Fresh off a plane from Ireland where they were visiting family for the last two weeks, my nieces, Sophia and Rose caught a second wind and decided to bounce on the backyard trampoline with Nicolai. Both girls are looking more like young women than the “gerbils” I have chased about on prior visits. They are as strong as they are beautiful and a joy to be around. Earlier in the day Kyle, Maya and I flew into Minneapolis where we connected with Nicolai who flew in from Colorado. From there we picked up my brother and headed over to the hospital where my mother is a patient. Every time my brother’s implanted cardiac defibrillator shocks his heart back to life he is not allowed to drive for 6 months. He is currently in one of those periods which will last until September. We spent several hours with my mother whose condition I will report on tomorrow.