February, 2007 and Cinderella

February, 2007

Letter from Marilyn, Feb. 4, 2007

It's such a great letter from Sean with lots of our news in it that I will just add a little bit.

Bill made it safely thursday afternoon. The girls rode the bus home. Susie said it wasn't at all like the Disney movies so she conceded that she could do it again if necessary. One of her cafeteria mates rides her bus and she is last on in the morning and 2nd off. A lot easier than when we were riding into St, Mary's, right sibs?

We had a very yummy dinner of peeled shrimp. I have to brag about that because it took me hours to clean and shell it. Also, had artichokes, string means, broiled sweet potatoes and sweet cucumbers. E and Poohbah had ice cream and we all enjoyed the fresh pineapple.

Friday, I took Suse to school and then Cris, Bill and I dropped E off an hour late. We went to Falstaff that evening at the kennedy center and I was afraid she was going to die with a 9 am call on Saturday morning. Cris Bill and I proceeded onto the primary care physician and he recommended we see a foot specialist so I have the guy who wrote the article and Dr, Chaudrary knows him and thought he would be great. We got a Starbucks and sent Cris on his way on the metrlo. Dad and I watched Friday Night Lights while I treaded 3 miles. We had some lunch and soon it was time to start picking up kids. I make Simple Salmon for dinner and Bill was in heaven. I ate trout at his place and you could hardly taste any fish taste left because it was so overcooked so he is enjoying our fresh food. I also fed him a few fresh strawberries and he has asked for those for every breakfast now.

The opera was just great. I had some pre-conceived ideas about a company from Kirov but the singers were young and vibrant and thin except Falstaff of course. The stage director had a wild concept and the Post trashed it but I liked it. It was fresh and fanciful and kept the kids attention so that is saying something.

Got E to rehearsal and Cris and I went to Fitness First. I took Step 2 because that is what fit into our schedule but I couldn't get hardly any of it. Once we had E, we went down to the irish pub and Susie had fish and chips and Dad had the big Irish breakfast with bacon that looks like ham and black and white pudding (blood sausage) and the best irish soda bread for all of us. e had the shepherds pie and Cris and I shared a chicken with a leek cream sauce and mashed potatoes. it was delicious. Unfortunately, I got really sick from it. susie and I came home and sat comatose for awhile and then finally we started cleaning for the surprise party for Mattie, E's best friend. We just had left overs and watched Ugly Betty and then Cris Bill and I were off to the National Symphony. Tow of the 3 pieces, Bill had played in college. In fact in the Verdi overture to la forza del destino, he played the oboe solos transposed since that guy had already been drafted for the war. He also had played Tchaikovsky Symphony #5 many times. He really enjoyed that and we got some good stories out of him about the war and all of his playing. A young violinist completed the program with Saint-Saens Violin Concerto #3. I was so tired but I was so glad that Bill enjoyed it so much.

E had us up and going this morning but we all managed to eat breakfast and get cleaned up for the party. There are probably 15 girls here and Mattie's little boyfriend Sandy and they are loud and having a lot of fun. The confetti got thrown everywhere so E has no idea what she will be up against cleaning that up. I know I'll be picking it up for weeks. oh well, I guess it's all worth it for her hug and sweet smile and saying thank you thank you Mom, I'm having so much FUN!

I am supposed to sing with Vicki tomorrow so hope I can get a warble out for Bill. Then we are going to visit an old friend of his for lunch. She lives in Fairfax so we'll go there immediately from the coaching. Wednesday we are going into Georgetown to get my hair done. That will bring back memories for Dad of waiting for Dot week after week.

We are trying to get to have lunch with my friend Theresa and Martina so hope we can do that. The week will go fast. We have some fun things planned for Annie and Mie. Cris will take them back to Mount Vernon. I plan to take them to see the orchids at Natural History and the new lion movie there. We also plan to eat in Georgetown at Asianora and here in Falls Church at the Four Sisters a Vietnamese restaurant. The we have the ballet of Edward Scissorhands Tuesday night at the Kennedy Center.

Hope you all have a great week and we'll let you all know how Cinderella went.

