The executive team at Sonos after day one of a two day strategic planning session held in Cambridge. Although it was a rather long day, we made excellent progress. Rather than joining the group for dinner, I drove home to be with the family only to discover on my arrival that they had gone with the VanDoren’s to watch a Revolution (pro soccer team) game in Foxborough. As they were leaving the parking lot the van was hit by a stadium employee who was speeding on his way out. No major injuries to speak of but the van is going to need some serious work.
Today the VanDoren family from Belgium arrived. They will be visiting with us for the next few days. Francis (far right) was a foreign exchange student who lived with Jeanine for a year during high school. They have stayed in touch ever since. Counter clockwise from Francis are here husband Dirk, son Arne, yours truly, Maya, daughter Jolene, my bride and Nala completes the picture. We enjoyed dinner on the sun porch and got to watch a beautiful full moon rising over the field.
With the kids scattered to the winds (Maya in Nantucket, Nico with cousins in Minneapolis, Kyle in Nicaragua on a service project) Jeanine and I had the day to ourselves. We decided to go kayaking on the Sudbury River launching from the South Bridge boat house where we rented a kayak for Jeanine. We headed upstream for a liesurely 9 mile paddle and encountered more Blue Heron than people on our voyage. We are very fortunate to live so close to so many great kayaking destinations. We are less than 5 minutes from the Concord, Sudbury and Assebet Rivers.
So many people on airplanes these days spend all their time watching the movie, working on their computers or glued to a book failing to appreciate the beauty below them. Forget about smelling roses; take a moment and look out the window.
Santa Barbara has a lovely beach, warf and marina. I made the 15 minute walk here from my hotel after work. Suprisingly I found little photographic inspiration until I came across this reflection in the waning evening light.
As colorful as the produce was, none could compete with this street performer. I have seen him here on prior trips and hope to get a better portrait of him on my next visit. For me, he captures the spirit of Santa Barbara.
I travelled to Santa Barbara today for work, arriving at about 6pm. Around the corner from my hotel each Tuesday is the open air farmer’s market. Although things were winding down as I arrived I was able to purchase some delicious fruit and get a few pictures.
We thoroughly enjoyed the visit by Anita and Dave. Anita prepared dinner for the family last night while Dave, who is an excellent musician, jammed with the boys in the basement. Jeanine drove Kyle to the rendezvous point for his 3am departure to Nicaragua while the rest of us slept.
