Our River House design is approaching completion. The last area of refinement is window placement and sizing. The latest riverside elevation is shown above. Our initial concept was very modern but also had something of a “commercial store-front” vibe. In this version, we have established a three-floor repeating pattern covering the living area, aviary, and game room, and the dining area gets its own window centered on a circular table. Much of the initial design was driven by the outside appearance of the house. We have now shifted our focus to make sure that the windows make the most sense from the inside looking out since that is where we will be spending 99% of our time.
After an extremely restful night in the guest house (to the right of the long deck in the photo above), I was up with the sun for some aerial photography. Because of the location of many trees, I struggled to get a perspective that did justice to the house design which is modern with interesting angles everywhere. We picked up many ideas for incorporation into our new house plans. Not shown is a large barn that houses the woodshop and additional living area. I spent a portion of the morning helping Chuck to reestablish proper flow to a small rivulet on the island while Jeanine enjoyed an extended walk with Lydia. We returned to Concord in time for the Academy Awards, hoping to see Geoff McLean win an Oscar for his short documentary, “Audible..” Unfortunately, the award went to “The Queen of Basketball,” a very well-done interview with Lusia Harris chronicling her legendary career in basketball. While very good, I personally believe that “Audible” was a far superior documentary in terms of dimensionality, nuance, and overall storytelling.
Jeanine and I drove to Sebasco, Maine early this morning to visit with friends, Lydia and Chuck, who have recently finished building a new home on Harbor Island. Transit to the island, located only a few hundred feet off the coast, was by way of their amphibious vehicle; half Zodiac style boat, half three-wheeled rock crawler. The hydraulically deployed wheels carry the boat over rugged terrain and are retracted once in the water. VERY COOL! It is the ultimate mode of personal transport between the cars they leave parked on the mainland and their home which is a fair distance from the landing cove on the island.
After a nice lunch, we were treated to a tour of their home and the ~65-acre island, much of which they own.
While in Mexico the US Amputee Soccer Team was followed by producer, Geoff McClean, and his videographer. His most recent project. “Audible” is up for an Oscar Award this weekend in the Short Documentary Film category. He has been following Nico for at least four years now and is interested in doing a project involving the team. He was gathering footage and interviews to prepare a 3-minute video to present to Netflix executives. If they greenlight the project, he will be assembling a crew to follow the US team as they prepare for and compete in the World Cup. If you have a Netflix subscription, I highly recommend watching “Audible.” There is a reason it has been nominated for an Oscar.
When in countries where motorcycles and scooters are primary modes of transportation, I always find myself drawn to photographing families riding together. There is something very intimate I find in these scenes. Here are some of my favorites from San Juan de Los Lagos.
My primary motivation for choosing to visit Puerto Vallarta after the World Cup Qualifier was to photograph the Playa del Amor, the “beach of love” more typically called the Hidden Beach, a secluded sandy cavern on one of the islands that make up the Marietas Islands National Park. Unfortunately, I was not able to accomplish that goal and the photo above is not one I took. Had I been less busy when booking travel I would have done more research and learned that (a) access to the islands is not permitted on Mondays and Tuesdays (the two days I was in Puerto Vallarta), and (b) that drones are not permitted over the islands. I had assumed that this was a natural formation but have since learned that the round opening over the sea cave was created when the military was testing new explosives.
With the Marietas off the table, I decided to visit the Los Arcos Islands instead. They also feature many sea caves and birdlife proving to be a pleasant consolation. All in all, my time in Puerto Vallarta has been relaxing but I found myself constantly missing Jeanine who would have really enjoyed the food, music, and art.
Puerto Vallarta is a city with much to recommend it. The beaches here stretch for miles and there seems to be one for every type of visitor. As with most such locations, the economy is based on tourism so you are constantly exposed to merchandise or services for sale. Despite the fact that every inch of the beachfront appears to be developed, there is no lack of wildlife to be found. I enjoyed a casual day of strolling the boardwalk and Malecon before enjoying an afternoon siesta and delicious food. I tested negative for Covid and should be all set for my return flight to the US tomorrow.