Love Marilyn

Stewardship Science Academic Alliance 2007 Program Symposium

On February 5-7, 2007 I organized and ran the Stewardship Science Academic Alliance 2007 Program Symposium at the Carnegie Institution in Washington DC (see its website at http://www.orau.gov/2007SSAAS/). The reception and poster session Monday night was very successful, with both the Undersecretary of Energy for Science Ray Orbach and the (acting) Undersecretary of Energy for National Security Tom D'Agostino attending. That's my friend and colleague, Jonathan Workman, with Tom D'Agostino on the left, and Ray Orbach informing Malcolm Andrews of LANL that Malcolm was to receive the E.O. Lawrence Award for National Security in a few days.

Cinderella

Elizebeth was well loved by all her fans. She also made the front page of the local weekly newspaper.

It was her birthday, and her very good friend Maddie made her a birthday cake. All the little seven-year-olds at the reception swooped in and ate it.

If you want to see more Cinderella pictures, some are posted at a Link on the Swanson Middle School Site.

Excerpt from Sean

I got news of the first two "Cinderella" performances, the Saturday matinee show even better than Friday night's opening performance. I'm sure last night's show was just as good, and hope Elizebeth and all her audience members had a great time. I also heard that Bill, M, Teresa, Annie, Cris and Susie were off to Mount Vernon for the day on Saturday. I think it's raining there today and raining here today, so moisture everywhere. As I look out, most of our local snow is finally gone, although we have a chance for snow again on Tuesday and Wednesday. ---Sean

Elizebeth's Birthday

It was really cold, but at least sunny, for our trip to Mt. Vernon. Everyone really liked the museum and education center. I was driving around my "Secret Service car", a black Jeep Grand Cherokee I rented for the weekend so I could take six people around while the Diva was performing.

Marilyn let the dieting family splurge, and we had Omaha steaks and mashed potatoes for Elizebeth's birthday dinner and then a real German Chocolate cake. We sent a big piece back with Dad to Sean --- we hope Sean got it!

It was nice having Teresa join us and a good chunk of family here!

Letter from M'ie

Dear EVeryone,

WE enjoyed so much getting Sean's Fri. message, & the "M" letter, AND the new chapter! Thank you SO much ever faithful Sean!

And last night Bill called us from the plane in Alb. So we hope he tied up well with Sean, & they had a pleasant trip home, & got each other caught up on the news. Yes, CINDERELLA was delightful. Of course our Elizebeth was wonderful! (Teresa said' She can sing, too!" Then asked Cris if there was anything she couldn't do. He thought awhile & finally said, "She can't spell.") But the director had many delightful funny parts, & involved so many of the kids. Elizebeth said everyone who wanted to be in it were. A few thought they were too good for the parts they got, so dropped out. And the teachers were a scream. So we did the Fri. & Sat. night shows

Our poor Teresa arrived with a terrible cold. But didn't let that stop her from enjoying every minute. Cris took her & Bill, Annie, Susie, & I to Mt. Vernon, during the day on Sat. And drove us through D.C. on our way home to a fabulous Marilyn supper. We all enjoyed our day SO much.

Sunday sweet Marilyn took me to 8AM Mass at the St. Thomas Moore Cathedral. It was the Sunday for the bishop's diocesan appeal letter to be read, so I think we missed out on a wonderful sermon. But the organist was wonderful & so was the male cantor. And the building is beautiful. The attendance was sparse, but we all figured the later Masses would be packed. They were already coming in for the next Mass as we left. Marilyn read the bulletin waiting for Mass to begin, & thought how much I would enjoy taking in all the things that are available in a big, vibrant community during the week.

I got to go along on the expedition for Teresa to OK the sewing machine Bill & Marilyn had picked out earlier durinbg his stay. Marilyn & Susie took Annie to their body sculpting class, & turned her arms into noodles.

We had the official family BD party for Elizebeth, with the BD girl's ordered steak, mashed potatoes, fresh string beans, fresh pineapple, & the German Cho. cake!

Annie & marilyn are ready to head out, so to be continued. God Bless & heaps of love, "M"

Post-Cinderella

Monday Marilyn took Annie and M'ie touring around the Mall.

They went up the Washington Monument.

Great view down the Mall of the museums, with DOE on the right edge. And the view of the White House shows the new Executive Office Building, which is as close to the White House as I ever get.

---Cris

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