If you study this soccer ball cake, made by Maya, you may notice that it appears a little odd. Absent are signs of neatly cut pieces. Rather, it appears that the cake has been nibbled away around its entire perimeter. When Nala returned to the scene of the crime looking to make another pass it became apparent what had happened. Later when Maya arrived she demanded to know what I had done to her cake refusing to accept my explanation of the situation. It was not until Nala again returned to the table looking for another snack that she came to accept my innocence.
I traveled to Rockport, MA late this afternoon to complete a Craig’s List transaction and paused for a moment to capture this image as daylight was rapidly coming to an end. Earlier in the day I played competitive soccer for the first time since the end of last season. I was terribly out of shape but I managed a couple of respectable shots on net. I am hoping the summer hiatus has allowed my knee to recover adequately. Time will tell. The scrimmage ended in a 1-1 tie and we see our first official game of the season next weekend.
A lot of activity on the automotive front today. After weeks of research and more than a dozen test drives Jeanine selected a 2011 VW Jetta Sportswagen TDI to replace her Honda Odyssey. I secured one for her this morning and we will pick it up together when she returns from Indiana next Tuesday. In the end it was the 30 city and 42 highway gas mileage, large cargo capacity and what Jeanine described as Zippy acceleration that made this the right choice. Many owners are reporting 50 mpg in real world highway driving.
This afternoon I placed my trusty 2006 Audi A3 2.0T (pictured above) up for sale on Craig’s List. I am in no rush to sell it but will if I get my asking price. Top on my list for a replacement will be a 2011 A3 TDI or an Audi Q5 SUV.
We have taken environmental concerns to heart and made vehicle choices that reflect our commitment to reducing fuel consumption and green house gas emissions.
33/41 Smart Car 30/42 Jetta Sportswagen 25/31 Audi A3 (going to 30/42 if I replace with the A3 TDI)
Jeanine is off to Indianapolis for Erica’s bridal shower and I am charged with keeping tabs on the kids, making sure the dog gets fed and buying a car to replace the Honda Odyssey. Maya completed her week long soccer camp and Nala lounges in the back yard enjoying the fine weather we are having.
I did some product photography this evening. I have been doing a little late spring cleaning and will sell this ball head and gimbal mount on the Internet over the next few days. I prefer taking photos of people, but the practice I get in lighting these types of shots is invaluable.
Maya and I went to the Concord Public Library this evening. She picked up a couple of books to finish off her summer reading program and I picked up some guides on wedding photography. My niece, Erica, has asked me to photograph her wedding in October and I want to be totally prepared.
Today we actually get to take Maya with us after she packs up her gear and says her goodbyes. We learned the significance of the 1-bell, 2-bell, 3-bell, 5-bell, and 7-bell and explored the 2-sided lean-to where Maya spent the last three weeks sleeping in one of the top bunks in a sleeping bag. Maya is looking forward to a hot shower and flush toilets upon her return to civilization.
Maya has made many new friends to whom we are introduced throughout the afternoon. We also meet one of Maya’s two counselors who lived with the girls in their lean-to.
Finally the moment arrives when we are reunited with Maya who comes running up a hill to great us. She looks positively radiant and it is instantly clear that she has had a wonderful time at Farm & Wilderness Camp. We are joined by aunts Susan, Jean, and Ikeie who have travelled from Burlington to see Maya and to enjoy the Farm and Wilderness Fair which brings to a close the summer camp session with food, arts & crafts, dancing, and a bonfire. Maya takes time to regale us with her exploits of the last 3 weeks. We learn that she has been on a 10-mile hike with a fully loaded pack, helped reconstruct a stone staircase, and harvested a chicken (chopped its head off with an ax, drained the blood, plucked the feathers, and removed the entrails by hand) for their Bounty Dinner. Her brothers were most impressed to learn of the slaying of the chicken and both seemed to look at their baby sister with new found respect or perhaps a sliver of fear.
After breakfast Jeanine and I hiked down into the Quechee Gorge, Vermont’s deepest, formed by glacial activity approximately 13,000 years ago. The Ottauquechee River flows 165 feet below the bridge on Route 4 from which the best views are had.
On the way to breakfast we came a cross a picturesque waterfall and covered bridge. The bridge was originally constructed with the wood from just four trees.
This website is dedicated to sharing, with family and friends, the day-to-day adventures of the Calabria family.
