Nala surveys our backyard to ensure it is free from squirrels, wild turkeys, skunks, geese, deer, woodchucks, foxes, other dogs and cats. Her level of barking and whining at the door is a function of the proximity of these would be intruders to the house. The approach of a masked man carrying a crowbar, however, would more likely lead to enthusiastic tail wagging. It is amazing to me how much love and adoration this otherwise talent-less creature enjoys. I receive no such attention when I lie around the house all day and pee in the backyard.

It took many years to learn but I finally figured out that giving a woman a toaster for Valentine’s Day, no matter how nice or how much we needed one, is just a bad idea. In point of fact, I have discovered it is never acceptable to give a woman a gift for any occasion which can be used in the performance of a chore or from which you will derive some benefit. Note to sons, please take to heart this hard-won wisdom. Alright, I never actually gave Jeanine a toaster but some of my gifts have come close. This year my Valentine gave me a book entitled The 5 Love Languages (couples who understand each other’s love language hold a priceless advantage in the quest for love that lasts a lifetime). Note to daughter, men like toasters.

Kidding aside, I have started to read the book and as is generally the case I have a lot to learn.

Maya will be visiting China as part of a cultural exchange program later this year. To do so, she must obtain a Chinese visa which requires two passport-size photos. My photographic services were requested and I was happy to comply since Maya is more likely to shun the camera than to pose for it these days. Just this weekend while dining at a restaurant, I noticed Maya resting her chin on her (emptied) upside-down water glass. I thought this would make a nice photo and placed my camera into position for the shot. When she ascertained my intent she began gyrating her head, making faces, and sticking her tongue out to ruin the image. She was extremely pleased with her strategy until I informed her minutes into these antics that I had switched my camera into video mode and had recorded the entire bobblehead routine. The result is too embarrassing to post but will be the source of gut-busting laughter for years to come.

Each Sunday we try to do a Skype video call with Kyle. Today we noticed he is sporting a new high-speed haircut. I have been after him for a while to send a photo that I could use for the blog. When I asked him for one of his new haircut, he started in with a lame story about being so busy it would take a while (this while holding in his hand an iPhone that could complete the capture and transmission in about 15 seconds). I decided to take matters into my own hands and did a quick screen capture which you see posted here. Kyle seems to be doing OK this term although he reports that his programming class is not going that well. He has opted, wisely I think, to not rush a fraternity at this time while he continues to rehab his various sports injuries (he had two ice packs on during our chat). Jeanine and Maya will be visiting him in the next few weeks and I regret that work obligations will prevent me from joining them.

Winning all three of his matches today, Nicolai clawed out a 3rd place finish in the Division 2 State Wrestling Championship securing the only podium position for CCHS. He demonstrated great composure and strategy as he faced two highly regarded grapplers in the final rounds. He is pictured here using one of his favorite holds while looking up to check the time and score. We are all very proud of the way Nicolai shook off his only loss of the season to finish in such fine form. Maya insisted on attending all his matches, even though the event consumed most of the day. Jeanine texted Kyle constantly to keep him abreast of his brother’s progress. By virtue of his finishing position, Nico has qualified to wrestle at All States in 2 weeks time. He is going to take a couple of days to decide if he will enter or not. He has grown weary of cutting weight and the prospect of practicing alone for two more weeks is not something he looks forward to with much enthusiasm. On the other hand, it is a once or twice in a lifetime opportunity and the chance to shatter yet another barrier.

Nicolai left the house this morning still a pound overweight for the Division 2 State Wrestling tournament which begins today. Not good, but considering he was 6 over last night it could have been worse. He won his opening round with a first-period pin advancing his record to 15-0 with 14 by pin or technical fall. He faced a talented opponent in the second round and suffered his first loss of the season 10-3. Nicolai did not look sharp or wrestle well. Fortunately, he was able to bounce back and won his third match by a technical fall (point differential reaches 15) which allows him to advance to the consolation rounds tomorrow. The top six finishers of this tournament qualify for All States (D1, D2, D3). He will need to win at least one of three matches to advance.

