The day started by bidding Nicolai farewell as he left for three weeks at music camp. After that Jeanine, Mike, Kyle, Tucker, Maya and her friend Allison went bowling (not duck pin) at Tucker’s request. I slipped away for a little camera shopping. We then proceeded to the North End where we went to our favorite bocce park and took in the sights, sounds and smells. Italians really know how to live. Mike and I lost a close match to Kyle and Tucker who came from behind to win. I am sorry to say that I will likely be reminded of this loss for some time to come. 

This is the first time Kyle has joined us on a hike and I think he had a really good time. we brought along the spotting scope and enjoyed some great views from the top. In total, we did about a thousand feet up and a thousand feet down.  

Mike checks in with wife Rene after dispelling all notions of an aversion to hiking. 

Nico and Greg pausing at the top. They climbed together all day and made quick work of the relatively short hike from the parking area. 

Jeanine shows off her guns at the summit. 

Today the family, minus Maya, and guests Mike and Tucker Snively plus Gregoire, Nico’s friend, climbed Mount Kearsarge in New Hampshire. 

Tucker, Ben, Kyle, Nico and Greg play a little cards before the older kids head down to Cambridge Square to see all the antics surrounding the release of the latest Harry Potter book at midnight. 

Also visiting us this evening are Chloe and her mother. It is not apparent to me what the girls are up to but they seem to be having fun. 

A photo of Kyle and Tucker just before we moved from Indianapolis to Boston. 

Visiting Kyle this week is his childhood friend Tucker who had grown to man-size proportions (size 14 shoe). There is some question as to the adequacy of our food supply to satisfy the hunger of these three amigos. 

No idea what type of bugs these are but have a pretty good idea of what they are up to. Frequent visitors to this site will note a significant number of photographs of this ilk. It turns out that when animals are in the throws of passion they are quite oblivious to an approaching photographer. 

Today butterflies seemed to be everywhere. 

.

There is a nice hill adjacent to work and if I have no meetings scheduled over the lunch hour (rare) I try and get out for a quick hike. It is amazing how many critters I encounter on these walks. 

Today we drove up to York, Maine to join friends of Kyle for a little surfing. I was tied up with Nala and did not get a chance to get any shots of the action.