Contest Winner and Weekend in Baltimore

We had a great trip to Baltimore this weekend. We arrived home early last night, after taking an alternate route to I-95, due to all of the construction. It worked out really well, as the other route was scenic, and there was hardly any traffic. It even stopped raining after a little bit!

And the winner ...

First of all, let me say that I really had fun with this contest, and reading all of the comments that you left. I revved up the ol' random numbers generator this morning, and it chose number 47, which was [drum roll, please] - Carrie K! Congratulations Carrie, and thanks to everyone who joined. It really was as much fun to run the contest, as it is to win one.

After only one year, I feel like I have made so many friends, and so many good friends (Carrie among them)! The funny thing is that occasionally, I realize that I wouldn't know most of you if I walked past you on the street, which really amuses me.

Weekend in Baltimore ...

Not exactly "Weekend at Bernie's" but it had its moments:

My niece Amanda, and her husband Pat (we stayed with them)

Their kitties, Clancy (left) and Chumleigh (right), were an excellent host and hostess (Chumleigh is the one who actually invited us!)

Saturday night, after getting back from a nice Italian dinner, we had a little party on Amanda and Pat's roof deck. Cool lights, no?

We had the chance to see our great-nephew, Zachary:

(Left) Zach and his mom Liz look at the lights

(Right: Zach and Aunt Amanda dance

(Below) Zach hangs out with Uncle Pat

We were able to celebrate Michael M's birthday, a summer tradition.*

(Below) My sister Mary Ellen and Michael M.

My brother-in-law Pat, Michael M., Tim

Tim and Virginia (Michael M.'s girlfriend); that's Amanda's hand and wine
glass blocking part of Virginia's face ...

On Sunday morning, Amanda fixed a great brunch for all of us, and then we headed to see Liz, Greg (her husband), and Zach's new house:

Tim, Liz, and Zach in Zach's room, right before his nap

And finally:

What is wrong with this picture?????

*Michael M's BD is in February. But every year, when we see him in August, we sing "Happy Birthday" - usually so that the restaurant will give him (and us) a free dessert. This year, we just sang it for the heck of it ...