The Leland Street Sunday News
October 21, 2007
(Editors: The Delancys)

Leland Street Annual Halloween Fest
Mark your calendars and save the day for fun, frights, festivities and food. The neighborhood is busy preparing for October 28th.

There are pumpkins, scarecrows and witches on the porches, skeletons on the lawns and cobwebs being hung on Leland Street.

Maggie Payne and children Jack, Sarah and Turner are busy turning their home into a Haunted House.

Marcy is stitching up Frankenstein faces as this year’s costume awards.
The annual Leland Street Halloween parade and block party will take place on Sunday, October 28th, beginning at 3:30. Games, the parade, and the haunted house will be followed by dinner from 5:30 to 7:00. (See the attached flyer. ) Please call Jill Bateman, (301) 652-6425, or e-mail her at HYPERLINK "mailto:jillan1@comcast.net" jillan1@comcast.net to indicate what dish you plan to bring to the dinner: a main dish, a side dish, a salad, or a dessert. So far we have chicken, baked pasta, and chili for main dishes, spanikopita for a side dish, no salads, and pies and something chocolate for dessert. We still need volunteers to bring sodas and ice, so also let Jill know if you can help with either of these items. Finally, tables and chairs: please call Farrell Cosmas , (301) 654-7176, or e-mail her at HYPERLINK "mailto:farrellfc@aol.com" farrellfc@aol.com if you have any tables for chairs to lend for the dinner.

Bateman
Jill writes:
No big news from the Bateman household. We're still pressing to get those college applications out.....deadlines are fast approaching! Will was home last weekend for fall break and we had a great and relaxing few days hanging around the house cooking and watching all the back episodes of West Wing.

Terry's spending a lot of time in
Los Angeles getting ready for the upcoming American Music Awards (Nov 18). Not sure about the progress (or lack thereof) of the water main installation......I'm hoping by Thanksgiving we'll back to normal around here......does anyone know of plans to re-pave?

Bergem/Stenseth

In 4130 we have had visitors from Norway almost non-stop the last month. They are
all fleeing the unusually cold autumn weather in Norway to enjoy some unusually warm
late summer days in DC. They bike the trail, run the streets, shop at Barnes and
Noble and dine out in Bethesda. Knut is getting ready for a two weeks trip to Norway
later this month. Mira is looking forward to her first homecoming at BBC next weekend,
and a new dress and new shoes was secured Saturday. Falk is pondering how much candy he can eat on Halloween. And Leni is off to New York for work this week.

Knut turned 40 last weekend, and we have invited friends and colleagues over to
celebrate next Saturday. Norwegians do normally stay late at parties, and they party
loud. We will do our best to keep them quiet, but if you hear some noise from 4130
next Saturday, this time around we will be the ones to blame - not the catsitter!

Boland
Leanne writes:
I'm leaving in the morning for a long weekend in Louisiana with my parents, (who are building a new house) but I can tell you that I'm on a first name basis with several WSSC employees! 

After 2 "leaks" on the hoses in front of our house since the water main work began I do have some information. 

Work on our block should be finished by the 2nd week of November at the latest.  I think it may even be finished by Halloween since the weather has been cooperative.  Unfortunately, I don't know anything about repaving the street.  Evidently, some WSSC work will continue in the town during the winter months.  Just seeing what they've done on our street I now understand why they say work won't be completed until December 2008.

Jimmy will be at a Notre Dame football game in South Bend, Indiana this weekend.  He is a true fan, enjoying returning to campus and much more in tune with the game than I am. (I will tell you about a book that I was given, for my "football edification" in another LSSN. Maybe I will have opened it....) The boys in our house are avid football fans and enjoy the sport.

I understand that Bob and Sylvia Jones hope to be with us during the early hours of the block party.  It will be wonderful to see them.  Perhaps our younger residents might want to consult "the great pumpkin" for some tips. Here is a vintage photo of Bob and Sylvia Jones with our Grand Marshall. Bob's costume was in acknowledgement/protest of all the construction in Chevy Chase.

