Nicolai bid his fellow teammates farewell after wrapping up their final clinic by mid afternoon. We spent the remainder of the day with the Calabrias. I helped Mark reconfigure his home theater wiring and installed a new AV Receiver. The new system was up and running in time to catch local news coverage of the amputee soccer clinics and the US National Team which is embedded below.

A second day of demonstrations and a clinic was covered by the local media today. The team gave several interviews and Nico was one of the featured players. Free clinics are offered to amputees who would like to learn how to play soccer. They are open to able bodied participants who would like to appreciate the challenges of competing on crutches. Kicking and dribbling skills are covered and participants also have an opportunity to play against members of the US National team. The event was a great success and hopefully the media coverage will lead to additional financial contributions to the AASA (American Amputee Soccer Association). Mark, Marie, Sophia, Rose and Rory arrived late in the afternoon to observe the tail end of the clinic, join us for dinner, and attend the NASL Minnesota Stars soccer match at the NSC Stadium. During halftime the US National Amputee Soccer team had an exhibition match against a local able bodied team (they were only allowed to play the ball with one leg). Nicolai was the first to score with a shot that careened through the legs of the keeper. The opponents responded with a nice goal of their own. With seconds remaining in the 12 minute match, Nico recognized that the goalie was far off his line and launched a full field shot that went over his head and secured the 2-1 win for team USA. Maya who was with us for the entire day was extremely helpful as the team videographer and the footage she captured will no doubt be used in the videos we are producing for the team.

My nephew Rory is a rising tennis star in Minnesota. With his long and powerful body he is an intimidating presence on the court. He plays with a great deal of intensity and hustle which only adds to the threat. Maya, Nico and I attended the last portion of a three hour training session and got to see him play in person for the first time. The mid ninety temperatures did not seem to diminish the level of play. Click on the photos for a higher resolution image.

In addition to visiting with family and working in a couple of college visits, Nico is here to represent the USA National Amputee Soccer team at the Schwan’s USA Cup. Billed as the greatest international youth soccer tournament in the Western Hemisphere, the week long event attracts more than 900 teams and 14,000 athletes from 22 countries to the National Sports Center, certified by the Guinness Book of Records as the largest soccer complex on earth. The team conducted demonstrations throughout the afternoon playing against able bodied players many of whom attempted to play using forearm crutches. There is no better way to introduce and build support for the sport of amputee soccer than inclusive events such as this. The evening featured an Olympic style opening ceremony with athletes entering the stadium by team and being treated to a fireworks display and live concert. The USA National Amputee Soccer team (only half the team was able to afford the travel and time off to attend) and coach were the last to enter before the Minnesota Stars (the state’s North American Soccer League team). They received a standing ovation from the estimated crowd of 30,000.

While in Minnesota, Nicolai is scheduled to make two college tours. Today we made the one hour drive to Northfield where Carleton College is located. After the info session and tour, Nico had his first college interview which he felt went extremely well. Carleton is a small undergraduate only school of 2000 students with a 9:1 ratio to teachers located on a 1000 acre campus surrounded by farmland. I would describe the defining characteristics as diversity, true liberal arts orientation, and intimacy (despite the size of the campus compared to the student body). The focus is centered on languages, the media arts, chemistry, and mathematics. We returned to the Calabria clan by 6pm and enjoyed a diner out where I captured my nieces being themselves.

Nicolai, Maya and I started our day at 4:15am as we departed for the airport and our flight to Minneapolis. Upon arrival, shortly before noon, we made our way the Minnehaha Park which drew my interest because of the 53 foot high water falls. The 193 acre park is just 5 minutes from the airport and well worth the visit if not for the falls then for the ambiance which on this day included native American dancers. (I recently made some technical changes to the blog which again allow visitors to click on photos to see a larger version)

We reached the home of my brother Mark, his wife Marie and four children Mario, Rory, Sophia, and Rose by 1:30pm where we were greeted with hugs and food. It took little time for the group to agree on an outing to nearby Long Lake as an antidote to the heat wave gripping the area. A rope swing over the lake was a major source of acrobatic amusement as each cousin in turn attempted to out do the other without sustaining injury in the shallow water below.

Although the girls all tried the Tarzan rope they were more comfortable using the dock as a platform for their antics.

Maya performed as a fairy in the Concord Player’s presentation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on the steps of the Concord Library this afternoon. She was pleased that both Kyle and Johnie stopped in to see her dance. Later we indulged in ice cream to counteract the affects of the intense midday heat and reward our earlier family work day project of cleaning out the garage.

