Choices, So Many

Me: "Do you worry about anything?"

Madeleine: "Yeah, sometimes."

Me: "Like what?"

Madeleine: "Like war."

Me: "Really?"

Madeleine: "I worry that England will be at war with some one."

Me: "Let's hope not."

Madeleine: "I worry that a bomb will drop on us every month, every week, every day, every hour, every minute, every second."

Me: "That's a terrible thing for a kid to have to worry about."

Madeleine: "I also worry about secondary school."

Sunday Walk

Sonnet takes Eitan to a swimming gala and Madeleine and I head for Richmond Park.

Me: "What do you think that fence is for?"

Madeleine: "I don't know."

Me: "Probably to keep out the dinosaurs."

Madeleine: "There are no such thing as dinosaurs, Dad. They died a long time ago. Accept for eagles. Eagles are dinosaurs."

Me: "Yeah?"

Madeleine: "Once I saw an eagle on some one's arm and the eagle ripped his arm off."

Me:

Madeleine: "Blood and guts and veins."

Me:

Madeleine: "We've walked four-point-five miles."

Me: "What does the point-five mean?"

Madeleine: "Mean?"

Me: "Like what distance?"

Madeleine: "How should I know?"

Me: "Well, does the point-five equal a fraction?"

Madeleine:

Me: "like one over two, for instance?"

Madeleine: "Or 25 over ten?"

Me: "Okay. So what does one-over-two equal?"

Madeleine: "A quarter? Three fourths ?"

Me: "How about one-half?"

Madeleine: "Sounds good, Dad."

Me: "So how far have we walked if we have walked four-point-five miles?"

Madeleine: "Can we talk about lizards or something?"

Red Tape

Eitan's school has their annual sports-day and the boy runs the long-distance or six times around the green. He wins handily. His team, The Reds, don't fair as well : last place.

Court 1

Sonnet and I watch Sharapova defeat fellow (?) Brit Lisa Robson who enjoys the crowds heart but bows out in two sets. Pictured. Venus Williams dispatches Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez losing two points and Nadal battles Gilles Muller before the rain shuts us down. No complaints though - we see three of the world's best tennis players and perhaps two of all time. Andy Murray on Center Court and the country holds its breath - Fred Perry the last British winner and that was '36.

Art

Madeleine's creation : "It is an ice cream cone. With hair."

Our dear is a creative and her imagination spread across her bedroom - post-card collection, legos in various constructions, a loom (maybe one day I will get my scarf), trumpet . . . bugs (in jar), microscope, dinosaurs, a fish (named "Stig"), Harry Potters, mound of stuffed animals, a few marbles and the hamster. Sonnet grinds. Once a month or so, Sonnet clandestinely fills a large black garbage bag to its top and sneaks away to the dump. It is not fair, no doubt, but usually the crapola not missed. And we can open the door to her room.

A Shot Of A Shot

Another action shot from Eric and Simona's wedding, this time by the official photographer. Notable #1: Eric remarkably calm given ceremony inside an hour. Notable #2: I am going bald. No denying my mother's father's hairline.

Antiquities

This Greek eroticism from about 400 BC : a nympth pulls her charge inward; he resists and so a roll-reversal : usually (always?) the male the agressor. But a closer look finds the temptress has a .. penis. A hermaphrodite. The sculpture believed risquee and mothballed for >100 years until '09 - it is one of my favorites.

So Greece wins consent from international lenders and the bail out is "on." Not surprisingly, since the country has little chance of avoiding default, German bonds slump. This one not going away dude but, at least, the bankers have a year or so to figure out the mess.

Alte Nationalgalerie

I visit the Old National Gallery on Berlin's "Museum Island" and see this beautiful fresco.

I am in the German capital for an investor AGM including a boat ride up the river Spree to the Federal Chancellery where I meet the Minister of State, Eckart von Klaeden. Interesting moment, to, given Greece - fair to say the Germans think the Greeks a bunch of lazy welfare whores. And so they are but then again : GD benefits hugely from the Eurozone and its low interest rates+stable currency as the world's 2nd largest exporter after China and before the US of A. One guy tells Eckert : "they don't deserve our money." Dude doesn't realise this not the issue.

If we fail the Greeks , Europe risks a run on Spain, Italy and Ireland so the collapse of the Euro and disintegration of the union followed by a global recession. And the US? Like AIG, US banks own credit-default swaps, or insurance to owners of Greek sovereign debt, which could create trillions of immediate liabilities. The Greeks will never repay their obligations BTW so the proposed €110 B loan package a stall so the bankers can get their house of cards in order. Greece, which is less than 2% of the European economy, has strong negotiating poker hand.