The final qualifying matches last night were followed by an Awards Ceremony which I was able to watch live on the San Juan TV streaming channel. Nicolai was awarded the “Jugador Mas Valioso” (Most Valuable Player) of the tournament scoring a total of 3 goals and 2 assists. His lifetime international goal tally now stands at 29. Although I was not there in person, I did photograph his acceptance off the TV screen in my room. As far as the team standings go, it remains unclear if the USA finished 2nd or 3rd. We were initially awarded the 2nd place trophy but later in the ceremony asked to exchange it for Mexico’s 3rd place trophy. Since Haiti, the USA, and Mexico all finished the tournament with 7 points, the finishing order is determined by the tie break criteria. Apparently, there remains confusion around those criteria. Either way, the US is headed for Turkey in the fall.
As much as I have enjoyed the excitement of the last several days, it has been anything but relaxing. This morning I returned to Agua Calientes and flew to Puerto Vallarta where I will spend a few days decompressing. Destination beach towns are not generally my thing, but I wanted someplace nearby with good flight connections and at least a few opportunities for hiking and good photography. Although the US has secured advancement to the World Cup tournament, its finishing position in the CONCACAF qualifier will not be determined until the final two matches are played this evening. I will, no doubt, report on the results tomorrow. Pictured below is the bed and breakfast where I am staying. It is very lovely and the wi-fi, while not great, is much better than my hotel in San Juan de Los Lagos. The top-level has a large hot tub/pool and sunbathing deck which also makes for a perfect drone launching helipad.
The loss to Mexico put the US hopes of a World Cup ticket in jeopardy. Nothing short of a win in their last game against Haiti would guarantee advancement putting a great deal of pressure on the team. Even so, everyone seemed resigned to their mission and calm in the build-up to the match. Inspired by an emotional visit with Don Bennett, founder of organized amputee soccer, the USA team secured the win and a trip to Turkey for the World Cup. Nicolai scored both goals in the 2-1 victory. The first was a penalty kick and the second was another brilliant header. In remarks to the team after the match, Nico described the day as the best of his life and I can understand why. I was thrilled to share it with him and my face below is as happy as it gets.
Playing the host country is never easy. In this case, about 3200 Mexican fans showed up for the soccer match giving them the 12th man advantage. Many calls went their way and their stalling tactics went unaddressed. Even so, Mexico played an excellent match and beat the US by a score of 2-1. The Mexican defense did a good job of neutralizing Nicolai whose contribution was limited to the assist on the only American goal. The sound in the stadium was deafening. Between the cheering fans and blaring music on the PA system, it was impossible to communicate on the field or with the bench.
After games, the players are generally besieged by fans seeking autographs and photographs. Over the years Nico has signed soccer balls, jerseys, scraps of papers, and all manner of clothing and body parts. The look on his face, when handed a baby for the first time, was priceless. Fortunately, he made no attempt to sign it but rather held it securely for a photo.
This morning the team visited el Colegio Miguel Bolonia, a middle school in San Juan de Los Lagos. We were greeted by faculty and students who presented each of us with handwritten letters and medals. We reciprocated with school supplies. The team played a match with the students and had to settle for another tie 🙂
By match time, it was down to business. The US came out strong and pressured El Salvador for the entire match. Nico had the assist on our only goal which was enough for the win. The entire match can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/sanjuantv/videos/251158840458769
The USA faced Costa Rica in its opening match. With seconds remaining in the first half, Costa Rica scored on a direct kick which caught our goalie off his line. The US put the setback in their rearview mirror, rallied around their keeper, and responded with an equalizer midway through the second half. Although the team had hoped for a win, a tie would have to do. In this tournament, a win earns 3 points and a tie earns 1 point. After all five teams have played each other, the three with the greatest number of points will qualify for the World Cup tournament which will be held in Turkey later this year.
I arrived in Aguas Calientes, Mexico this morning where I rented a car and drove to San Juan de Los Lagos where the Amputee Soccer World Cup Qualifier for the CONCACAF region is being held. The journey was not without drama. To start, I was robbed at the airport. Mexican customs charged me $220 as an import tax on my drone. Next, I had to wait one hour while my rental car was being “fueled”? Finally, Google Maps guided me to my hotel by way of the pedestrian-only square surrounding the main cathedral here. Once I entered the area, it was impossible to back out and I had to drive ahead at about 1/2 mph until I found an exit. Very embarrassing. Still, it was all worthwhile. I joined Nicolai for the opening ceremony which featured many traditional Mexican dances and costumes, singing, acrobatics, and pyrotechnics. Nicolai was introduced with the other team captains from Mexico, El Salvador, Haiti, and Costa Rica.
