The quest was successful. This was no small feat because there were difficult language barriers, despite the fact that the Neubauers had hired an English-speaking driver/guide. Still, it was scratchy going with the language and travel was confusing.

Fortunately, Jean was able to talk to the guide in German and then translate what she heard into English for the others. Getting into Slovakia was like entering Russia, what with the tight security, says Mary, a travel agent at Saratoga's Alpine Travel.

The travelers flew to Budapest and then took a train. At the border the Hungarian officials got off and the Slovakians got on--armed with guns, no less--a bit unsettling. The foursome narrowly escaped being herded to the wrong destination.

They were seated on a railway car that would be detached once a certain town was reached. The route the car would then take was not the one they wanted. Fortunately, the conductor managed to explain the situation to them by using a pictogram. He drew a toy train, then put a slash through it.

Then he wrote the name of the town where the divergence would take place. Once the train reached that town, the family, loaded with baggage, hastily high-tailed it to one of the back cars. Thus was a potentially disastrous detachment averted.

It was the first time that Friedrichs had ever been in the country of her origins, so finding the village was a very heartrending experience. They even found the church where the family had worshipped. But they also found it locked. However, the fates were kind: a sympathetic villager told them where to find the caretaker, who ultimately unlocked the church.

More recently Neubauer took a wine tour around the Bay from San Francisco to Napa but visited no wineries. That part of the trip had already passed. As a travel agent, she was assigned the last few days of a weeklong cruise. It's a luxurious way to be introduced to SF and environs, by ship, leisurely trolling along on a Clipper Cruise, along with 138 others.

BUTTERFLY CARDS: Mary Beth Parfitt, or Mayo as she calls herself professionally, designs butterfly greeting cards sold at Domus, at Jax card store in Santana Row and at museum stores such as the Triton.

Mayo duplicates butterflies found in the Encyclopedia of Butterflies of the World. She transfers the images onto special paper, then embosses them.

"If I can do it, anyone can," she says, extolling the creativity of others. "I'm always encouraging people to make their own cards." Mayo demonstrates her technique at the Villages and elsewhere. She works on the cards two hours a day and has been at it for five years.

Her crowning achievement may be the fact that Harry Osborn, of the Silicon Valley Auto Group (Rolls Royce and other high-ticket autos), uses her gold-trimmed cards for his thank-you notes to clients. Being able to donate her work to fundraisers is also a high for Mayo.

She donated her cards to the Art Museum of Los Gatos and they're for sale there. The designer isn't worried about running out of prototypes: there are 250,000 different butterfly species. Famed clothing designer Marian Clayden gives her silk fabric leftovers to this cottage-industry card creator.

Barnes & Noble has expressed interest in representing Mayo's butterflies, but she has reservations about flying that high.

SAR SCHOLARSHIPS: Sons of the American Revolution will give two scholarships to De Anza College financial aid students this year--$500 to Cory McCarthy and $300 to Flip Nowak. The candidates are screened by the De Anza College English department based on their essays about patriotism.

Five names, along with bios, are then given to SAR scholarship committee for the final selection. Two strong candidates called for two awards, said Richard Knox of SAR, budget willing, which it was.

The budget is boosted by an annual Saratoga fundraiser at the home of Saratogans Fran and Don Miller. After the 47 attendees dined, they moved on to West Valley Light Opera's Flower Drum Song at the civic center. Some $1,100 was raised.

BBQ FUNDRAISER: The Saratoga Historical Foundation will hold a family barbecue with sing-along music by Les Landin's group and a narrated slide show by Chuck Schoppe about the history of Saratoga. Schoppe is SHF president. The event is July 17, 4-7 p.m., at Cooper Garrod Ranch.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for children. Contact number is Nancy Anderson at 408.867.4383.

Got a tip for Saratoga Sampler? Send email to maryanncook@earthlink.net.