A prettier fairy and group of fairies I have never seen.

Nicolai, Maya and I packed for our trip to Minnesota. We depart tomorrow morning at 6am and will spend the week in Minneapolis with my brother and his family. Nico will be representing the US National Amputee Soccer team at clinics and exhibitions being held throughout the week. We will also work in a couple of college visits while we are in the area.

For his birthday, Nicolai received a GoPro Hero2 video camera which just arrived today. This tiny ruggedized HD camcorder can be mounted to just about anything and is typically used to record extreme sports. He has been very interested in this bit of technology for quite some time and has been planning a number of shots he would like to create with it. Despite its diminutive size the unit is capable of producing very high quality video and I am looking forward to the results he is able to achieve.

I fail to understand what would motivate an otherwise extremely intelligent child to place paper clips through the holes in both her ears. Frequent visitors may recall that I also wondered about the wisdom of perforating perfectly good earlobes in the first place. All said, the fashion experiment did yield a request from said child to be photographed and this is always music to my unadorned ears. It goes without saying that any future notions of adding more unnecessary holes to the body of this child for the purpose of storing office supplies will be highly discouraged.

On occasions when there is a lot on my mind, I set out with my camera to do something creative. This shot started off as a simple landscape of the field

in our backyard. The sun had almost set and my shadow was appearing in frame. Instead of using the built-in timer to allow me to exit the shot, I chose to incorporate myself into the image and was pleased with the outcome.

This pair of Japanese beetles could not have been more oblivious to my presence if they were unconscious. To make this image I had to place my lens less than half an inch away from them. Would you call this photograph pornographic? I am humored that the term seems to be species specific. I also located a very nice sweat bee that was kind enough to hold still for me.

We enjoyed a rare visit from a family of four skunks who casually strolled through our back yard pausing to dig small holes in search of grubs. There was some debate as to whether it was a mother and three kits or mom and dad with two kits. A little research reveals that the babies are about 8 weeks old. I must say they are quite adorable and easily my second favorite crepuscular animal behind the red panda.

Looking rather pensive as final preparations were completed for a dinner to celebrate his 18th birthday, one can only wonder what Nicolai was thinking about. I would like to imagine that he was contemplating the significance of this milestone in his life. From this day forward he will enjoy all the rights of an adult (except alcohol consumption related) as well as the responsibilities. He becomes a man already having proven his manhood many times over and crosses this threshold with great self confidence and only a tiny hint of the small boy I once knew. It remains to be seen what kind of man he will chose to be, what kind of mark he will leave behind. Where the world around him sees limitations, it is my hope that Nicolai will continue to defy expectations and redefine what can be achieved through determination, courage, imagination and an indomitable spirit. Advice from father to adult children; care for your one and only precious bodies, blaze your own path, dare to be great, love deeply, contribute to making a better world, live in harmony and balance.

My sister Alissa, her daughter Rachel, and Rachel’s friends Sara and Nicole drove out from Albany, NY this afternoon to visit. The group ventured into Boston for a visit to Faneuil Hall and the North End. Despite being a little car weary it took little pressure to interest everyone in a quick jaunt to Kimball Farm for ice cream to finish the day.

Nico and I found an hour to capture some new video footage for a project he is working on and we paused at the end for a few fun stills.

For the last few weeks, Maya has been attending the Summer Stage Dance Workshop where she studied ballet, modern, and jazz dance. This evening Jeanine and I attended the camp end-of-session recital. Maya performed in four different routines including a solo to start the final student choreographed piece.

Kyle and cousin John worked out a work-sharing arrangement today. Johnny helped out on a job with Kyle for Yard Dogs and Kyle reciprocated with an equal amount of time spent helping John with work for his summer internship. John has moved into our guest bedroom and will be spending the summer with us. We are delighted to have him and the kids are even more thrilled. Kyle is pictured here talking with Johnny about the internet research he was conducting for him.

Each Fourth of July, the town of Concord holds Picnic in the Park to celebrate Independence Day. The gathering features tethered balloon rides, a children’s decorated bicycle parade, balloon twisting, face painting, the Fire Department 911 House, the Police Department radar baseball toss, henna tattoos, Hula Hoop demonstrations, a community fair and a variety of bands performing throughout the day. At his mother’s suggestion, Kyle set up a little marketing table for Yard Dogs. He offered free candy to prospective customers (or rather to their kids who dragged the parents over) and passed out business cards to make local folks aware of the services his company offers.

