Lunch was enjoyed under a tent at the historic Old Manse. Nicolai is still spiking a fever and did not need much encouragement to take it easy (although he did paddle for almost a fourth of the journey). Photo courtesy of Evan.

Maya insisted on paddling and turned out to be quite capable. The women were quick to decide they would have a canoe to themselves, leaving the boys to engage in various forms of testosterone-driven behaviors, including crashing canoes into each other and racing back to the put-in point.

Karen, who shares the same birthday as Carl, is an outstanding volleyball player and here demonstrates her proficiency at piloting a canoe. Jeanine first met Tom and Karen at their wedding where Carl assisted Tom, clad in his tuxedo, into the hotel swimming pool. Fortunately on today’s outing all parties remained out of the water despite some close calls in the kids boat.

Tom and Carl were wrestling partners in high school and have remained close over the years. Tom was bigger and stronger, but Carl was quicker and better-looking.

Today we joined the Metzold family for a canoe outing on the Concord River. We embarked from the Southbridge Boat House and paddled up to the Old North bridge where we put in for lunch and conversation.

Today the boys learned they could earn money by weeding the flower beds. Maya enjoys weeding and does so for free. Nicolai has spiked a fever every day since his return to Concord. A trip to the hospital and then to his pediatrician have eliminated many possibilities, but the cause is still a mystery.

My favorite shot of the abundant flowers.

Father treats daughter to a tour of the gardens.

A long discussion with the children preceded this photo in which the major thrust of the conversation was whether the tail end of this beast was a stinger or not.

Larry’s garden attracts a number of beautiful butterflies and insects.

Jeanine and Nico enjoying the breeze on the foredeck.

After leaving Bayside we returned to Indiana and spent 2 days with Larry. We were treated to an excellent home made dinner (who knew Larry could cook? – reportedly he is a big fan of the Cooking Channel) and a full tour of the lake. Larry and I also partnered to challenge the boys to a number of pool matches. The fact that I shall not discuss the outcome should make the results apparent.

For my part, I took portraits of all the camp members and compiled a slide show. Pictured here is my favorite photo of the week.

When it came to the annual talent show, Jeanine and her “Bayside Moma’s” rap group stole the show. As soon as she returns, I intend to post the lyrics, which will complete the story.

Jeanine was in her element from the minute we arrived. She attended a parenting workshop in the mornings, napped by day, and stood up till way past her bed time playing Euchre at night.

Maya pictured modeling the tie-dyed tee shirt she made at the craft house.

In another Bayside first, Jeanine braided hair for kids and adults alike. Maya seen here pouting over detangling prior to her dual linked tail treatment.

Leaps from tall buildings (at Bayside, she is called “Brave Maya”)

Beauty on the beach. (click photo for enlargement and check eyelashes)

Queen of the monkey bars.

Maya ran with the big girls this year. She has become entirely independent and loved every second of camp.

Each year the OneStep camp (for children who are battling cancer) has several participants in a swim across the lake (1.6 miles one way) and some who go over and back. This year one of the boys was blind, in past years a girl with one leg and a boy with one arm made the crossing. It is without doubt one of the most inspirational events I have ever witnessed and I do so religiously each year. I wait on the dock as long as they are in the water (3 hours this year), I contemplate their courage and spirit, I cheer for them and congratulate them when they emerge victorious. Nicolai joins me each year and I cherish this time together with him.

Chess made its debut at Bayside this year and both Kyle and Nicolai revived their passion for the game spending hours playing one on one or bughouse. It must be reported that for the first time in several years I was able to defeat Nico in a head to head match. My superior wisdom was also responsible for declining all rematch challenges. I also took on Kyle in what turned into a 3 hour epic battle ending in the early morning hours. I played the best game of my life and gained an early and well earned advantage. I made no mistakes throughout the entire game and yet Kyle was able to work his way back into the match and eventually defeat me with a brilliant sequence. In this case I lacked the wisdom to send him to bed at midnight while I was still winning.

Nicolai passed his swimming test with ease this year and helped several first timers pass theirs by swimming beside them to provide encouragement. Nicolai also organized the first ever volleyball matches at Bayside which were well attended. Nicolai has become passionate about the sport and has developed excellent passing, spiking, and serving technique. Once again his athletic ability defies imagination.

Semi-responsible parent that I am, I dispatched a rescue vessel to ascertain their whereabouts and to return their bodies. Oddly, when the rescue mission returned with sailboat in tow, Kyle was partnered with Jesse. Apparently they had transferred Michael to another Bayside boat stranded down wind (for four hours) in the hope he might be able to help them return to the dock. Shown here is the second boat with Anna and Zach paddling to shore after being rescued by a passing motor boat. All five kids seemed quite pleased with their sailing adventure until they learned that being stranded down wind did not stop the meter on their $20 per hour rental.

Moving up from the toe, I ask you to compare this version of Kyle to the previous photo from two years ago. Everyone could not believe the changes and it is quite clear that Kyle has become a young man. Consistent with his increased maturity and graduation from sailing camp 3 years ago, Kyle was allowed to rent a sailboat and take it out with his friend Michael. I watched for several minutes to ascertain that they knew what they were doing. Hoist the sail, trim the sail, go very fast, tack, go fast, capsize, right the boat, repeat. Seemed about par for the course. I returned to the dock two hours later to learn that they were an hour over due on their one hour rental.

It took only minutes before the first injury. Kyle cut his toe on a zebra mussel. Although he is generally camera shy, Kyle was delighted that I wished to photograph his damaged toe. One year Kyle was stung multiple times (the exact number remains the subject of some debate and appears to increase with each telling of the story) by a swarm of bees while building a fort in the woods and had to be rushed to the hospital. I was quite pleased that this years medical event occurred early and only required a band-aid to remedy.

The next stop was Bayside camp in Lake Geneva, WI. This makes our seventh return in eight years. This UU family camp has become part of our family’s summer tradition. We give up comfortable beds, functional climate control, well balanced meals, daily attention to hygiene, and media exposure of any type in exchange for time spent alone, time spent with each other and time spent with our growing community of Bayside friends.

I was able to regain custody using the oldest trick in the book. Bradley is quite strong, is heavier than he looks, smells very sweet, can down a bottle of milk in 2.5 minutes, and took several unassisted steps between Jeanine and I. Before leaving Lauren and Bob’s they received a call from Gabriel who had made his way into Spain on his summer adventure in Europe.

I surrendered the child briefly to allow Jeanine to play with him.

I have returned from vacation with a trove of photos to share. Jeanine and the kids will arrive in 2 days. The first stop was Lauren’s house, where I got to meet my great-nephew Bradley for the first time.