Madeleine: "What would you prefer? That I have a lizard or a bunny?"

Me: "We are not getting a lizard."

Trio

My wise friend Xavier notes the importance of a "strong woman" in a partnership. I am blessed , having married one, and surrounded by others, like Ada and Mary - pictured. Ada Israeli (married to Shai) and her PhD on playwright Henrik Ibsen. Mary a Director at Thompson Reuters, one of the world's largest media and information companies.

In my industry, private equity, I would guess that <20% Senior Officers or partners female which, as Katie says, "excludes half the smartest minds." When I began my career at First Boston half the Analysts women while I could count on two hands the number of female Managing Directors (fewer black). Pyramid not working, dude. Mary tells me that Boston Consulting, the top strategic consulting firm, has 600 partners of which 25 women; some web research show 33% of the 4,300 consultants female. Columbia Business School's student body aprox. 30% women which is one of the highest ratios for an elite business school.

Hope changed when Madeleine hits the work force.

@ 44

If 44 not middle-age, I don't know what is. I am probably a few years beyond the center point but why be exact? And any ways : life repeats itself, you just don't know it until you reach 40. So, feeling a bit blue about it all as I usually do on my birthday, I come home to find Sonnet making dinner and Madeleine a birthday cake, which she hides in the refrigerator (she: "whatever you do, Dad, do not open the 'fridge.") She also gift-wraps (w/ an A4 sheet) a chocolate bar and a pair of Daffy Duck socks (today: "What socks are you wearing?") . Eitan gives me a birthday hug and Rusty jumps all over me. Industry Ventures receives its final commitment on Fund VI, which happens to be one of my guys, and the partnership closes. We watch Wimbledon (Murray wins!) then The Wire and to bed. In all, a nice day.

Thank you, everybody, for your emails, cards and etc's!

Me: "How old am I."

Madeleine: "44."

Me: "How old do I look?"

Madeleine: "How should I know? You're an adult."

Miss US of A, Y'All!

Finally! Some good news from California! Our very own 21-year-old auburn-haired gal wins the Miss USA crown on Sunday night and will represent The Nation in the Miss Universe pageant later this year in Brazil! Our darling from El Lay topped a field of 51 beauties to take the TITLE at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip! She strutted across the stage in a blue bikini with white polka dots and a dark turquoise evening gown with beading on its top! Her interests are history and the British monarchy! California is back, y'all!

Happy Faces

Julia And Arnaud

Arnaud and Julia's wedding at Château de la Napoule, an historical landmark whose gardens listed by the French Ministry of Culture as "among the Notable gardens of France." I do not doubt it. A warm sun sets over the lingering blue sky as vows exchanged (NB: the fellow above not Arnaud).

Arnaud and I have known each other five years meeting through work and seeing each other in France (Arnaud a vrai Parissiane) or London socially - once, famously, consuming four martinis each at the Lanesborough - but this for another story. Arnaud at Adams Street, one of the most successful private equity fund investors in the world; he became their youngest partner when promoted at 33.

This is Arnaud - in dark suit w/ jacket -->

S. France

Sonnet dries her nails in Cannes.

We are to Arnaud and Julia's wedding which is on the Côte d'Azur, the French Riviera, covering 560 miles of coastline and one of the first modern resort areas in ze world. It began in the 18th-century as a winter health resort for the British upper classes daring beyond Bath; with the railway came the British, Russian, and other playboys and aristocrats like Queen Victoria and King Edward VII; in summer, the Rothschilds took over the place then came the artists: Picasso, Matisse, Edith Wharton, Somerset Maugham and Aldous Huxley who came to tan themselves. In '46, the film festival and '57 - Bond.

Cannes, where we stay, is a crowded busy spot with low brow next to high-end : on seemingly back-end streets there is a .. Gucci store next to .. Dolce & Gabbana. Fat dudes stroll the promenade, sans shirt, smoking cigars. Red Ferraris everywhere, bunched before the Grand Hotel so famous in the post cards. But it is the yachts, Dear Reader, that catch thine' eye : enormous, ostentatious, idle - birthed at sea for everyone and me to oggle : so big the smaller yachts must service them. At night their parties and disco dancing cast a halo along the flat water, otherwise still, surrounded by the glorious hillsides.

KGB

I have lunch at Terminus, outside the train station, and snap this guy who I am pretty sure is a spy. I am here for meetings then back to London on the evening train.

Eitan returns from the Isle of White and Sonnet and I will miss him until Sunday as we are off to the South of France for our 58th wedding.