At my request, Maya shared this photo which I find quite humorous. She is pictured here carrying a “crash pad” to an outdoor rock climbing location. She left for California today where she will be doing some climbing during the coming week while on spring break. I appreciate it when she takes the appropriate safety precautions while she pursues her passions.
At Nicolai’s invitation, we gathered at his apartment this afternoon for a send-off party. He leaves for Mexico tomorrow morning with the hopes of helping the US qualify for the Amputee Soccer World Cup. Maya prepared a mushroom/tofu/egg drop soup and pan-fried potstickers. Jeanine did a Thai chicken dish. After the meal, we walked to nearby Davis Square for bubble tea and ice cream desserts. Maya leaves for a spring break vacation in California tomorrow and I will follow Nico to Mexico on Tuesday.
I spent the better part of the day working with Kyle on his basement renovation project. Today we focused on framing. The future kitchen area posed the greatest challenge as we had to work around existing plumbing and drain lines. Almost every stud required special treatment and took much longer than building a typical wall. The results, however, were very satisfying and you can almost see the kitchen layout starting to take shape. Kyle has been a terrific apprentice and I would venture to say that he has graduated to an entry-level journeyman. He certainly looks the part with his tool belt and chop saw. We enjoyed delicious roast sandwiches during an extended lunch run to Mikey’s Famous Roastbeef. As we were wrapping up for the day, Kyle observed that we could expand the size of the new living room considerably by shrinking the mechanical room which will be possible with the new much more compact equipment.
Maya shared this photo of herself with all of her Olin roommates. It appears she may have lured them in with the treats she is holding in her hands. From all reports, this has been a fantastic set of people to live with. On our last visit, Maya described how they worked as a team to do all of the household chores, treating it as a well-run engineering project. As much as she has enjoyed her college years, I get the sense she is really looking forward to starting the next chapter of her life.
Ever since my recently purchased Apple Macbook Pro arrived, the “A” key has been finicky. Press anywhere but the upper left-hand corner of the key and all was fine. Hitting that particular spot, however, would result in a missed keystroke. When your name contains four “A”s, five if you count my middle name, it becomes a hassle quickly. This morning, I took my computer to the Apple Store in the Natick Mall to have the issue addressed. I was in and out in 10 minutes and am happy to report that all is AAAAAA OK now. This is probably my first time in a shopping mall since the onset of the pandemic and I was shocked to see how few people were out and about. Perhaps it was just too early in the day (11:30 am). The lack of crowds did make it easy to get this shot of a “Celebration of Spring” exhibit. I was less interested in the display than the interplay of vertical and diagonal lines and shadows.
After Maya stuck her entire nose into this tulip yesterday, I decided to do some investigation for myself. I choose, however, to use a camera rather than my snoot. Here are some interesting facts about tulips that you probably did not know. At one point in history, tulips were the most expensive flower. In fact, in the 1600s the flowers were more valuable than most people’s homes, and cost almost 10 times what an average working-class man earned in a year. Tulips are known for their bold colors and beautiful shape, and most varieties are indeed almost perfectly symmetrical. The blooms have three petals and three sepals, but since the sepals are almost the same size and shape as the petals, tulips appear to have six petals to a bulb. Like many other flowers, tulips are edible! In fact, during World War II, tulips and tulip breads were often eaten by those who couldn’t afford other foods. The flowers can be used to replace onions in many recipes and are even used to make wine. Perhaps Maya was simply sizing up a tulip for her next recipe.
The kids joined us for dinner this evening for the second time in as many days. We enjoyed a wonderful meal prepared by Maya as head chef, with Susan as chief chopper, and me as sous-chopper and dishwasher. The centerpiece in our kitchen at the moment is a lovely arrangement of tulips that Susan gifted to us. After dinner, Maya decided to take a big sniff and stuck her entire nose into one of the flowers for the full experience. I asked her to do it again once I had my camera at the ready.
I spent several hours today studying photographs of power poles. I am working with a client to help improve a robot used to crawl along a live conductor while helically wrapping it with a fiber optic cable. The autonomous robot will significantly reduce the cost of expanding internet access, especially in remote areas of the world. Crawling along the power line is the easy part. Traversing the insulators at each pole is the tricky bit. Just when I have imagined a morphology that I believe will address the challenge, I come across a new insulator arrangement that cannot be traversed. I am nothing if relentless and will continue to iterate on design concepts until I have something better than the existing implementation.
