The Concord Fire Department was on the scene to rescue our town flag when attempts to lower it were thwarted by a tangle. I paused during my evening commute to look on as the CFD made quick work of the task.

My birthday girl turned 47 today and just seems to grow more beautiful, vibrant and wise with each passing year. She received several dozen phone calls and e-mails from family and friends, was treated to lunch by her local chic clique, and celebrated with our family over dinner at the Asiana restaurant in Bedford. Maya created a very special hand made birthday card and the boys chipped in for a raspberry plant which they have committed to plant for her as well. Inspired by who knows what, the boys got into a playful wrestling match tickling each other and tumbling around much as they did when they were toddlers. It brought back fond memories and capped the evening on a very happy note.

Maya danced in two routines during her end of the year recital (once to the theme of Fame and the other time to Gimme Some Lovin by Sam and Dave). She was her effervescent self and a pleasure to watch. My soccer team faced Nashoba on their grass home field. I scored the season’s first goal 10 minutes in with a crushing half volley from about 25 yards out. I shot with the outside of my right foot and bent the ball around and over the goalie into the upper right corner. We won the match 3-1 and it was a great way to start the season.

After lunch, I drove to Brattleboro, VT, enjoying the photographic opportunities along the way. Each of the three states I spent time in today has a distinctly different character, and I managed to return to Barre just in time to have a late dinner with Jeanine in between workshop sessions.

This morning I drove to Keene, NH stopping at a half dozen photogenic covered bridges along the way. The harsh light was not very flattering but I found a few angles I would like to come back and shoot in the fall when the leaves are turning.

This is my favorite Seuss sculpture. The background was extremely distracting so Maya and I stripped it out (a tedious and time-consuming job). Please click on the image for a closer view and try not to laugh.

My next stop was the Dr. Seuss Memorial Sculpture Garden where I thoroughly enjoyed myself. This man was a genius. I reread his book, Oh, The Places You”ll Go and it is like a treatise on Life.

Today Jeanine and I had planned to attend a personal development conference together (she is one of the facilitators of the workshop) but I got kicked out last night when I could not commit to stay for all four days of the program. My outdoor soccer season opens Sunday morning and I was compelled to honor the commitment I made to my teammates which would have had me miss four hours of the last day. As this was unacceptable to the conference leader, I found myself with a free weekend on my hands. I spent the morning hiking around the Quabbin Reservoir and the afternoon in Springfield where I started with a visit to the Basketball Hall of Fame.

This evening after work, I joined Jeanine at the Jenkins B&B in Barre, MA where we will spend the next three nights enjoying a long weekend getaway in celebration of her upcoming birthday. My first three weeks at iRobot have passed in the blink of an eye, and I am looking forward to a lighter meeting schedule next week.

The pace of my life right now feels a lot like the blur of my sons disappearing into the distance on their way to school. Their initial departure was aborted when Nicolai discovered he had forgotten his shoe. I can understand forgetting your homework or your lunch bag but it is hard for me to comprehend how unconscious a child must be to forget their footwear.

iRobot offers an on-site fitness facility, which I took advantage of this evening. My outdoor soccer season opener is this Sunday and I am woefully out of shape. Forty-five minutes on the elliptical machine and I got a pretty good workout.

Almost as if overnight, spring has arrived. The torrential rains have come to an end and everywhere you look there are signs of renewal and growth. In New England we enjoy four distinct seasons. While autumn is my favorite, spring has to be a close second and I must make sure that I do not let my enthusiasm over the new job keep me from getting out into nature.

After seeing the movie Food, Inc. (highly recommended) Jeanine only serves beef from range fed cattle. She found a local source and purchased one quarter of an entire cow which now occupies the majority of our freezer. Anytime meat is served the kids ask if it is from our cow and such was the case for our Easter dinner which featured this delicious roast. After dinner we had a bocce tournament. Hannah and I teamed up and quickly eliminated Kyle and Nicolai despite their bravado and trash talking. Jeanine and Maya proved more difficult adversaries but they too were no match for Hannah’s short game finesse and my long distance accuracy. The boys are demanding a rematch but I have told them they will need to work on their game before I can be bothered with defeating them again.

Anticipating a big Easter lunch with my parents and an even bigger Easter dinner with the family back in Concord, I set off this morning on a 2 hour walk. I started out at Union College where I was determined to come up with a new photographic take on the iconic Nott Memorial. I then walked down to the historic Schenectady Stockade area where I learned much about the city’s past that was unknown to me while growing up here. I discovered Riverside Park and enjoyed views of the Mohawk and distant Scotia. Next I made my way to the downtown area which has undergone significant redevelopment in recent years. Jay Street now features a boutique lined shopping area at one end and Little Italy on the other. I spent the remainder of the morning talking with my parents at length, something which is rarely possible when visiting with the entire family. We were joined by my sister Alissa and her family for lunch before I made the 3 hour drive back to Massachusetts.