Each morning, I generally spend the hour from 5AM to 6AM at my computer. This is when I usually write my blog entries and process photos that I have taken. For the past few months I have been trimming down and organizing my photo collection so that I can find images with greater ease. This week I have been going through my collection of ariel photographs taken from commercial aircraft. Most are best viewed in large format and do not translate well to the computer screen so I don’t often post them. This one of the Colorado River was taken above the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Utah.

Jeanine and I had the great pleasure of celebrating the 50th birthday of our good friend Susan Reynolds this evening. The soiree, hosted by her parents, was held at the Legal Harborside and attended by some 50 close friends. The measure of a life well lived may well be the positive impact one has on the people and world around you. Judging by the toasts she received, there can be little doubt that Susan has enriched the lives of everyone she has ever known. Her circle of friends is as eclectic and diverse as any I know. With each new dinner course, guests moved to a new table for a chance to mingle with each other. My present to Susan, pictured here with her adoring dad, was a slideshow of photos from the evening.

Maya is nearing completion of the entire Harry Potter series which she began reading a few months ago. When finished she will have read 3,407 pages in total. There is no doubt whatsoever that she inherited her passion for reading from Jeanine or that it will serve her well in school (she had a perfect report card last semester). On the downside, I am increasingly being discouraged from kissing her on any part of the face which would obscure her view while reading. Fortunately, I am still being granted access to the back of her head and neck. Although my pages are significantly shorter, I wonder if Maya (or anyone for that matter) will ever read all 4,645 entries that constitute my “book” in its current state.

Nicolai’s picture and bio have been added to the US National Amputee Soccer Team website.

From an article published in the on-line Concord Journal.

Undefeated Patriot wrestler Nico Calabria captured the106-pound D2 Central wrestling championship and Outstanding Wrestler honors on Saturday at Marlborough High School. In the early rounds of the tourney, Calabria recorded a first-period pin and a dominating second-period technical fall. The junior saved his best wrestling of the year for the championship match in which he executed an elegant variation on the Japanese Whizzer to take down Jeremiah Monks of Quabbin in the first period. He then flipped Monks to his back and quickly secured the pin. Calabria enters the D2 State championship next Friday as the 8th ranked 106-pounder in Massachusetts.

As New England families go, we are not remotely what you would call professional sports fans. We tend to participate rather than watch others play. That said, the Super Bowl is a special event. One to be appreciated as much for the over the top coverage as the inventive commercials. Nicolai took advantage of the occasion to have a party in the basement where his friends enjoyed watching the game on the 12 foot screen in our home theater. I captured the group when they came up to enjoy Jeanine’s freshly baked brownies during halftime.

Nicolai extended his undefeated wrestling season record to 14-0 with two pins and a technical fall. In so doing he became Sectional champion and was awarded the tournament’s top award, Outstanding Wrestler. Thirteen division two schools from the central Massachusetts section competed during the 1- hour tournament. The top four finishers advance to the division two state tournament next weekend and Nicolai’s first-place result should give him a favorable seeding.

Nicolai was featured on the front page of the Concord Journal sports section for his first-place finish at the DCL tournament last week.  Click on the image to read the article. Tomorrow he is in action again at the DCL Sectionals tournament which is the gateway to the State tournament.  On the next page of the Journal, you will find my photo of Maya (who appeared last week on the blog) and her indoor soccer team in recognition of their league championship last week.

What I appreciated most about the coverage in the Journal, and this is the first time it has happened in any of his media coverage, is that no mention was made of Nicolai’s unique morphology.  He was just a wrestler who won a tournament.  Bravo!

Jeanine was otherwise occupied this morning and unable to take Maya to Concord Tea Cakes for their weekly breakfast ritual. I was the benefactor of this circumstance even if only Maya’s reluctant second choice. She enjoyed an almond pastry and hot chocolate while I enjoyed watching and photographing her as she devoured the latest Harry Potter book.