Even as construction is underway to increase the height of this railroad bridge, another truck tried to squeeze under. Fortunately, this driver took a very cautious approach and backed out when it became clear he was too tall to fit under. It has been fascinating to watch the construction project over the last several months. It is an active two-track rail line and I am guessing that they will raise one track at a time, diverting all traffic to the other side.

Jeanine returned from her visit with Kyle this evening. I made it to my indoor soccer match with only minutes to spare after picking her up from the airport. Normally, I like to have a half hour to warm up but that did not stand in the way of a very sweet early goal that I volleyed in off a perfect cross.

Another 10 inches of snow fell today and I opted to work from home. Bitter cold temperatures meant that the snow was of the light fluffy variety but high winds still made the snow-blowing job a pain in the neck. Knowing that school would be cancelled, Maya spent the night at a friends house. When I retrieved her just before dinner time the secondary roads were still in very bad shape and I was really glad I had decided not to venture into the office. Snow on the deck now stands at 27.5 inches (20+10-settling/melting).

I spent the better part of 10 hours volunteering as a judge at a FIRST Robotics competition today. Seventeen teams competed for awards recognizing excellence in Design, Innovation, Teamwork, and Community Outreach with the most coveted Inspire award going to the overall most impressive team. Our jury of five judges interviewed teams and observed them in action before selecting the most deserving teams in each category. Pictured here are the Gear Ticks, winner of the Inspire Award. Their robot was as impressive as their team and I anticipate that a few of these kids will one day work for iRobot. I did make it home in time for the Super Bowl and for the first time ever, enjoyed the game as much as the commercials.

Jeanine departed for California this morning where she will be spending a couple of days visiting Kyle. Every time one of the children moves into new living quarters, mother has to fly in to make sure the nest is properly feathered and the chick is sufficiently cozy. So as not to disturb his social scene, Jeanine is staying at a nearby airb&b run by an Islamic woman and plans to watch the Super Bowl with friends from Las Madres, a new mother’s group she joined when we moved to California when he was one year old.

Kyle has an ambitious course load this semester, having added a computer science minor to his finance major. Although it will be significantly more effort and delay his graduation by a semester, I think the decision will improve his attractiveness in the job market enormously.

Maya, having never before been on nordic skis, decided to join her high school team this season. Today, for the first time, I was permitted to witness and photograph a race.  Up until now, I have been banned because she felt too inexperienced.  To my eyes, she looked pretty damn impressive and finished the 7km event with a great sprint.  The season is very short and I only hope I have another chance to see her in action.

How do you top a couple of feet of snow? How about sub-zero temperatures? Without a doubt, it has been a week of weather extremes here in Massachusetts. I was planning on shooting a couple of snowscapes on the way to work this morning but thought the better of it when the hairs in my nostrils froze when I walked outside. My new electric car has handled the snow and cold temperatures quite well and I could not be more thankful that I changed my order at the last minute to include heated seats.

This juxtaposition of doors at the Concord Carlisle High School struck me as very funny. In just a few months, students will move into our newly constructed high school building and this hallway will be no more.

There was a travel ban in effect for the entire state today as a Nor’easter dumped a couple feet of snow across the region while winds gusted to 50mph inland and to hurricane strength on the cape and coast.  Concord was spared the 33 inches of nearby towns with an official total of 20 inches which I had to clear in two separate passes. Fortunately the snow was light and fluffy which made the job easier than it might have otherwise been. The same cannot be said for the high winds and mid teen temperatures. Maya captured this image of me half way through my first run. This is definitely a job made easier by the right equipment and clothing and I was fortunate to have both.

With a major blizzard bearing down on the North East this evening, the family made suitable preparations. Jeanine made sure we had an adequate supply of food, Maya invited over an adequate supply of friends (school has already been canceled for tomorrow) and I built and installed a windscreen for our automatic electric generator. Winds are forecasted to be very high and snow to reach 3 feet in some areas. The natural gas-powered generator has a history of failing to start in high winds and I did not fancy a repeat of that scenario.

For the first time this season we finally received some decent snow, about 7 inches in total.  After weeks of drab winter weather, the snow and blue skies provides a welcome respite from the mundane. This year, with Maya competing in Nordic skiing, it holds the additional promise of better groomed courses. I think Nala enjoys the new scenery as much as we do as she surveys her kingdom.

This poem was written by my sister Mayela who has been a hospice social worker for 17 years and is now moving on to a new chapter in her life. It so eloquently captures her essence and her approach to end of life care, that I felt compelled to share it and her photo here.

A poem by Mayela Calabria Harris

May I

May I stand here beside you?
I will listen to whatever you feel you have to say, to any words that may have never been spoken, to whatever doubts or questions, worries or needs, instructions or demands.
Will I remember to hear you with my heart, inhale your every word, and hold them in my hands…

May I sit with you?
I will share the moment with you in silence or as witness to your joy, your rage or pain. There is nothing that you can do or say that will make me waver. I will be at your side.
Will I remember that this is your journey and I am merely beside you on the path…

May I hold your hand?
I will hold it gently or give it a squeeze to let you know that I am with you. You are not alone. We can do this together but you will lead the way.
Will I remember to let it go when you are ready to move on…

May I bear witness to the beauty of life with you?
I will do my best to comfort you and your loved ones. I will speak your words if you are no longer able. I will honor your wishes and remind others that this is your time, your road, and your way.
Will I remember not to judge and simply let it be…

May I have the strength and knowledge to see you through the gate. I will let compassion guide me. Will I not be the better for it?

In my many years of photography, I have made many self-portraits, all from a timer-released shutter on a tripod. While at dinner this evening with Jeanine, Maya, and her friend Maddie, I made my first selfie (own arm used in lieu of tripod). Everyone at the table was howling with laughter as Maya instructed me in the art, explaining the nuances of proper angles, aiming, and lighting. I was able to follow her instructions well enough to obtain this image which I am quite happy with.

For the past two years I have been serving as a director-at-large on the board of the American Amputee Soccer Association (AASA). This evening during our first meeting of the year, I was elected to the office of Vice President. I want to see the organization take a much more aggressive posture towards growing the sport and believe that will happen fastest if we focus on building a world class national team. To do that we must raise $100,000 to cover team travel and training costs and by recruiting four more “A” players. I believe if we do these two things the US National team will reach the medal rounds of the 2016 World Cup. Game on!

Attempts to schedule a holiday party for my staff last December proved unsuccessful due to calendar conflicts. Instead we held the event this evening in the library of the Stonehedge Inn in Tyngsboro, a setting as elegant as it was cozy. The theme of the event, in light of my recent resignation, developed into more of a farewell party than a holiday fete. None the less, I was able to express my appreciation and gratitude to my staff and their partners for all they had done in support of iRobot’s success. I was honored and humbled as each in turn shared their sentiments and kind words with me at this time of transition. Receiving such gifts with Jeanine by my side (actually, spouses were seated at opposite ends of the table by design) made the experience that much more meaningful for me and I felt truly blessed.