This is a Swamp Milkweed beetle with its heart set on a meal in our garden. For the time being I have taken a live and let live attitude but if this guy invites any of his friends over I may change my tune. I played in my final soccer match of the season this morning and we lost a well played game to the first place team in the division. I was finally able to shoot again with my right foot, my knee having now fully recovered. After the game the team gathered at the CCHS field where we remembered Hakim, the son of one of my teammates. We all chipped in to have a beautiful mature oak tree planted at the entrance to the soccer complex in his memory. It was an emotional celebration and I hope to obtain a photo of the event for future inclusion here.

Sadly, my brother’s family leaves to return to Minnesota today. It has been one of the best visits ever. After days of tournament style croquet with matches lasting well past darkness and finished under the illumination of car headlights the score between teams is dead even with all players having reached rover status. Rory and Nicolai in particular have made some truly unbelieveable long distance snipes to keep their respective teams in the hunt. As time runs out we convince the boys to settle for a tie and to resume the competition on their next visit. We have all enjoyed Sophia and Rose but none more than Maya who was both big sister and mother to them for much of the week. We all missed Mark and hope to see him on our next gathering.

Maya’s soccer team wrapped up their season this morning (except for one makeup game). They needed a win or tie to finish first in their division. The match was very exciting and the girls fought back from a 1-0 deficit to tie the match. Maya made a long run from her defensive position and served a perfect cross for the goal. Despite a rather average start to the season, Maya showed some real improvment by the end and despite her small stature has learned to use her foot skills and speed to advantage.

After dinner, we made an ice cream run. The four amigos made short work of the massive portions that are the hallmark of Kimball Farm.

As we arrived at home, the girls were decorating cupcakes, and in less than 10 seconds, everyone was working on their own canine masterpiece.

This morning I dropped Nicolai, Mario, and Rory off at the Science Museum on my way into work. Here Nicolai attempts to bring the ends of two L shaped sticks together while looking through a prism which swaps right eye view for left. Quite an amusing challenge for one and all. I picked them up after work and each had to cite 15 science facts they had learned during the day before I would take them home. Fortuantely they were up to the challenge.

My nieces are being as cute as can be. I miss having toddlers underfoot and am soaking up as much of them as I can.

My parents, both in their eighties now, remain passionate about dancing and each other. They have been since the evening they first met. This photo was taken a few weeks ago in what used to be my bedroom which they have since converted into a dance studio and media library. Are these the same people that try to tell me I am getting too old for soccer?

This evening, we celebrated near birthdays (Maya, Mario, Rory, Nico)on the sun porch. Joining us for the last few days have been my parents, who drove in from Schenectady, where they were recently featured on the front page of the local paper for fifty years of dancing together (and still going strong). The story and link to a video can be found here.

My sister-in-law Marie heads off to UMass to review clinical trials of the stent her startup medical company is seeking to bring to market. Little doubt where her children acquired their good looks and brains. My brother Mark may have had something to do with it as well.

While Kyle and Nico were in school and I was at work, everyone else went to the beach where Maya and Mario found this decapitated head, which bore a strong resemblance to Rory.

Maya is delighted to take on the role of big sister/mother in training. She has been extraordinarily helpful and seems to be enjoying every moment with her younger cousins.

Both girls are drawn to Nala who has been very accommodating of their attention.

This is older sister, Sophia. She has the most beautiful eyes and a bright personality to match. We engage in long conversations on topics of great importance such as the correct color of a banana. The more softly I speak to her the more exaggerated her facial expressions become. A future in acting will be one of many options she has in front of her.