We had a double dose of family recently -- Anne and David came with Ron Weiner and their teenage kids, Ben and Jake, and we spent lots of time with them. A sampling:
On Saturday about two weeks ago, we finally got to meet Ron's wife and kids; we had met Ron last summer, in Seattle, and he was very charmed by Rachel. We met at the house of Ron's friend from Bronx Science, Steve Chabinsky, who is a cybersecurity expert and has a wife, Jamie, and two kids -- the girl is named Sage. They laid out a nice brunch, complete with a kid's table (they have a big house in Vienna; Jamie is a lawyer) and then the kids disappeared downstairs to amuse themselves with electronics while the adults talked. After a couple of hours we got up to stretch our legs and take a walk, and the cold weather led me to remark, "This feels like a walk after Thanksgiving dinner!"
We took our leave, and then Rachel had a birthday party and a sleepover. Anne and David met a friend of hers at Lebanese Taverna while Drew and I went to a great Greek restaurant for dinner. We all met up back at home, and Drew built a fire while I read the paper and relaxed.
On Sunday, Rachel skipped religious school so we could meet the gang (including Steve's family and Ron's; Ron was staying with Steve) at Udvar-Hazy, the Air & Space Museum extension. Lots of planes, looking surprisingly elegant, and Rachel and I went into a flight simulator and had the time of our lives (i.e., it scared the bejesus out of me but I loved shrieking my head off). We had lunch at McDonald's, the only restaurant option, and then I took Rachel home then headed to work.
The next week was kind of a blur. I met Ron, Doreen and the kids for lunch on Monday, and then Doreen, Ben and I took a walk around the Mall while Ron and Jake finished exploring the Spy Museum. David and Anne then joined us at the Mall, and then I went in to work.
On Tuesday, I went to the Newseum with Ron and the kids -- it was as terrific as I'd remembered it -- and then I took them to a crepe place near The Post where we ate quite late, 4 p.m. -- I hadn't had any breakfast or lunch that day, for some reason -- and then they headed the next day to Baltimore. Anne and I met on Wednesday for lunch at the Sculpture Garden's Pavilion Restaurant in perfect weather, and as is usually the case, we ended up talking for four hours after which I headed in to work. I think that was the night when everyone headed in to Rockville to visit Uncle Dan, who was the only one who could solve one of Rachel's brain-teasing puzzles. Everyone had a great time.
On Thursday, Anne and David left. Drew, Rachel and I took Ron and the kids to Lebanese Taverna for dinner and said goodbyes, since Drew was leaving early Friday for his Knight-Bagehot fellowship reunion in New York. On Friday, I took Ron and the boys to Great Falls National Park, where we hiked further in than I'd ever gone. It was so worth it! The weather was unbelievably perfect and the boys really appreciated being outside and NOT in a museum. When we got back, Ron essentially took over dinner, to my immense gratitude, and we had lamb chops, brussels sprouts with bacon and ice cream for dessert because I was too tired to think of making dessert.
I think I walked something like 12 miles that week and didn't have much time to eat, but it was so wonderful seeing family! Please come back, we loved spending time with you!
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