Cosmas
After going to Curves with Marcy on Monday, Farrell took Metro downtown to see the Turner exhibit at the National Gallery. It was a beautiful show! They offer a movie beforehand, which explains that Turner apprenticed with an architect early in his life and taught perspective at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Once she knew this background, she had a new appreciation for his treatment of line in the paintings. An Edward Hopper exhibition is also at the National Gallery currently, but Farrell had already seen in it in Boston when she attended Will’s law school graduation last spring. It was also magnificent!

On Wednesday, Farrell attended a fundraiser for the National Alliance for Mental Illness, for whom she used to work. It was held at the Melon Auditorium. She saw many old friends and colleagues, and members of Congress who have been supportive on mental health issues. Elena, the Cosmas’ wonderful helper, stayed with Bill so that Farrell could go to this fun and meaningful event.

On the family front, Bill’s older cousin, Soto, from Chicago, came Saturday morning for a visit. He was like a big brother to Bill when they were growing up. He enjoyed seeing and sampling the offerings at the Farm Women’s Market, which Farrell has been going to every week for many years. Next weekend, Farrell’s first cousin, Laurie, will be coming from Boston with her husband for a visit. Farrell is hoping they’ll be able to stay for the block party.

Farrell is trying to make a tally of tables and chairs which can be made available for use at the block party. Please call her if you have any tables or chairs to lend.

Delancy/Taplin
Russell had to sit out some of his JV soccer season at Georgetown Day School due to a concussion suffered in a game against Maret. We’re seeing a disturbing trend with sports injuries occurring early in the school year. (Last fall, it was a broken ankle in a pick –up game of football.) The concussion also put his driving practice on hold – he recently obtained his learner’s permit. Paul’ s been sustaining the routine cuts and bruises during his Fall travel soccer season. He’s been enjoying playing a new instrument this year in the school band: the tuba. His band teacher at Eastern Middle School began recruiting him last spring for the tuba chair in the 7th grade band. He likes it because it’s highly visible – he’s the only tuba player, so he gets the solos. Vicky likes it because they keep a tuba at school for him to use, so he doesn’t have to lug the large instrument from home 2-3 times per week.

This month, Vicky became Chair of the town Environment Committee. She would welcome hearing about any environmental concerns you have pertaining to our community. Ben and Vicky enjoyed the environment recently when they went kayaking on the Potomac River, launching their boats at Seneca Creek. Ben has been kayaking locally for a few years, and gave Vicky her own kayak for her birthday in June, so now they can do it together when they can break away from the kids. On Saturday night, Ben and Vicky attended the Octoberfest event at the Town Hall, where a variety of German and American Octoberfest beers were available for tasting, with explanations by experts from Calvert Woodley, along with a sampling of sausages, potato salads, and schnitzel. We haven’t been to many of the social events sponsored by the town, but this was very pleasant indeed. It was the perfect opportunity to get to know people better and make new acquaintances right within our immediate community.

Vicky and Erica Frohman , who lives in the next block of Leland, went to the Edward Hopper exhibition the day it opened at the National Gallery. It was crowded, but we managed to see everything . Vicky definitely recommends the audiotape tour, and she agrees with Farrell that it was a wonderful show.

Duffy
Charles' mother visited from North Carolina. this week.  We all enjoyed her home-style Italian cooking - Matthew particularly enjoys her meatballs and is a sight to see as he shovels them into his mouth with the tomato sauce from head to toe.

Charles and Matthew are enjoying the football season and cheering on the Steelers.  Matthew has learned that he can really bother his Dad by saying "I love the Redskins." We are looking forward to the block party and celebrating Halloween, and have been enjoying some seasonal activities. Matthew paid a visit to the haunted Pirate ship at American Plant on River Road but decided it was too scary to go inside.  However he loved our visit to Homestead Farm where we took a tractor ride to a pumpkin patch.


Forrest
Arthur and Marcy had a spontaneous buffet supper and lively conversation with several neighbors. It was fun to have some pint size guests amongst the crowd.