Isle Of White

Eitan on the Isle of Wight with chums Luke and Ariane - pictures from the school website. Otherwise, no word. The kids are alright.

Madeleine, over my shoulder: "So. Jealous."

Rusty bites on a squeaky toy animal.

Me: "You know, he likes that because it mimics a dying animal."

Madeleine: "Not true."

Me: "True."

Madeleine: "Prove it."

Me: "How?"

Madeleine: "Look it up on the Internet."

Me, reading: " 'One theory on why dogs like squeaky toys is the nature of the squeak. In the wild, an injured prey animal would emit similar squeaks and cries, thereby revealing its position and condition. The noise generated by a rubber or plush variation on a prey animal can be just as satisfying to a dog.'"

Madeleine: "See, that's just a theory, Dad."

Gaggle

I observe three girls at the Munich airport (Sonnet has nothing to do with my photographs). They seem to be on their way to university as others on the plane wear Oxford sweatshirts. Most interesting is the body language which changes like the wind : excited, focused, defensive, nervous . . not easy being a teen-ager nor being in the bubble; and soon we will have our own. Something to think about for tomorrow. White trousers arrives late and disrupts the dynamic of two : there is now a competition for attention's center.

Madeleine: "Why do people shrink when they get older?"

Pumps

Sonnet and I decide to play hooky and here we are, buying .. shoes. She checks out some LK Bennetts. Sonnet: "they're alright. Upscale but not too upscale." I have learned not to render an opinion on these things. Instead, I sit on a lounge chair and make faces at a baby deserted by her mother. It's all good until the kid starts screaming and I am surrounded by six women and the sales clerk who drill into me with their eyes . What did I do ? From there we stroll along the Richmond High Street - more shoes! More clothes ! and then to Madeleine, who finishes football and needs a ride to swimming. Who is the passenger in this journey, I wonder ?

"I did not have three thousand pairs of shoes, I had one thousand and sixty."
--Imelda Marcos

Bon Voyage

Etan away Monday morning to the Isle of Wight for five days . Road trip, dude. We check, and double-check, the gear. His class+five adults picked up by coach at the school entrance. Also joining is Head Teacher Mr X who, I note , "a very brave man." X has heard my joke many, and many, times before : there is always one smart-ass dad on the playground and if you do not know who it is, well, it's you. So Eitan has no problem at the drop off - in fact, he happily joins his gang and gives me a sheepish hug and off he goes. One step closer to the exit, I tell a few of the choked up mums.

Me: "Miss your brother, Madeleine?"

Madeleine: "Is that a serious question ?"

Madeleine douses an omelet in ketchup.

Madeleine: "See, you can put ketchup on everything."

Me: "Yeah?"

Madeleine: "Eggs. Pizza. Pasta. Chicken, Fish, Salmon. Pretzels. Rice, burgers."

Aneta: "Fish . . "

Madeleine: "Toast, bagels, steak . .."

Aneta: "Potatoes . "

Madeleine: "Crackers."

Me: "Crackers?"

Madeleine: "Yes, Dad."

Aneta: "You can put ketchup on everything."

Me:

Mr Cool

<-- Chas

Chas and I go way back to College Pro Painters where I owned the Providence RI franchise and Chas the Production Manager (Eric being the "labour"). Some of my best stories from that era : like the time Chas and I took a 32' ladder and broke into a dude's second-floor apartment to retrieve papers he was using to .. blackmail me. But that is for another time, Dear Reader. Chas's reptilian nature meant he was cool under pressure - nothing bothered him : damaged property ? No problemo. Stolen equipment ? We'll deal with it. Over budget on the job ? You're fired. I often wonder if Chas, Eric, Roger and I will come together and start a company but I think it is ever less likely as we have settled into different cities, routines and lives.

I walk in the door following the red eye (Sonnet goes straight to work): "Hey, guys - I'm home!"

Eitan, Madeleine: "Dad! "

Me: "Did everybody do their chores?"

Madeleine: "See, Dad, you are here for five minutes and already you have to ruin it."

Me: "Well, did you?"

Eitan: "Yes. Well, sort of."

Me: "I don't see 'checks' by the jobs you were supposed to do."

Madeleine: "That's because it was raining."

Me: "How about the stuff inside?"

Madeleine: "The cleaner is coming."

Me: "Wrong answer."

Madeleine: "You can't expect us to do everything can you?"

Me: "How about if you just do what's on the list?"

Madeleine:

Me: "You are not leaving this house until you vacuum the living room."

Madeleine: "You mean I don't have to go to school?"

Me: "You are not watching television until you vacuum the living room."

Madeleine: "That is so unfair!"