This evening we hosted a beginning of the season party for Nicolai’s soccer team. With roughly 50 guests we opted to hold the event outdoors despite the onslaught of mosquitoes. Coach Baron who briefed the players and their parents on the expectations and rules for the team also served as our grill master (it is amazing how much food 21 athletic teenage boys can eat). My day was interrupted when one of the temples on my glasses gave way. Fortunately my optician was able to fit a temporary replacement while the proper piece is shipped from the manufacturer. My back up glasses contain an old prescription and gave me a headache within minutes proving to be an unacceptable option.

As the fog was rising off our field this morning I noticed this very healthy looking doe having breakfast. It was a very peaceful way to start a day which will forever be remembered for being anything but. I watched coverage of the 9/11 anniversary with the kids and took time to explain the significance of this day to Maya who was only two at the time of the attacks. I then left for Bolton for my first soccer game of the fall season. Although we dominated play, we had to settle for a 0-0 tie. I had several solid shots on goal but all found the keeper rather than the back of the net. I felt that I let my team down by not scoring on at least two of these opportunities both of which I should have finished. In each case I dispossessed my defender and had a one on one show down with the goalie. The only consolation was that I created these chances myself and had not squandered a build up by the team. Kyle visited his cousin Johnny who is attending Babson although he had to return prematurely having taken Nicolai’s car which contained his backpack and homework materials. Late in the afternoon I decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and did a 2 hour, 8-mile paddle on a section of the Sudbury River which was new to me. Jeanine returned from her weekend classes at the University of Bridgeport later in the evening and has decided to drop her Biochemistry course because they have rescheduled the dates of the class which now conflicts with our upcoming trip to California. Missing an 8-hour class and her first exam was simply not an option.

This morning Jeanine left the house at 4:30AM to attend her first day of classes at the University of Bridgeport. She is studying Biochemistry and Anatomy which are prerequisites for a Master’s degree in Human Nutrition. Back on the home front I enjoyed watching Maya play in her first outdoor game of the season. She remains tiny for her age group but shows no fear when taking on much larger opponents. In this photo she clears a ball before the charging forward can put her foot to it. The away game against Southborough was played on their 9/11 Memorial Field. It was sobering to be here on this day and I took time before the game to read all the names of the Massachusetts victims which are memorialized here.

Each year Jeanine’s book group invites the men to join in and combines the discussion with a dinner party. We hosted this evening as we examined Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer a non-fictional look at the origin and evolution of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and a modern double murder of a mother and her baby daughter committed in the name of God by brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty, who subscribed to a fundamentalist version of Mormonism. This reader was left pondering the origins of all religions and the violence perpetrated by the most “faithful”.

Twenty years ago Jeanine and I purchased this Thayer Coggin couch and remarkably it has held up extremely well despite serving at various times as a trampoline, canine teething toy, wrestling mat and child conception aid. Although it was very expensive it has certainly withstood the test of time. Unfortunately the fabric is now showing signs of wear which can no longer be ignored. After looking at new couches we have opted to reupholster ours. Although we stand to save a little money the primary motivator was that we simply could not find a modern design that was as elegant or well constructed as this contemporary classic. We will move our downstairs couch upstairs while it is being worked on. Jeanine needed this photo to send to the designer who will help us with choosing a new fabric.

Rather than a pair of wooden kayaks I am wondering if it would have been smarter to build an arc given the amount of rain we are experiencing. Over the last few days we have had a steady torrent of rain as hurricanes Lee and Katia have made there way up the eastern seaboard. Relative to the hardships faced by many other communities there is really nothing to complain about but we are looking forward to the improving weather that has been forecast for this weekend. Maya and Nicolai report a good start to the school year and Kyle is negotiating on the purchase of a business to merge with his own. I place Kyle’s business experience and sophistication about 8 years ahead of mine when I was beginning college.

