No matter how you slice it, July was jumpin’. Grouse about the summer heat if you want, but it hasn’t put a damper on those who are determined to have a good time.
And a good time it was on Saturday night, July 22, at Vicki and Skip Crawford’s “Hunter’s Trap” farm when the Crawfords not only celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary, but Skip’s birthday.
Under a huge white tent, where more than 200 friends and relatives gathered, rain that had threatened all day long finally let loose, but there were no complaints. It was just what the fields needed, fell in short duration, and only a few guests were dampened on arrival.
After the clouds cleared, the host remarked, “This is just what we wanted. A beautiful July sunset.” It was followed by a remarkable dip in temperature that dramatically increased the tempo on the dance floor.
No one contributed to the pace more than Elaine Kay. “I used to be a pretty good dancer, but my knees aren’t that good anymore. After a couple glasses of wine I did all right,” the 87-year-old merrymaker remarked.
Somewhat younger guests Audrey Prichard and Laurana Reed didn’t fare as well. Audrey was showing off scars from a recent knee replacement and Laurana was out-and-a-‘boot’ following foot surgery. Virginia Poole Ault also numbered among the walking wounded with a rotator cuff injury.
The Miller clan was out in full force. Carey and Jack and John and Donna were all there when Bo Miller and his fiancée, Susan Conley, arrived later. Having just flown in from Texas they were accompanied by Bo’s son, ‘Little Bo.’ “We expected them, but not ‘Little Bo,’” Carey remarked. “He was our surprise. I can’t call him ‘Little Bo’ anymore,” she added. At 6-foot-4, no wonder.
Others in the crowd keeping pace with the momentum of the evening included Kitty Albright, in town from Charlotte, N.C., with the news she is about to be a great-grandmother in August; Bruce and Michael McConihe, Austin and Gogo Kiplinger, Carole and Don Dell, Sue Monahan, Bess and Tyler Abell, Betty and Alan Weintraub, who the previous day moved from “East Oaks,” their home of 30 years; Carol and Bob Ladd, Peter Hitchen, Nancy and Ben Daughtry, Missy Lankler, Sue Ewald; the Crawfords' daughter and son-in-law Camille and Fritz Finley; Ann Stevens and Tom Gutierrez; plus scores more.
LEAVING TOWN
It’s going to be a Rocky Mountain high for Deirdre Cryor. The former upper school head at Stone Ridge has left for Denver where she is the new headmistress/president of St. Mary’s Academy. St. Mary’s is not only known for awarding the first high school diploma in the state (it happened to be to a girl!) but it is also the alma mater of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Cryor’s departure last week didn’t go unnoticed. Her sister and brother-in-law, Jennifer and Ray Baldwin, gave a rousing farewell party at their Potomac home attended by family, friends and several former colleagues from Stone Ridge, including headmistress Sister Anne Dyer, R.S.C.J.
Sister Dyer, a graduate of Stone Ridge, the school’s headmistress for over 25 years, is a highly esteemed educator in the Washington area. This was her last year there. Her shoes have yet to be filled and it will be a hard act to follow.
Among the many friends at the Baldwin party wishing Deirdre a fond farewell was Anne Johnson, who has just purchased a place in Wellington, Fla. There her son, Randy, will move part of his show horse operation, joining hordes of the best riders from all over the country who come there to prepare for national competition.
Other friends included Nan and Manning Muntzing, Christie Gosnell, Mary and Jack Kalagher; Deirdre’s sister and brother-in-law Allison and Rob Dinardo whose Alexandria home has been featured on six 30-minute shows (repeats) recently on HGTV, Home and Garden; Ellie Higginbotham, Simone Ross, Katherine Bonner and Sharon Karody were all part of the crowd.
Prior to departing for Denver, Deirdre, also a Stone Ridge graduate, (followed by Haverford and a masters in education at Johns Hopkins) was in China attending a conference for independent school heads. This left her about 10 days to pack up and move on.