This evening I helped Nicolai to prepare an eBay listing to sell this microscope. Nico and I worked together to set up the product shot and we were both quite pleased with the result. It is actually more difficult than you might expect to arrange all the items in a visually pleasing way. Nico has a great eye for composition..
Maya reunited with her pig.
On the way home today we travelled by way of Route 2 to avoid traffic. Although it adds about an hour to the trip, the scenery is magnificent and despite grousing from the children I made several stops to enjoy it.
Alissa returned from shopping with a bright pink pair of vibrating slippers. You read that correctly. Battery operated, vibrating pink slippers. Despite serious teasing (not much imagination required), Alissa could not be parted from her new found foot joy.
My nephew Johnny looking more like a man every time I see him. He is taller than his mother and is nearly as tall as Kyle.
I have vivid childhood memories of watching the locks operate. Unfortunately, today there was no traffic on the river and we could only image what it was like.
The lock allows boats to traverse the 20 ft. transition between the top and bottom of the falls.
Today we visited Lock 7 on the Mohawk River.
My sister Alissa, also in fine form.
My mother, looking as beautiful as ever.
Thanksgiving dinner was truly a feast and thoroughly enjoyable. The children, subject to minor coercion, cleared the table and did the dishes which allowed the adults to relax after the meal. There was a lot to be thankful for this year but most importantly, my parent’s return to good health.
On a smaller scale here is the Japanese style lantern and bonasi shrub that greats visitors to my parent’s home.
This year for Thanksgiving, we traveled to Schenectady, NY to celebrate the holiday with my parents, sister Alissa, and her family. Jeanine and I went for a walk on the campus of my alma mater, Union College and I captured an image of the Nott Memorial, the campus landmark.
Tough guy.
In addition to a trophy for the team, each player received a champion’s tee-shirt and this engraved mug. I possessed it for less than 2 hours before Maya convinced me to donate to her emerging collection of glass objects.
This morning, my team won the Division 2 Championship with a 1-0 win over Marblehead. It was a sweet win and the best finish for our team since it was formed. This brings the fall outdoor season to an end and leaves us the entire winter to prepare for a what is sure to be a very difficult spring scheulde.
I enjoyed a boys day out with Kyle and Nico. First, we went to watch the Concord-Carlisle high school soccer team as they won the state championship. Next, we took in the new James Bond movie, Casino Royale, which I can highly recommend as the best 007 movie ever. We finished the evening with dinner out
, complete with normally forbidden drinks (anything other than milk or water). It was a great day.
Did I mention the rock star performance?
Maya and best friend Sarinnagh spent the evening at a spelling bee and returned to the house full of silly juice. My request for a singing duet triggered 30 minutes of giggling and sliding about on the kitchen floor. Once exhausted, they settled down for a moment and I was fortunate to get this shot.
Maya’s lost tooth is so small that I have told her the Tooth Fairy is unlikely to pay the full rate this time.
To Maya’s surprise, her mother jumps into the act.
Maya poses for me shortly after I extracted one of her baby teeth. I have perfected my technique such that 
she was not aware her tooth had been removed until I showed it to her.
I am not exactly sure what Kyle is doing in this photo but he is certainly doing it with style. He scored two goals and helped his team to a decisive win over a team that included many of his friends from Concord.
For the first time this season, Kyle’s team enjoyed having spectators.
It’s been a while since Nicolai has stopped moving long enough for me to photograph him.
Each year around this time, the executive staff at Avid serves a turkey dinner to all
of the employees. Pictured here, is my former boss who refused to let us throw him a farewell party, opting instead to say good bye to everyone during this event. Joe hired me into Avid and I am going to miss him tremendously.
My entry for this week’s photography assignment. The theme is “Early Morning”. I shot it while I was at Manchester by the Sea on a recent business retreat to New Hampshire. Today was rainy, cold, and overcast.
Not a great day for photography nor all that good for soccer, but that did not keep Kyle and I from playing our matches. My team won 4-0 and we advance to final round playoffs next week. We played a very physical Russian team and the game was much closer than the score indicates. Kyle’s team did not fare as well and the rain had intensified by mid afternoon leaving him soaked and chilled from head to toe.
Earlier this morning Kyle and Maya were curled up on the couch watching a movie about sled dogs.
Maya with friends Julie and Lydia playing on the tree swing. Jeanine and I spent the day working in the yard. The weather was perfect and it feels like this might be the last good day for picking up the leaves.
Nicolai beats three defenders for a shot on goal which scores. His team won 4-2. Before he took the field, Nico told me he was going to score a goal. Five minutes later, he delivered on the promise.