While Kyle sleeps in, Nico and Maya are up early today for the first day of the new school year. Nicolai is a junior and Maya will be entering the 7th grade. This year demarcates a more dramatic boundary than others. Kyle will be leaving for college, Nicolai begins the year a full fledged driver and looking more like a man than a boy, and I can no longer credibly describe Maya as my little girl. She has matured into a young woman complete with holes drilled through her ear lobes and a new focus on fashion. Randomly colored toe nails have been covered with a single hue, wild and flowing hair has been replaced with tight braids, a fashionista inspired outfit has taken the place of care free summer attire. It has been a terrific summer but I think everyone was ready for school to start including Jeanine who will be attending the University of Bridgeport every other weekend for the remainder of the year. Everyone in the family seems to be getting smarter except me.

I spent the better part of the day working around the house on this Labor Day. I got a great workout removing a massive root ball which needed to be cleared so that we can plant a new tree to replace the one killed by last winter’s heavy snowfall. Even though I got an early start to combat the heat I was sweating bullets in no time. Jeanine assisted by removing my totally soaked shirt and making flirtatious comments. I look ridiculous with my soccer tan (brown arms, neck and head with white torso). Next I worked with Nico to reorganize his bedroom furniture for the new school year. He likes to change things up just for the variety. While moving his bed we noticed that the main support beam had a significant bow in it so I took it down to the shop and machined and attached a much stronger stiffener. Next I organized my electronics equipment, cables, and probes for easier access. Finally, I added a more powerful UPS (uninterruptable power supply) to my home office computer and moved it to a more convenient location. I feel as if I lived up to the title of the Labor Day holiday.

Jeanine prepared a wonderful Sunday dinner which featured this shoulder roast from “our” cow. Here she sears all sides to seal in the juices before placing in the oven. My day started with a second soccer scrimmage of the weekend. Maya helped me map out all the electrical circuits in the house in preparation for installation of a standby generator which I hope to have on line before the end of the month. We also worked together in the shop to build a pair of drawer organizers so that her study area is totally ready for the beginning of school. Jeanine organized a yard clean up detail to clear the lawn of downed branches from hurricane Irene. Meanwhile, I took care of a sticking door which required planing the full length of one side and remortising the lock sets.

Jeanine’s sister Susan has joined us for the long weekend primarily so she can bid Kyle farewell as he prepares to depart for college. We decided to go into Boston for dinner in Chinatown and afterwards to the beach overlooking Old Harbor with a nice view of the JFK Presidential Library. I think Susan will miss Kyle as much as we will. She has cultivated a special relationship with all her nieces and nephews. She has always connected with our children at every stage of their lives and engages with them deeply. There are few people who truly know our children as well as Susan.

Nicolai will be playing soccer again this fall for the CCHS JV team and has been elected co-captain. I traveled to North Andover for his first preseason scrimmage. Nico had a nice assist on his team’s only and winning goal. In this photo he towers over his defender to win a header at midfield. While I am looking forward the soccer season, I was half hoping Nico would try volleyball this year. He has a natural gift for the sport the potential to be an exceptional player. Perhaps next spring.

I wonder if the inventor of the cell phone ever imagined it would be used to enable weeding while talking on the phone. This is how I discovered Jeanine when I wandered outside the house this morning to investigate a bicycle built for FOUR that was left here overnight by friends of Nicolai. Apparently several of his friends arrived via this unusual form of conveyance but wisely called parents for a ride home after darkness arrived.

I am trying to settle back into a routine of daily exercise and decided to take advantage of the brilliant weather for a lunch hour walk. Rather than taking my normal route into a nearby conservation area I decided to walk through the business park across the street from iRobot. The anchor business there is Mitre (a defense contractor, I believe). To my surprise I discovered a magnificent cooperative garden and then the jackpot. Each Wednesday and Friday about a dozen or so folks get together for a lunch hour soccer scrimmage on the massive front lawn of the facility. I approached one of the guys and was invited to join the group which I will definitely plan to do.

The Sudbury River has swollen significantly as it strains to accommodate the torrential rains from Hurricane Irene. It is looking more like a lake today than a river. When the water is this high it is impossible to kayak because the clearance under the various bridges in the area has become too small. If the weather permits I am hoping to get on the water this weekend with Maya and/or Jeanine.