bridal Veil on right if you look very closely.

Bridal Veil Falls in Yosemite National Park.

At Glacier Point; Half Dome in the background.

Shanna's summer at camp

From Shanna working at summer camp

Shanna writes:
This summer, I spent 8 weeks working at Camp Hillard in Scarsdale as the Head Group Counselor for 13 girls, all 4 and 5 years old. Our final day was just less than a week ago and I miss it, and my campers a lot.

The camp kept us busy thought the day with a long list of activities including pony rides, gymnastics, soccer, field hockey, basketball, arts and crafts, theater, tennis, swimming and even zip line! I was lucky enough to work with two counselors who were great (and who I have now become friends with) and my campers were great too. I have plenty of funny and adorable stories that come along with working with kids and plenty of memories.



Overall it was a great experience. It was fun being with the kids and nice to be outside every day (except for when it was 104 degrees. That was brutal haha). It was very sad saying goodbye to the girls on the last day but as they go off to Kindergarten, I will be working through my last year of grad school and hopefully my schedule will allow me work there again next summer.

This summer, I also completed two more classes towards my masters. Right now, I am enjoying a bit of time off before classes start again soon.

Comings and goings as summer winds down

Soon many of our clan will be returning to school. In the meantime, summer jobs are wrapping up, and some are getting in some travel before the new term.

Your humble scribe would love to get direct reports, but here's what he has gleaned from facebook and other sources:

Vivien has finished her internship at the Hillstone Restaurant Group's "Houston's" restaurant in Los Angeles. She'll soon be heading back to Cornell for her final year at the university's School of Hotel Management.

Shanna soon will be resuming her studies toward a masters in childhood and early childhood education, after spending the summer working with 5-year-olds as a camp counselor.

Dan got himself an apartment near the San Jose State University campus so he can walk to school this fall. He's about to start his final semester toward his B.A. in communications.

Liz is visiting her parents, Doug and Lisa, in Las Vegas and taking a trip to California before heading back to Rensselear Polytechnic Institute for her senior year.

Who else is traveling/finishing a summer activity/starting something new this fall? Please fill us in. Keep in touch!

From Cape Cod to Charleston and back

Tish writes:
As the summer begins to wind down I thought that I would send you a little update and some photos of what we've been up to.

We departed the Cape on Lizzie's last day of school and began the summer with a visit with friends in North Carolina. The trip continued with two wonderful weeks in Charleston, S.C.

The photo at left was taken at Magnolia Plantation in Charleston.

Below: Marconi Beach on Cape Cod.

Back on the Cape, Lizzie has continued with dance classes and as a teacher assistant at Cape Cod Ballet Theatre for Children. Gerrit and his band are in the final stages of the production of their third CD and we are looking forward to their show at the Summerfest Fireworks.

Lizzie and Gerrit

Andy in School of Rock summer program concert (Updated 8/14 with second video)

Andy spent the last week of July in a School of Rock summer program that led to a concert at a Sam Ash music store in New Jersey. Here's video of one of the numbers that featured Andy on drums.



Here's another video. Andy's drums really drive this number.

A fine summer's day on Long Beach

Kevin, Kathy, Shanna and Kevin made it out to Noyac on a beautiful summer day. They joined Dan and Lorraine, Brien, Dan, Julie, Christine and Andy on Aug. 7 for swimming, sunning and games at Long Beach. Here's a quick whip-around shot of the crowd.



The guys invented a game involving a whiffle bat and ball that entertained them for a good hour or so.



Later there were burgers, dogs and salads at the "Fair Play" house on Birch Street. Brien shot photos we hope to be able to post soon, so check back.

A sample of Summer 2010 on eastern Long Island

Dan and Lorraine and son Brien are enjoying the summer on Birch Street in Noyac, and were joined this week by Dan, Julie, Christine and Andy. Here are just a few photos from the week so far. More to come!

Visiting the ocean at Bridgehampton

Gotta have Big Olaf's!

Sailing Loridan in Noyac Bay

Kathy was out for a day midweek

The annual feeding of the chickadees on Jessup's Neck

Dan's cap becomes a bird feeder

A leap in the ocean at Cameron Beach

Share your summer stories and photos! Keep in touch!

Summer is drifting on by...

Jessup's Neck (July 30, 2008 file photo)

Here it is the beginning of August already. Summer, as always, is going by too quickly.

How has it been treating you? Please let us know what you've been up to.

As for Webmaster Dan, Julie, Christine and Andy, we're heading out to Noyac's Birch Street for the week (Aug. 1-8). Hope to see many of you there!

KEEP IN TOUCH!