Once Upon a Time I went to a Larkin family picnic 
at Caitlin and Tim's home 

A Larkin Family Picnic
June 9, 2002

Niece Paige Larkin Carpenter in early June 2002 suggest having a family picnic for the Larkins in the local DC area. Caitlin and her husband Timothy Binning offered to host the event.

The ostensible occasion for the gathering was to be to celebrate our grandniece Christina's 16th birthday. There was a second agenda too. Some of us had never met or had not seen each other for a very long time. It was an opportunity to become acquainted or reacquainted. 

We settled on June 9, 2002 at 3:00 PM. Brian and I drove back from Big Meadow in the Shenandoahs and were the first to arrive. Within a few minute, Paige and her husband Everett and three children, Adrianna, Alexander and Kathryn arrived from Maryland. They were trailed by her brother Shawn and his wife Sue and their two children Christina and Nicholas who drove 7 hours from their home in North Carolina. Fashionably late (well, 15 minutes) was the Larkin family matriarch, Brian's sister Maureen, who fought her way up I-95 from the rolling farm lands outside Amelia, Virginia.

_______________
Pictures are by Nicholas Larkin. Camera is courtesy of Timothy Binning. Photo selection is by Caitlin Wright Binning. Editorial supervision supplied by everyone.

     

Hello Nephew

In this photo, Brian's sister Maureen is greeting nephew Shawn, son of her late twin Maurice. Looking on is Shawn's charming wife Sue.

Shawn and Sue live in North Carolina and, upon learning about this picnic, decided to drive up just to spend the afternoon with us.

Brian had not seen Shawn in years and had never met his family. I'd not met any of them.

We were really pleased that he made the trip.

Timothy Binning, Host and Master Chef

Niece Caitlin and her husband Timothy offered to host the event.

Timothy, referred to by 11-year-old Nicholas (who was meeting many of us for the first time) as "that man in the yellow shirt,"  spent a major portion of a hot afternoon fine tuning hamburgers, hotdogs and sausages -- medium, well done, rare, charred -- each turned out to perfection.

He is good! We ate ourselves silly.

     

     

Three Picnickers

Some of us had trouble putting down our plates, even when Nicholas popped up with a camera aimed in our direction.

Shown here are Shawn's sister, Paige (red top) with 6-month old Kathryn Jennifer Carpenter and Shawn's daughter Christina Mi Yong Larkin with a plate.

Christina, who is spending the summer interning with her uncle Everett at the U.S. Naval Research Lab, has just been accepted at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Raleigh, NC. She also plays the flute, clarinet and the piano. There is no end to this lady's talent!

Mother Caitlin

Our hostess niece Caitlin spent most of the afternoon alternating between sipping slurpie type drinks and playing with 6-month-old Kathryn.

She's been trying to figure out how to keep the baby. "Can I keep her? Can I keep her?"

 

 

    

     

Uncle Brian

Brian spent the whole afternoon alternating between a hamburger and chatting with Shawn, a hot dog and chatting with Sue, more hamburger and chatting with Paige, a sausage and chatting with Everett, and sipping ginger ales and chatting with Nicholas, Adrianna, Maureen, Caitlin and Tim.

He did have a busy time.

 

The Second Birthday Girl

I brought a cake for Christina, whose birthday is June 13. After singing Happy Birthday for her, everyone joined in for another round for my birthday which was June 8.

I spent much of my time playing ball with 2-year-old Alexander below and a neighbor's son.

        

     

Alexander, the Endearing

Alexander is the son of niece Paige and her husband Everett Carpenter. 

He is bright, energetic and an awfully pretty child. He reminds me so much of our grandson Connor, Shannon and Dawn's son.

Alexander and I had a lot of fun playing ball with the neighbor's little boy.

Uncle Everett and the Official Picnic Photographer

Everett is a research scientist at the Naval Research Lab here in D.C. With him here is his nephew Nicholas Song Min Larkin, son of Shawn and Sue Larkin. His wife Paige says of Everett, "He's so smart, it's scary."

Nicholas is a very bright 11-year-old who took to his uncle Tim's digital camera as though he'd invented it, and immediately assumed the role of official picnic photographer. 

All of the pictures on this page except this one were  taken by him.

     

     

Sisters in Law

On the left is Suk Chin "Sue" Larkin, Shawn's wife. Sue is a native of Korea and married Shawn 17 years ago when he was stationed in that country. Sue is an absolutely charming woman.

Paige is Shawn's youngest sister. She has an M.A. and practices psychotherapy in a private practice in Maryland. Paige is bright, witty and effervescent.

 

Adrianna, the Charming

Adrianna is Page's "#1 daughter." She is an absolutely charming young lady. 

"Adrianna is 11 going on 30," her mother said last year in introducing her. (She is now 12.)

Caitlin accurately reported after meeting her for the first time, "Miss Adrianna is bright, articulate and engaging, and great with her younger siblings."

Don't those eyes really get to you?

      

Home | Menu