Happy Solstice
The Leider ladies — Kit, Anna, and Kit’s sister Marilyn Sokstad — have done it again, filling the house with guests and the guests with champagne and delicious food to celebrate the winter solstice, before taking off for an exciting trip. This year they went to Las Vegas for New Year’s, then a brisk two-week hike in southern Utah.
Mary Lamois, Andrew MacDonald, Lonnie and Marcia Rich, Paula and Jack Sullivan, and Pam and Kerry St. Clair came.
Henry Brooks explained that he serves on four — count them, four — city commissions because “I live to volunteer.”
David Colton, wife Cheryl Ann, and Susan and Ben Kellom poured champagne industriously.
Betty Jo and Howard Middleton showed off a grandchild. Dee and Pete Schumaier, Linda and Mike Oliver, Libby Cooperman, Becky Lewis, and the Beverlys — Beidler and Steele — were there.
Resa O’Flaherty and I lamented the demise of the Laurel Brigade Inn, remembering the days when it was a pleasant drive in the country to go to Leesburg for luncheon.
Her daughter Lucelle, Mark Sickles, delegate from Fairfax, Ann Kaupp, vice-president of the League of Women Voters, Mary Lyman and Del and F.J. Pepper also enjoyed themselves.
Pickering to Florida
Ellen Pickering, soon to leave for a Florida visit with son David, came, as did Carol and Bob Almafy. He is on the Electoral Board, as is Don Ledwig.
Caryl Hughes, Paul Smedberg, Linda and Bruce Dwyer, Betty and Bill Livingston, Patsy Ticer, and lots more delightful people also were there.
Happy New Year
Joanne Miller and Lois Walker threw a wonderful party New Year’s Day in Walker’s splendidly renovated house, which will soon have, in its garden a most appropriate ornament — the plaque depicting Alexandria’s 1999 Council and Manager, which talented sculptor Mirella Belshe made for Alexandria.
While Anna and Stanley Dees drove in from the country, those athletic Melas, Doris and Don, bicycled down.
Marge Beatley, Wilson Corkern and Mary Bruce Batte, Kelly Weissenborn with daughter Katie, and Dorie Twitchell, whom many remember for her work at the Visitor Center when it was in the Lyceum, were present.
'Whistleblower'
Neighbor Jim Dorsch was there with a CD called "The Whistleblower," which Lois describes as simply wonderful.
Laura Bergheim, full of hair-raising tales about the Ohio elections — she lives there — brought parents Donna and Mel. John Hynan, Vola Lawson, Dana Lawhorne, and Randy Sengel were among the guests.
Rae and Bernie Cohen, Ann Martone, and Pat Thomas, Hood and Henry Barringer with Ed Semonian joined in eating the 36 different sorts of cake.