It took next to no persuasion to convince Jeanine to join in the card games that followed dinner.

A rather large dinner this evening. In addition to the family, we had Jolle plus three of Nicolai’s friends and Kyle’s friend Hanna join us. At times like this, it is nice to have the kitchen island for overflow seating.

Today at work the CEO of Sonos formally announced that he was stepping out of his role as the Conscience of Wi-Fi Performance and passing that responsibility to me. In my monthly departmental newsletter I intend to memorialize this auspicious occasion with the aid of this photo demonstrating my full and total commitment to this crucial role. Our products are distinguished in the market by outstanding wireless performance throughout the home and this is in no small part due to the personal interest my boss has taken in this aspect of our product development.

On the way home from work today I swung by the State House in time to see the Ted Kennedy funeral procession pass by. His body was driven from the Kennedy compound in Hyannisport to the JFK Memorial Library in Boston. The end of the 70 mile journey was through the streets of Boston and the North End which were lined with mourners and respectful onlookers. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause when the hearse, seen here, passed by. Perhaps because I grew up during the years of the Kennedy dynasty (JFK’s assassination is one of my earliest memories), I felt compelled to bear witness and pay my respects to a man who so clearly cared about people and made such a profound impact on social justice. He was not without faults, but no one can deny that he was a great man who will leave behind many great friends and a legacy of legislative leadership that will likely never be matched. Farewell Teddy.

With the lighting worked out last night, Jolle posed for portraits again this evening. She is extremely photogenic, and it was hard to take a bad photo. This was one of my favorites.

I have promised Jolle a nice portrait before she returns to Belgium. This evening, we did a practice session and played around with some different lighting. This was my favorite.

It took almost an hour to get this extreme close-up up but I am glad I put the time in. Doing so made me appreciate the beauty of this flower even more. I do not often speak of God, but admiring the wonders of nature is where I see mine.

A closer view proves even more amazing. If time permits, I may try and get an even closer view of the stamen tips.

Today, I could not help but admire this beautiful flower from Jeanine’s garden. I will ask her what kind it is when I get a chance.

The Revs won 3-1 with all three goals coming from Dube. It was a very exciting game and a late evening breeze made conditions perfect for spectating. Maya who earned all four tickets in exchange for cat sitting was not able to join us because she is still suffering from flu symptoms.

 
Today was all about soccer. At 8AM the boys and Jolle joined me for a scrimmage with my over 50s team. All three kids held their own with the adults while I played rather pathetically despite finding the net four times. I spent the bulk of the afternoon recovering from the mornings game before taking Jolle, Nico and his friend Haley to a Revolution soccer game at Gillette Stadium. Jeanine prepared a nice tailgate cooler before we left and we enjoyed sushi, chicken drummies, chips and salsa and chocolate pudding before taking our seats.

Kyle’s friend Hannah joins us for dinner this evening along with Nico’s friends Greg and Kevin. Earlier in the day, Jolle and I went kayaking on the Sudbury River. Even though she had little experience, she paddled like a pro. Maya is not feeling well, and I spent the bulk of the day hanging out with her.

I was in the mood for a burrito today and took a short stroll at lunchtime to obtain the object of my desire. Along the way, I saw this interesting juxtaposition of nature and urban infrastructure and thought it would make a nice photo.

Nicolai rests on the couch while rubbing Nala’s belly. This week has seen temperatures well into the nineties, which has made soccer camp quite exhausting for the girls and left everyone ready to relax at the end of the day.