Later in the day, we (Jeanine, Maya, her friend Lydia, Nico, and cousin Johnny) attended a party held each year by my lifelong friend and high school wrestling partner, Tom Metzold, and his wife Karen. Tom enjoys pyrotechnics and never disappoints his guests with a fireworks display that rivals many small towns.

Maya and Jeanine are on the Esplanade this evening taking in the Boston Pops as they rehearse for tomorrow’s Fourth of July extravaganza. With expectations of rain for the main event, they joined the Yoder family for an advanced preview under perfect conditions. Originally, I was slated to join them after work. As I was getting ready to leave, however, Jeanine called to say that virtually everyone in Boston had the same idea of going a day early to beat the rain. She advised it would not be worth the effort. Since I already had my camera gear packed, I decided to venture out for some local photography. This long exposure black and white was the result.

A lightning strike last year killed one of our neighbor’s massive pine trees. As I was getting ready for work, I looked out of our bathroom window and saw this massive crane lifting the top of a huge tree across the horizon. I had to settle for a photo of the second section of the tree being hoisted down by the time I was able to dress and make it out into the back yard. My neighbor told me that the cost to the crew for the crane was $7,000 an hour. I don’t even want to imagine what the whole operation must have cost. Still it was clearly the right tool for the job.

Nicolai announced this morning that he had mastered a back flip and offered to give a demonstration. Naturally, I grabbed my camera to document the feat. He did one in pike position and a second in tuck. In retrospect I should have probably shot video in lieu of stills but perhaps I will get another chance to do that as he continues to create material for some promotional videos he is working on (one for SideStix, the other for the American Amputee Soccer Association). I tweaked my hamstring again during soccer practice this morning which has left me in a foul mood especially because I was not able to join Kyle on another bike ride today.

After more than twenty years of marriage it is not often that you learn something entirely new about your partner. Today as I took stock of our camping equipment and cold weather apparel in preparation for our vacation to Alaska later this month, I made a startling discovery. Jeanine has a massive collection of yoga pants, 24 by my count! I was searching for clothing that could be used as a component in a layering system. I generally have little business or interest in Jeanine’s side of our walk in closet. After finding the tenth pair, I realized that I would need to conduct a thorough investigation. I know women who have had to construct special rooms for their shoe collections but I have never heard of anyone with a yoga pants obsession. With each new discovery, I laid the pants out on the floor in our bedroom until it was covered from end to end. When Jeanine eventually walked in she was humored by the presentation and quickly disabused me of my fetish accusations. Apparently 4 pair actually belonged to me (sweat pants), 3 pair were long underwear, 4 were biking pants, and 2 were running shorts. Two pair were thread bare and really ready for the trash. Later in the day we went shopping at REI to complete our packing list and Jeanine decided to get a rise out of me by asked me what I thought of a pair of yoga pants that were on sale.

My commute home this evening was delayed by a showdown between a car and a tree. There was little doubt who the victor was. Fortunately, it appeared as if the car absorbed the brunt of the impact and the passengers seemed uninjured. A second car was involved in the accident and I can only assume that the impact of the car vs. car collision propelled one of the vehicles into the tree. I was on my best defensive driving behavior for the remainder of my commute.

This evening, Jeanine hosted a beading party with a few friends and was joined by Maya. Jeanine is well known for finding any excuse to throw a party or more accurately for turning any occasion into a party. I believe this event was the female equivalent of a poker party. The only difference was that beads rather than chips changed hands from round to round. Both of my girls were very pleased with their creations and I will be the first to admit that the bracelets they created are really beautiful works of art.

Is this normal? I thought the idea was to paint all the toes the same color. In this case, Maya wanted them to match her fingernails which were decorated in similar fashion.

When she was a toddler we all referred to Maya as Brave Maya. It was not uncommon for me to place her on the top of a newel or fence post and watch her balance there or to fashion a balance beam out of a 2×4 propped between kitchen counter tops for her gymnastic amusement. I wouldn’t say she was a risk taker but she certainly showed no signs of trepidation in many situations that would leave most children and many adults paralyzed with fear.

When Pixar announce a movie entitled Brave that featured a willful, round faced teenage girl with hair as beautiful as it was unruly, there was little doubt that I would be taking Maya out on a father-daughter date night. We both enjoyed the movie immensely and it must be said that our Maya is very similar in many ways to the main character in this delightful animated comedy about the developing relationship between a young woman and her mother.

