Groupings for the 2018 Amputee World Cup were live-streamed today on Facebook.  The top team in each group plus the next two highest finishing teams will advance to the round of 8.  The USA draw has it grouped with Turkey which placed third at the 2014 World Cup.  The good news is that Nicolai does not get along with Turkey’s star player (photo below from their 2014 World Cup encounter) and I am sure this will only serve to motivate him as he trains for the tournament which will take place late October and early November in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Rain every day this week has turned the far end of the field behind our house into a beautiful sea of flowers.  More rain and high humidity are forecasted for several more days.  On the bright side, this coincides with a very busy time at work so the reduced temptation to be outdoors is welcomed.

We finally found time to look at all the photos Kyle took during his recent visit to Europe. His adventure took him from Dublin to Galway, Ireland, and then to Paris and Marseille, France. This photo was taken a few blocks from Sacré-Cœur which was featured in a previous post including some of his other photos. I really liked this image because I felt transported back in time to my college term abroad in France. I very likely walked the very same street when I visited Sacré-Cœur some 40 years ago.

Slate rooves are attractive but they require regular maintenance to stay ahead of potential issues.  The unusually harsh winter and the fact that we skipped having any work done last year has left a fair bit of damage to be addressed.  Our regular slater quoted us a staggering figure based on replacing 50 tiles.  A thorough, close-up survey of the roof with my drone revealed a far smaller number of damaged tiles.  The pictures should prove a compelling resource when I discuss the job with our guy.

Several years ago I installed an automatic back-up generator for our homes electrical system.  It was a rather complicated project requiring gas line plumbing, partitioning of the wiring at the circuit breaker box into critical and non-critical circuits, and installation of an automatic transfer switch.  Recently I moved the 12V battery which starts the generator from within the outdoor generator housing to the interior of our house where it stays warm all winter.  During two prior power outages, the generator did not start automatically (first time due to high winds affecting the gas to air ratio, second time due to depleted battery from sub-zero temperature).  When the power in most of West Concord failed this afternoon, the generator kicked in and everything worked as planned.  The computers, phones, routers, and TV (all on battery backup) bridged the automated switch over without a glitch and essential functions of the house remained operational (full kitchen except for ovens, one zone of HVAC, garage door openers, family room and media center).  The outage only lasted for two hours but my satisfaction with the system finally working exactly as planned lasted all day.

Jeanine suggested a visit to the Revere Beach Sand Sculpting Festival this afternoon and it proved to be a great outing. The weather was perfect and the sand sculptures were truly amazing. We both agreed that it would be fun to return next year while the artists are still working on their creations. In addition to the works of art, we enjoyed live music by saxophonist Mike Rollins.

Today I rented a 3/4 ton pick-up truck with which to move Maya’s tiny house to a new location.  Kyle, back from his European adventure yesterday, was a huge help. We hitched the trailer and towed the house from Verrill Farm, where it has been since autumn, back to our house.  There we loaded it with all of the appliances and remaining building supplies that we have been storing in the third bay of our garage. Finally, we towed it to a new location on the property of a friend in nearby Sudbury.  Here the house will be guarded by two sheep that live in their own tiny house located only feet away.

Nothing better than a company barbecue after a long day at the office. Caterers set up their grill in our parking lot which we converted to an open air dining area / playground. Later we headed back in doors for karaoke. Those who know me well are aware I have no aptitude for singing whatsoever but I do appreciate that gift in others. The whole evening was a ton of fun.

I happened to be experimenting with some focus settings on my camera this evening and using Jeanine as a test subject. She is generally less than fond of such involvement with these experimental pursuits but flashed me a big smile which I was happy to record.

The Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge across the Charles River and is now considered a Boston icon. The bridge and connecting tunnel were built as part of the Big Dig, the largest highway construction project in the United States. Its full name commemorates Boston civic leader and civil rights activist Leonard P. Zakim who championed “building bridges between peoples”, and the “Battle of Bunker Hill.”  I stopped in the neighborhood of the bridge this morning after dropping Kris off at Logan Airport for an early flight home. I then walked along the river to where the USS Constitution and USS Cassin Young are docked while putting my drone to good use along the way.

Nicolai called us this evening from a pet store in Colorado Springs where he was picking out a gift with and for his girlfriend Karuna.  Shortly after our conversation, he texted us this image which seems to suggest that these dinosaurs are now part of their family.  Normally I think of Nicolai as a master of the grand romantic gesture.  I now find myself reconsidering that assessment.  These guys look like baby velociraptors that escaped from Jurassic Park. Not to worry, I am sure Kubo (their recently acquired dog) will kill them before they eat anyone.  Just ask the chickens at the Catamount Center for Environmental Science & Education where he recently dispatched one of the flock which, it should be noted, belonged to the Director of the program and Nicolai’s future boss when he begins working there next month.

Kris, Jeanine and I had breakfast out and then went for a walk at Heart Pond along the new rail trail. We then stocked up on groceries and snacks for our micro World Cup viewing party. You have to admire the Croatians for their work rate and “never say die” attitude but in the end, the French put the ball in the net more times. It has been a great World Cup tournament and I am now looking forward to the Amputee World Cup which will take place in Guadalajara, Mexico in late November

Visiting us for a few days is Kris Earle,  Jeanine’s best friend dating back to her middle school days.  The two have remained extremely close and it is always a pleasure to spend time together.  Kris was curious about the Copenhagen Wheel so I set her up with my bike and she joined Jeanine for a short ride.  It is always fun to see how people react the first time they try it and Kris was no exception.

Judging from the photos we are receiving from him, Kyle appears to be having a tremendous European vacation.  Here he is “flying though Paris.”  He started in Ireland (Dublin and Galway), flew to Paris, and is now headed for Marseille by train.