FULL HOUSE, BIG SPLASH: When the Terrills—Dorothy and John and their four offspring—get together, as they did recently, there are 11 grandchildren to be accounted for. "Lots of fun and very lively," reports Dorothy. "Of course, the pool helps."
Lots of "remember whens" are dredged up. "I always hear tales of things that I didn't know occurred at the time—probably for the best," she adds.
The clan includes Peter and family, who came from Albuquerque and took in his 20th Saratoga High reunion. Jack, Catherine and family came from Tacoma with a mission. They wanted 4-month-old daughter Sophia to be baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church, with Peter and Mhel Terrill as sponsors. Sophia is their third daughter. Catherine's 91-year-old grandmother, Estelle Cegielski, came along, too, and proved a great help in the kitchen.
Eric and family joined the doings from Solana Beach, Calif. Daughter Kathy Wahl and husband Steve live nearby, in Campbell. Their offspring include Katrina, 17, Westmont senior; Krystal, 15, Westmont junior; Jonathan, 13, eighth grade at Rolling Hills; and Nicholas, 10, fifth grade at Marshall Lane.
Navy son Peter, who swam for Saratoga High, entered a parent-team relay event with niece Katrina, and Katrina's team, Los Ranchitos, won the relay, defeating Los Gatos Swim and Racquet Club. The Terrills' pool was the site of innumerable volleyball games.
In other Immanuel Lutheran news, the missionary trio of Dan, Berit and Kristina Wick visited Saratoga last week from Cartagena, Colombia. They gave a presentation about their Colombian project at the church. Earlier in the week, the Terrills hosted an open house for them at their house.
A full house isn't just a winning poker hand at the Terrills', obviously, but a way of life.
CRUISING COLONIAL AMERICA: Cruising the other coast and viewing firsthand the country's history was one of the byproducts of a recent two-week vacation by the Saratoga Steinbachs, Josie and Don. It's called the Colonial Cruise and it starts at Charleston and ends in Boston.
Ports along the way included the Bahamas, including Great Stirrup Cay, Curaçao, Norfolk, Philadelphia, Newport, Niagara Falls. "I loved Charleston," says Josie. "The azaleas were in bloom; we toured Boone Hall, where The Notebook, which just came out, was filmed.
"And near the port was a special celebration we hadn't even known about. People were dressed in period costumes to celebrate the re-emergence of the submarine the Hunley, refound and dug up a year ago."
Friends Kay and Paul Fireman were also scheduled to join the cruise, but two unexpected happenings kept them closer to home. Kay not only broke her wrist, but the Firemans' first grandchild made his unexpectedly early appearance in Dublin, and that really axed the travel plans. That she wouldn't miss, Kay vowed. If the wrist were the only deterrent, the Firemans would have been on board.
"I would have gone with one working hand," Kay maintains. Kay and Josie are longtime friends, both having worked at Milpitas High: Kay as librarian, Josie a teacher.
SHAKESPEARE IN OAK MEADOW PARK: Three plays with Saratoga connections will be presented in the Los Gatos Shakespeare Festival at Oak Meadow Park July 16Aug. 1—Twelfth Night, Much Ado about Nothing and Legends of Arthur and Merlin.
Legends is an original work by playwright Mark D. Pickens of Saratoga, who also wrote the script for this year's benefit for the Shakespeare Festival, Passport to Danger. Another Saratogan, Rebecca Stroth-Pickens, will play Viola in Twelfth Night and Tryamour in Legends.
Stroth-Pickens is a founding member of Festival Theatre Ensemble, the organization producing the festival. Los Gatos High sophomore Jane Goldsmith will play a gentlewoman in Twelfth Night, Oatcake in Much Ado About Nothing and a servant in Legends of Arthur and Merlin.
Jane is a veteran of FTE's Summer Conservatory. Another Los Gatan trodding the boards will be Mayor Steve Glickman.
Here's the full lineup: Much Ado—July 16, 25 and 31; Twelfth Night—July 17, 23, 29 and Aug. 1; Legends—July 18, 24 and 30. Tickets are $18, adults; $12, children/seniors. Contacts are 408.996.0635 or box_office@festivaltheatreensemble.org.
ON STAGE: Saratogan Clint Hamilton and Los Gatan Marina Field have roles in the Peninsula Youth Theatre's production of Stuart Little, playing at Cubberly Theatre in Palo Alto until July 18. It's a musical adaptation of the E.B. White classic, and all the roles are filled by youngsters ages 711.
Two special weekday matinees are offered on July 15 and 16 at 1 p.m. for $6. Other performances cost $14, adults; $12 for those under 12 or over 62. The box office is at 650.988.8798. The website is www.pytnet.org.
TRAVELER: Peripatetic Ed Porter is just back from Tahiti with no news to report. Now if he had been there when Marlon Brando's death was announced, it might have been a different story.
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By Mary Ann Cook