I enjoyed an early morning paddle on the Concord River with my nephew Rory. Despite his very tall frame, he fit comfortably in the kayak that Maya built. We encountered a Blue Heron, several ducks, and a bunch of leaping fish as we made our way past the Old North Bridge and downriver as far as the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Rory was not sure if he could trust his uncle as I guided him into a tiny tributary, home to a giant crocodile that had been released there decades ago as a foot long pet. Failing to sight the river monster we finished our tour with a quick visit to both the Assabet and Sudbury Rivers. Rory is as friendly and polite a young man as you will ever meet. His favorite subject in school is history and he plays tennis competitively at the state level in Minnesota. I hope to get his brother Mario on the water after work but inclement weather may preclude that outing.

With an undefeated season and the championship trophy on the line, Concord United played for all the marbles this evening against Hudson in the playoff finals. We looked dull in the first half. Defense of our net was adequate but we never really developed a cohesive attack and spectators would not have chosen us to win the match. When one of our strikers was injured, I moved from my normal wing midfielder assignment into the forward position and played there for the remainder of the game without a sub. We entered the second half scoreless and managed to lift our game to a higher level. Jeanine, Kyle, Nicolai, Mario, Rory and John all arrived at half time to cheer for the team and to watch me play. There is little doubt that this helped motivate me to play to the maximum of my potential and with 20 minutes left in the match I scored what would be the decisive goal of the game. I received an awkward pass from midfield which put me one on one with the sweeper who I managed to beat. It was then a foot race to the net with him breathing down my neck (apparently trying to foul me, according to a later report from the linesman). I found myself in a showdown with the advancing keeper who had already made some nice saves in the game and had now cut down my angle on the net substantially. To my credit, I did not panic and I did not rush. I picked the lower left corner and drove the ball low and hard off my left foot. It was a well made goal, in a must have situation, during a championship match, in front of my sons, nephews and wife (who were all on their feet screaming with enthusiasm.) Soccer for an old man does not get any better than this and I will forever cherish the memory of this game and the opportunity to play in front of my family.

Visiting for an extended weekend are my nephews Mario and Rory. We ventured to Watertown this morning for breakfast at The Diner where we met up with my other nephew from my side of the family, John. After a very satisfying meal it took little effort to get this group of athletes to help me create a unique portrait using a technique refereed to as levitation (jumping without appearing to jump). It was difficult to get all five in the perfect position but we had an enormous amount of fun in the effort. Rory in particular had a knack for floating in air.

Maya is visiting with her new friend Maddie on Cape Cod. The two developed a friendship while traveling together in China and she was thrilled to accept an invitation to spend the weekend at her family’s summer home. We received the photo shown here via text message. Maya put her Bayside training to good use as she landed this 34-inch striped sea bass while fishing with the family. She would later share with the family and her cousins the story of the ten-minute battle to land this monster (which she named Fatso) while we were eating it for Sunday dinner. The smallest member of our family now holds the record for catching the biggest fish. Her Uncle Mark (our family fishing enthusiast and expert) would have been proud.

Our new driveway was finished today although it will be several more days before we can drive on it. The asphalt needs time to cure and the 100-degree heat wave we are experiencing only serves to prolong the process. If the durability of the surface matches the quality of workmanship I will remain very pleased with the company that did this work for us. Time will tell.

When we first moved into our home in Concord we agreed that the driveway needed to be repaved. It is one of those projects which is easily postponed year after year. Doing it right involves removing the old surface, regrading for better water shedding, and addressing a significant depression in the front lawn (caused by a slowly decaying massive underground tree root). Construction on this long overdue project began Monday and I hope to post a picture of our new driveway later this week.

I have discovered an all natural method for creating beautiful eye shadows in the hues of black, blue and purple. The process is quite simple. Run as fast as you can, leap as high into the air as you can, and ram your eyebrow into another individual’s eyebrow as hard as you can. This method is inexpensive, creates vibrant long long-lasting color from within the skin, is hypoalergenic, and creates stunning shadows that will subtly change in color and size over time. Before seeking patent protection, additional experimentation will be necessary to determine if I can achieve good color and pattern matching on the other eye. Perhaps my soccer match on Sunday will afford that opportunity as my team competes for top divisional honors in the final game of the spring season. To prepare, I was on the pitch at 6 am this morning practicing with my teammates. Neither son could be convinced to join me for the early morning workout.