Marcy just returned from Connecticut where she and siblings entertained their mother during her annual trip east.   In addition to lots of special sibling time they also attended a live presentation of the musical "1776" at that historic Good Speed Opera House in East Haddem, Conn.  The play was terrific and just goes to prove not much has really changed over the centuries; change the wardrobe and the hairstyles and it could be Capital Hill today!  Nicole and Zak kept Arthur company while Marcy was away.  They enjoyed dinner at Guapo's and a last swim of the season in the Forrest pool.

The Forrest Family is so very happy to announce the engagement of niece Emily Sherwood to Rob Staub.  The proposal took place on a mountain top after rock climbing Mohonk in Hudson Valley.

Halloween has a special memory for Marcy Forrest. As the daughter of an Air Force pilot, fifty-one years ago, she lived in Tachikawa, Japan.  In 1956, her mother was pregnant with the fourth of five children.  She went into labor and delivered Marcy's younger brother, Brian, on Halloween. The birth announcements were sent out declaring, "Made in Japan" followed by the rest of the newborn's information.

Kazin/Horowitz
Michael so-sponsored a conference on Norman Mailer at Georgetown University on the 40th anniversary of the publication of Armies of the Night. It was a big success, even though Mailer was too ill to attend. Danny’s having a great first semester at Columbia, where he transferred this year as a sophomore. He’s extremely happy, though he’s working very hard.

Lippold
At last, we have a photo of Anne and Paul's Buckmeister Fuller Geodesic Dome Home in Wyoming. Here is a photo taken last summer during Ishkabidle's first Wyoming vacation.

For those who are not aware, Geodesic Domes are triangular networks forming hexagons and pentagons, this method provides for a free-span, self-supporting structure requiring no internal supports, such as roof load-bearing partion wall.. Domes are stronger and safer homes and have proven to withstand tornados, hurricanes, and earthquakes far better than ordinary, conventional box homes. They are also highly energy efficient.

Payne/Simpson
We are busy preparing for our annual haunted house.


If anyone on the street has particularly creepy props that they want to loan us for our first Leland
Street haunted house tour next Sunday, please let us know!! Hope everyone is
enjoying this beautiful fall weather. Our guess on completion of water main
work: February 5th. But we hope we're wrong!

Rubashkin/Karasik

David writes:
Both of our cars were rifled last night [Wednesday night] parked in our driveway. They were unlocked. This is the second time in a couple of months. The police recommend that we lock the vehicles, even in the driveway, and take care not to leave any valuables in the car.

Strother
The Strothers have done absolutely nothing newsworthy in the last couple of weeks, if that is the applicable news cycle.  We've read a few books we'd recommend, including the Stuart Taylor/KC Johnson masterpiece on the Duke rape hoax, Until Proven Innocent.  I'm enjoying, especially in view of the upcoming college selection process, another look at The Education of Henry Adams.  But that is hardly of interest to the engaged and sophisticated denisons of 41?? Leland Street. 

Molly is preparing for an extended December to June substitution at The Norwood School.  William, after a virtuoso performance as 8th grade quarterback in the St Albans Lower School, is now slogging away on the JV team in the upper school, trying once more to attain the heights.  And he will.  And his aging father does little more than to cheer his companions on.

Trocchio
Julie writes:

We are celebrating John's birthday at Centro tonight. Elizabeth is enjoying her event planning job and is still working as a bartender a Parker's Sundays and Thursdays. I have been traveling a lot with my job, speaking about hospital outreach programs in Albany, Cleveland, Las Vegas, St. Louis and Nashville.

I am guessing the water works will be done by Valentine's Day.

Vicente
The most ghoulish items at the Vicente house are Mark's after-school creations:  black walnuts, brown water from the rain barrel, mud, acorns (does anyone else have MANY more acorns than usual this year? . . . it feels like our backyard is studded with thousands of rocks), leaves with large growths of slime on them -- all mixed together with a stick and more concentration than we've ever seen Mark use to put on his socks.  Peter is more interested in trains, bikes, and Clifford the big red dog.

