July 16, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. Dinner Party.

The weather was lovely, so we drank wine outside on the deck prior to dinner. Cliff spotted a whale spout while out sailing that afternoon, so Gill watched and watched to no avail, but as last evening was the first time we were able to have the cocktail hour outside, everyone was in a festive mood. Connie and Ross were there, the first time we had seen them this season. He is a retired Doctor from Fredericton while Connie was a nurse. Seven years ago, Connie started to learn to play the fiddle and Ross to learn the bagpipes. It is amazing to hear their progress. Ross plays in three pipe bands and gives many solo performances. Last night he told me that in the course of one year he plays in at least fifteen parades while he has just completed his stint at the Halifax Tattoo. His bagpipe has become his life. Connie always wanted to play the fiddle, even thought she already played the piano, so now she does. She practices every day, and plays in a group from Bridewater, also takes a lesson once a week. A lot of music takes place in Nova Scotia so Connie and Ross fit right in. This past winter Connie was diagnosed with Melanoma, but she is clear now, after surgery and radiation.

Loretta and Butch came for dinner too, the first time they have come to our home. Loretta plays in the Liverpool Strummers and Butch plays along with his harmonica. I met them last August when the ukulele group played at our fiftieth. Tuesday at the band concert I talked to them again so invited them to dinner. They are both from Newfoundland, born, raised and educated and moved to Liverpool in 1978 when transferred by the Bank of Montreal as the Manager. Their three boys loved it in Liverpool and when the bank wanted them to move again to a bigger city, the whole family decided to stay in Liverpool. He and two of the boys own an Insurance Brokerage in Liverpool while all three boys live within a five minute walk of each other. They are younger than us, probably in their early sixties and are both delightful people. Certainly very different than us. Butch was very clear to me, that when his boys were growing up, he worked long hours, so missed a lot of the growing up, so with the grandchildren, he wants to be a vital part of their lives. They are very nice people and we enjoyed their company.

Then of course, Gill was there, along with Mary and Cliff and Walt and Mary, so our evening was lively. Mary McD is an amazing help when she is a guest in your home. By the time everyone left just after ten o'clock, pretty much everything was done and cleaned up. All Ken and I had to do was return the table and chairs and start the dish washer, before heading to the Hot Tub. It was a lovely evening, enjoyed by all. And the best part was that we used the last of the food from last August. All the freezers are almost empty.