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Here and There…Now and Then |
Cathy
It’s been a while since I put up a picture of Cathy, so I thought I would, today. We were dropping Dorothy off at a friends house and we got there shortly before the friend got home. As we waited I took a couple pictures of Dorothy and Cathy. This is one of them.
Dorothy and Hannah
After a sunrise service and a regular Sunday service (well, a “regular” service with the addition of a 25 piece orchestra), we went with Cathy’s mom and Dorothy’s friend, Hannah, to the Cosmos Club for a late lunch. We didn’t have a table until 3:00 PM and we got there a little early so we had a chance to wander a bit. Dorothy enjoyed showing Hannah, around.
After we ate we went out into the little back garden and I took some pictures of the girls with a beautifully blooming camellia behind them. I also took one of the girls throwing flowers (that they picked up off the ground) at each other. A nice time was had by all.
Chase
Amelia
My friend and co-worker, Katie, brought her two children to work this morning. I asked Amelia if she would let me take her picture if I went and got my camera and she said that she would. I took a few picture of her before her brother got back. She’s had her picture here before, on Monday, March 05, 2012 and she is a little less shy than a year ago.
When Chase came, I asked her if she’d get him to let me take his picture with her. I think that helped him be a bit more comfortable with a total stranger. We took a few with both of them but frankly, I like the pictures I took of them separately better. They are both quite adorable and we had a fun time.
Dessert, After
Dessert, Before
After a long day of visiting schools, we picked up Cathy at the end of her first of two days of training at the Microsoft office in Malvern. After a short rest we headed to the King of Prussia Mall and found a place to eat. The girls all had burgers of one stripe or another and I had mac and cheese with blackened shrimp, which was very good. Comfort food of the first order.
We were all hungry enough, though, and the desserts looked good enough, that the four of us split two of these brownies with ice cream. Seriously rich, seriously chocolaty, and seriously good. As you can see, the girls had no trouble finishing off theirs. The one Cathy and I shared was treated similarly and we went back to our hotel full, happy, and tired.
Dorothy and Her Uke
X-Factor has started up again for the spring and once again, I came armed with my camera to take pictures of the youth. Dorothy spent some of the time working on a homework assignment that’s due tomorrow. Fortunately she can draw and socialize at the same time. Later, I got this picture of her relaxing with her ukulele.
Update: Dorothy commented that this isn’t her Ukulele. Sorry for any confusion.
Dorothy
I took senior portraits for a friend this afternoon. I won’t steal her thunder by publishing one of them now. That’s really her business. Instead, this is a picture of Dorothy that I took at the same location. I hadn’t realized the potential for portraits here before today. I think we’ll be back for more pictures in the weeks and months ahead. Dorothy said that at least one more of her friends would like me to take her pictures, which I’m happy to do, of course.
Maureen, Linda, and Cathy
Our company doesn’t bother recognizing 5, 10, or 15 years of service in any particular way (except of course they pay you, which is pretty nice). Because we do well at keeping people for a long time, the first big recognition is at 20 years. Every three years they have a dinner for those who reached the 20 year milestone during the preceding three years. Cathy reached that point about a year ago and was recognized, along with 95 others and 5 who had reached 40 years, at an intimate dinner with about 950 of our closest friends. I brought my camera and took a few nice pictures, including this one of Cathy with two of her fellow honorees, Maureen and Linda.
Dorothy and Abigail
Dorothy is blessed with so many friends, I’m just glad I can keep them all straight. Actually, I know most of them reasonably well so it’s not a problem, although I have this probably rational fear that I’ll mislabel someone in a picture. Their self-esteem will plummet, their grades will probably drop, and their whole life will be ruined. Or they’ll be embarrassed, anyway.
In this picture, we have Dorothy and Abigail. I’m not worried about getting the names wrong in this picture, anyway. The two were heading out for a few hours of fun for the afternoon.
Dorothy, Kendra, and Briannah
Twice a month (or there abouts) a family opens their home for the youth group at “that other church” that Dorothy sometimes goes to. Actually, it’s one of two “other churches” that she goes to. Anyway, Overtime, as they call it, was this evening and Dorothy went. Rather than simply going to pick her up when the time came, I went a little early so I could take a few pictures, including this one of Dorothy with two of her friends, Kendra and Briannah.
Jaynna Gives Collyn a Lift
It was my day to come visit the second grade today with a few simple machines. We started off with a little teeter-totter and I showed them how, by moving the fulcrum closer to one end, you can multiply the force supplied. One of the second graders was able to life me off of the ground. Then they each pulled a nail out of a board with a big crow bar. They agreed that it was a lot easier than trying to pull them out by hand. We talked about the threads on a screw and I showed them how threads can be cut but I’m not sure how much they got out of that part. We might skip that next year in favor of an inclined plane (a.k.a. a ramp) and a wedge.
The most fun, as always, was when the students hoisted their teacher up into the air using a block and tackle (pulleys and a rope). A few of them were close to being too light even with their weight being multiplied, but they were all able to get her up to about head height. After they were done, I handed the rope to Collyn and she pulled herself up into the ceiling, which they thought was wonderful. Hopefully they won’t forget the day they picked up their teacher.