Vike is away in Boston on Sunday to teach a six-hour optics class; Wendy plans to host old friends from grad school for the afternoon.  The whole family looks forward to a visit from Wendy's parents this week.  They can't wait to see what the Leland Street Halloween Party is all about!     

Wolff/Daniel
Larry returned Friday night from a trip to the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica, where he was evaluating projects meant to help ministries of education improve management systems. He spoke 10 hours of Spanish a day, and survived! He didn’t have time to play tourist this time. Eight years ago, however, he took a Spanish course in Costa Rica, and Miriam and the two kids came to meet him there. At that time, they experienced all the incredibly exciting atttractions that the country has to offer – an active volcano, hot springs, white water rafting, and beautiful beaches. On this trip, Larry discovered that both Copa and Taca Airlines are really good, and by using them, you can fly from the Dominican Republic to Costa Rica direct, rather than having to return to Miami for a connection. Toby the dog was very happy Friday night to have Daddy home.


Miriam and Larry will travel with her father next week to Israel, where her father will receive an honorary doctorate from Hebrew Union College. He built a reform synagogue there and has done a lot for the international Jewish reform movement. Miriam is so glad that he will receive this great honor and acknowledgement of his very significant contributions while he is still living. While there, they will visit David, who has been working in Tel Aviv as executive secretary for a high-powered Israeli-American lawyer. He recently spent a long weekend in Jordan, visiting Wadi Rum, where T.E. Lawrence discovered the Seven Pillars of Wisdom. (This was a return trip for him, as the entire Wolff family had visited there previously.) David will be leaving Tel Aviv in January when his lease is up. Larry is unsure when he’ll return to the U.S.; he may have other places to visit first.

Becky is a senior at Johns Hopkins and is interviewing for jobs at large consulting companies, mostly in retail and consumer products. She just celebrated her 22nd birthday. This year, she’s been the marketing director for her college student newspaper, and has doubled the number of ads from last year. Way to go, Becky! The editors are sure employers will snatch her up!!


Leland Reminder:   
Marcy reminds neighbors to log on to the Leland Street News blog at HYPERLINK "http://lelandstreetnews.blogspot.com" http://lelandstreetnews.blogspot.com. Send or lend your photos to Marcy and she will put them on the blog. Or if you want to post some photos there yourself, Marcy can tell you how. Viewing the blog can also be fun for former residents of the block and extended family members. Bob and Sylvia Jones and Will Cosmas have already made use of the blog to catch up on Leland St. news and photos.

Editor’s note: Thanks to those who wagered a guess at when the water main work will be done. In due course, we will announce the winner, and award them with homemade cookies from Claire Bateman. Remember to contact Claire if you have any need for a delightful and delicious gift basket of cookies. I ordered some recently as a thank you gift, and received RAVE reviews! Claire’s email address is HYPERLINK "mailto:clairebateman@yahoo.com" clairebateman@yahoo.com. Just as I’m putting the finishing touches on this News, a leak has sprung in the temporary main in front on the Murtaghs’ house. It’s as impressive as Old Faithful, really, but it’s a steady geyser. I called WSSC as soon as I saw it, and was told that someone else had already reported it, but as of 5:37 pm, it’s been gushing for at least an hour, and no sign of emergency personnel.

** The e-mail address for the Delancys that appears on the Leland Street Directory is not correct: their current address is HYPERLINK "mailto:vtaplin@earthlink.net" vtaplin@earthlink.net. Marty and Lotte Wolfe’s is incorrect: their address is HYPERLINK "mailto:tmsdc@verizon.net" tmsdc@verizon.net.
Neighborhood Note:
The Forrest Family has closed down their pool for the season and neighbors may have noticed water being drained into the street. Arthur and Marcy wish to assure environmentalists that there is absolutely NO CHLORINE in their pool water. It is a mineral salt pool and is completely clean PURE water that does no harm at all to the environment.