In his final performance, Nico played drums in a rock band. we were all very impressed with the set and it was great to see Nico having so much fun, not that you could tell by his facial expression while performing. Not cool to smile I guess. How do you get a guitar player to stop playing? Put some music in front of him. How do you get two picolo players to play in tune? Shoot one of them. Nico now has a full complement of musician jokes and he was very happy to share them with us.

 
After playing percussion for the symphonic orchestra he then played drums for a jazz ensemble. It’s a shame they always put the drummer in the back. Nico asked me why it was important to make sure the drums are set up perfectly level. It is so the drummer will drool equally from both sides of their mouth. He then asked me what you call a trombone player without a girl friend? …. Homeless.

 
Nicolai performed in four seperate groups. This year he participated in the Jazz Choir. Click on the photo and see if you can find him among the singers. Bonus points if you find Waldo as well.

 
Because we arrived earlier than expected we had some time before Nico’s first performance. Maya entertains herself using a crab apple to draw with on the concrete foundation of the administration building.

 
Nicolai gives us a tour of his cabin and shares stories of his teachers and bunk mates.

This evening I attended the wake for Hakim and was overcome with emotion. My soccer team is a band of brothers and his father’s loss is our loss. When I returned home to learn that Kyle had obtained his driving permit and had driven home I could not see past my fear of losing my own child to share his enthusiasm for reaching this milestone. I know that Bahi will carry the burden of his son’s loss for the rest of his life and I will do what I can to ease that pain. This reminder of how quickly we can lose a loved one will also cause me to find more moments to cherish my own family.

 
As part of camp Jeanine, Maya and her friends have been making their own tote bags. Here is Maya’s creation which she completed entirely on her own. It did not occur to me until after I took the photograph, but the seat cushion on the chair was sewn by her grandmother.

 
Earlier this week Maya and I constructed a buzzer. It is a little crude, but it works nicely and Maya learned a lot about electricity. The nail is wrapped in fine guage wire to form an electromagnet. It is covered in electrical tape and hot melt glued to the backing board. The metal clapper pivots about a nail and is returneded to its resting position by a spring. The white wire forms the interrupter switch.

 
Little does Kyle know that his close friends are waiting at the restaurant to surprise him for his birthday. He was truly stunned and very happy to see his buddies.

 
For his birthday, Jeanine, Maya and I take Kyle to the Melting Pot a nice fondue restaurant for dinner. Nicolai is still away at music camp.

 
Kyle turns 16 years old today. It is hard for me to imagine how quickly the years have passed. He has turned into a rather fine yound man and we are all very proud of him. Here he prepares to go for a run.

Today I am saddened beyond words. The 25 year old son, Hakim, of one of my soccer team mates died today. Hakim would frequently join his father and our team for practice sessions. It is impossible for me to fathom this loss and to comprehend the pain of losing a child.

 
Maya belays her new friend as she attempts to gain entrance to the treehouse.

 
Maya made a bee line to the Metzold family tree house and befriended another nine year old girl in attendance.