Each of the teams attending the Amputee Soccer World Qualifier tournament in Mexico has been asked to prepare a short video to be played during the opening ceremony. Nicolai was appointed by the team to create the USA submission. Each spokesperson needed to respond to four questions submitted by the organizing committee. We shot the content in about an hour and I spent several more finishing the edits. It is not a work of art, but it meets the criteria and will be delivered in time for the deadline tonight.
Jeanine and Susan, her sister visiting from Vermont, went into Boston this evening to attend an Orchid Exhibition at the Tower Hill Botanical Garden. This year, the annual event featured 1,400 orchids and the theme was Prismatic. “Prisms capture light, which depending on the type of prism, separate visible light into spectral colors, as you see in rainbows. Plants, including orchids, utilize the energy of light for photosynthesis, which helps create the beautiful blooms.” I had originally planned to join them but got tied up at Kyle’s house. He and I spent the day replacing most of the water lines and some of the drains in his house. When it was time to leave for the show, we had not yet restored water service to the house and I did not feel comfortable leaving until we did. The photo above is one of many that Jeanine took at the show.
Maya shared this photo of the assembly line used to prepare enough grilled cheese sandwiches to feed a small army. For reasons that are still unclear to me even after a full explanation, these and about a hundred more were passed out by Maya and her floormates at an Olin party.
Nicolai shared some photos of his trip to Los Angeles last week. He traveled there to attend training with select members of the USA National Amputee Soccer Team in preparation for the World Cup Qualifiers to be held in Mexico later this month. The camp focused on “finishing” (make sure the ball finds its way to the back of the net) and was extremely valuable according to Nico. I will be joining the team for the five-day tournament to be held in San Juan de Los Lagos and will tack on a few days of vacation at the end in Puerto Vallarta.
Last year we secured permission from the Concord Natural Resource Commission to remove trees that posed a threat to the River House. Today, that work was performed starting with a massive oak tree at least 100 feet tall. At some point, the tree had been struck by lightning; probably the same bolt that hit the house. I found evidence of fire damage to the framing of the house on the corner adjacent to the tree while doing deconstruction. According to the arborist we hired, this tree, in particular, posed an imminent and serious threat due to its size, weight, and the direction it was leaning. The tree service we hired for the work was amazing. Pictured above is a worker being lowered into the top of the tree. After formulating a plan of attack, he secured the upper section of the tree to the crane, rappelled down a bit to cut off that section, and then rappelled all the way to the ground. The crane then lifted the top section up and over the house and placed it in the driveway where other workers fed it into a giant chipper. Clearing this treetop made way for the second tree, a pine which they took all at once. The bottom section of the oak was taken in two sections, each weighing about 5 tons each. I used the drone to take videos of the whole operation.
One of my clients has me architecting a polypeptide printer capable of running 100 times faster than their current machine. I am quite pleased with the current state of the design and we are ready to start early prototyping. The design makes extensive use of peristaltic pumps. Close to 1000 in a fully configured machine. Pictured above is such a pump that arrived today along with the stepper motor controller used to drive it. I am looking forward to putting this little fellow through its paces. It may take a little longer than planned as the controller arrived with no documentation and the printed circuit board is labeled in Chinese characters.
Kyle nearly had a heart attack when his Robinhood app reported that his cryptocurrency investment dropped by $43,000 in 1 minute. Fortunately, it turned out to be a quickly resolved technical glitch rather than the Russian cyberattack he was starting to imagine.
Last week I had my annual eye exam which was very uplifting. Apparently, my eyes are the only parts of my body that are improving with age. The severity of my astigmatism has been decreasing over the last couple of years. Given how bad they were to start, that is not saying much. Nevertheless, I will take the win. Suspecting that my prescription had changed, I have been waiting for over 6 months to replace my glasses which are in a sad state of affairs. When I was working at Digital Alloys, I did some metal grinding and the red hot grinding dust hit the surface of my glasses (better the lenses than my eyeballs). This caused the coating on the lenses to begin deteriorating and the result is what you see above. Two weeks ago the nose bridge broke free of one of the lenses and I made a crude repair with a combination of cyanoacrylate glue and epoxy. Today, in a final attempt to cause me grief, one of the nose pads broke off. Fortunately, my new frames and lenses are due to arrive mid-next week.
This website is dedicated to sharing, with family and friends, the day-to-day adventures of the Calabria family.