Collyn reminded me of the quote of the day, when Jaynna said, “I can’t wait to grow up and be a teacher so that I can do this too!” Perfect.
No teachers were harmed in the making of this photograph.
Dorothy and Friends
I was at the school today to set up for a demo in second grade tomorrow. Dorothy had play practice until 5:00 so I went to take a few pictures of that and then was out in the hall taking pictures of some of the students as they waited for a part of they play in which they were needed. This is, from left to right, Michael, Lauren, Hannah, Dorothy, Garrett, Abigail, Rachael, and Justin. Note that Garret has Abigail on his back and then Rachel on Abigail’s back.
Urban Bar-B-Que
When you mention barbecue, I suspect that most people don’t think “Maryland!” This isn’t exactly a mecca for BBQ aficionados. With a father from Memphis and a mother from North Carolina, I have a somewhat equivocal view when it comes to what’s best. On the one hand, pulled pork, to me, means North Carolina and I prefer the vinegar based sauces typical of that style. Ribs, on the other hand, make me think Memphis. A good dry rub and proper cooking and they don’t need sauce (although a little for dipping won’t do you any harm). My favorite, though, is tender brisket, cooked long and slow and with just a little sauce after serving. I care less for the overly sweet barbecue that’s dripping with sauce, but that’s not to say I’d turn down a good set of Kansas City ribs.
Anyway, all that is to say that there is a place in Maryland (places, actually) where you can get barbecue the way it was meant to be. On the way home this evening I stopped at Urban Bar-B-Que and picked up dinner. If you’ve never been, I recommend it. Actually, if you have been, I still recommend it. http://www.urbanbbqco.com/
Collyn and Keith
I freely admit that I have a lot of favorite people. That’s because I know so many wonderful folks that I can’t leave many off the list. Cathy and I were at the school for the benefit auction this evening and as you would expect I took one or two pictures. I got a few that are pretty good but looking through them with Cathy and Dorothy it was unanimous that this was the best. What a cute couple they are. It’s hard to believe it’s already been nearly three years since they got married. I’m glad to say that they are still one of the cutest couples around.
Dorothy and Julia
My Tuesday photographs are starting to all be taken at Dorothy’s friend Julia’s house. Dorothy goes there regularly on Tuesday and unless I’ve already taken pictures that day, I’m sure to get something there. Fortunately they have interesting things about. Not least in terms of interest, is Julia herself. Julia’s mom, Maureen, is not really happy having her picture taken, although she’s appeared twice here. Usually pleas that I not take someone’s picture fall on deaf ears but when the person asking hosts my daughter each week, well, I will try to honor that.
Kendra and Dorothy
I took some pictures at BWI airport this afternoon but they aren’t particularly interesting. Better by far to have a couple familiar faces. Familiar to some of you, anyway. I think this picture reflects well on Kendra and Dorothy. I also took a few “selfies— showing my Abe Lincoln beard but they’re just too scary to be made public.
The lighting was a bit tricky because if I aimed the light forward then the wall around the mirror was too bright and if I aimed it backwards then the wall behind the girls was too bright. This one is a little dark but balances the light better than some of the others.
Dorothy and Hannah
It’s a festival day at school tomorrow, meaning there is no homework due, so Hannah came home with Dorothy and spent the evening at our house. I was up on a Skype call for most of the time but they watched an episode and a half of Downton Abbey, season 3. No spoilers, please, as Hannah doesn’t know what’s coming (well, she knows some of it but we’re trying to keep the rest mum until we get to it). This is how I found them watching the TV when I came downstairs.
Kendra and Dorothy
Dorothy had the day off today and spent much of it with her friend, Kendra. So, when I picked Dorothy up after work, I figured I’d take their picture. This time, you get the somewhat dubious honor of having a picture with Tuffy in it. Now isn’t that something?
Rock Creek Worship Team
For a church as small as ours, we have more than our share of talented musicians, both instrumental and vocal. As a non-musician, I have a lot of admiration for people who can sing or play and it was nice, this morning to see mother and daughter singing together, so Cathy suggested I take a few pictures of them.
Anna, Issy, Ashley, Dorothy, and Erin
Every year we have a dance for the parents and other adults affiliated with the school. Dances are not really our thing but it is a fund raiser for the junior class and Dorothy is a junior this year. Fred Astaire I’m not but for those interested, Cathy and I did dance. I took pictures, as well. It’s always hard to pick one picture from an evening like this. Some of the best pictures are often of people I don’t know that well. This one is nice. It’s Dorothy and five of her classmates.
Shelly, Julia, and Dorothy
The youth group got together to watch a movie at the church this evening. The Avengers isn’t exactly Gone With The Wind or The African Queen but it was fun to get together with the young people and hang out.
I took a few pictures while the movie was playing, which wasn’t really appreciated because a flash in a dark room is a bit jarring. After the movie ended and the lights were back on everyone was much more receptive. Even Shelly allowed herself to be talked into getting in a photo.