Madeleine wraps up her last day of school (7/7/06). While not an especially well framed image, the photo gives a broad range of action, which I like. The kids have fun, in the spotlight of their parents, who sit excitedly in the make-shift auditorium. Two years have gone by quickly, and now Madeleine is ready for reception (kindergarten).
On today, the last day of Montessori, the school celebrates with physical education, known throughout the Western World simply as "PE." Races include the potato carry, hat-pick-up-and-cone-dash and relay. Some of the younger kids are scared out of their wits by the audience of enthusiastic parents clapping and encouraging onward their future Olympians. Madeleine was quite calm, winning her "competitions" handily and anchoring the final leg of the relay. It is hard to believe that following three years Montessori will no longer be with us. Both kids will attend "Big Boy School" come September. Happily many of Madeleine's friends will join her and of course Eitan will be able to help smooth the way (Eitan: "I won't!").
The kids climb a treet (1/7/06) while I observe from away, and hope that there will be no broken bones. It is bound to happen and as my own doctor told me with a broken collar bone in third grade: "well son, no boy gets away scott free." And there you have it.
Eitan at our local wine restaurant. Now that the sun sets at 2100 and the tempature warm-like, I take the kids for a lemonade and run-around while I answer emails. From this photo, Eitan's baby teeth are not falling out while his permenant teeth come in. This will require the old hook and tongs at the dentist (local anethestic to be applied). The Boy, well aware of his plight as he has been forced to wiggle the fixed whitecaps for some months now, is quite eager for the Tooth Fairy regardless.
Madeleine proves herself to be a venerable traveler on her way to Denver, CO (19/6/06). Sonnet and her together for the week of Maire's wedding while I am Mano-a-mano with the Boy (me to him: "men together drink beer, look for foxy babes and stay up late watching TV." Eitan: "No way dad! but can we stay up late and watch TV?"). On the long-haul, Madeleine makes friends with two same-age girls and much of the trip is spent crayoning and watching in-flight entertainment. This photograph taken at the Marriot.
England's World Cup dreams end at the quarter-finals in the cruellest way - a penalty shoot out following extra time (2/7/06; photo from The Sun). The team played heroically weathering Wayne Rooney's ejection for stomping on the balls of Portugal's Ricardo Carvalho (red card; 10 on 11) and without captain Beckham due to injury. Despite the player disadvantage England kept the score nil-nil through regular time and two overages. Owen Hargraves, Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville played decently and goal-keeper Paul Robinson above his average. Peter Crouch and Aaron Lennon came off the bench and nearly pulled an historic victory but, alas - the penalty kicks decided the game and we missed three of four attempts from 10 yards out. Sadly this was the same outcome in the '04 game vs Portugal (the most exciting I have ever watched) and before that Argentina (World Cup '98), Germany ('96), and West Germany ('90). Thus ends the run of perhaps England's best assembled team ever... at least on paper.
This ancient Redwood rests in Big Trees national park, California, in a grove well suited for the gentle sequoia. From Wikipedia 'it is an evergreen, long-lived, monoecious treet living for up to 2,000 years, and commonly considered the tallest tree in the world, reaching up to 112 meters in height and 7 meters diameter at the base. It is thought to be named after the Cherokee India leader, Sequoyah." Cool.
Madeleine tries on finger paints during a play-date with Kitan (30/9/04), art-work thanks to nanny Aggie whose energy keeps the kids on their toes. 
I attend a rather dry investors conference in the Swiss canton and town of Zug (22/6/06), where I recall from my year in Geneva that not much happens in Switzerland. Thus is the case here. The German-speaking town is next to the Zug lake, and foot of the Zugerberg (3,225 feet). The setting is charming, the people are fit and the vice underground. I took the photo with my phone camera, so the quality not as good as it could be. Still, I like the light reflected from the water, and the sunset quite lovely. 
England awaits the World Cup quarter-finals tomorrow Saturday. Eitan's heros include the obvious David Beckham who, despite general mediocre performance, remains a world-class set-player and has kept England in the tournament with two excellent bending corning kicks against Paraguay and 
Ecuador. Michael Owen, another favorite, is out following a freak accident in the opening minutes against Equador. We also pull for Wayne Rooney, Stephen Gerrard and Joe Cole, who are playing to expectations and carry the weight of England's dreams. Dear reader do not under-estimate how important this game is.
Madeleine and her second cousins Bella and Lola take a ride on Charlie, a patient 26-year old horse at Aunt Martine and Bill Minnis's ranch in Colorado.
Participants gather for the wedding rehersal - 22/6/06. Maire and Scott's wedding took place in this field next to the Minnis ranch. The vista included rolling clouds, mountain ranges and tall grass. The ceremony was conduced by Maire's father, an Episcopal priest. The bride was delivered to the site in a cart drawn by Charlie and driven by her sister Molly, maid of honour. The bride wore a white full-length gown trimmed with blue and white check gingham ribbon, along with cowboy boots.
Madeleine and Sonnet spend the week in Colorado at Maire Minnis's wedding and celebration (25/6/07). Sonnet's family is re-united including mom Silver and her three sisters Robin, Missy and Martine and their husbands, brother Marcus, cousins Bru and Brooke and Molly and many others. This photograph taken in front of the local drugs store on a lazy afternoon.
Tim Larrison and I visit the Normandy beaches (17/2/02). We were blessed with fine weather, and guidance from uncle Larry Lee who provides a schedule of must-see places (Larry went to the 50th anniversary with John Eisenhower and Bill Clinton). What strikes immediately is the emptiness of the place, and the sand cliffs which provide the perfect vantage point for a downward pointing gunnery.
This photo taken in our Maida Vale flat, July 17, 2001.
Sonnet is under the covers likely exhausted.
Eitan scores a giant lolly at the the school fair, organised in part by your's truly. On a hot day in the UK (ok, about 85 fehrenhait) the community turns out to support the local institution, participating in auctions, inflate-a-slides, jumpy-castles, bbq and of course candy floss, popcorn and other forms of junk food. The fair is the school's largest money rake, beating out Christmas by a whisker. There is a lovely sense of community as mums and dads sweat out the stalls, while the kids run amok wired by sugar and the heat. The theme this year was 'circus' and while there were no cages nor animials, Zippo's suppled a cadre of clowns and jugglers. All in all, an A+ afternoon.
Christian Wright visits Germany and the World Cup (15/6/06), which began 9 June and matches the 32 qualifying clubs vying for the championship one month later in Berlin. Christian's itinerary includes London to see his England play in a proper setting - a smokey pub filled with maniacal fans drinking, cursing and sweating for the red and white. Fortunately for this afternoon, the boys eek out a 2-nil victory against Trinidad & Tobago, a team they should have beat handily. Still, the Capital erupts in joy; we celebrate at dinner on the Marlybone High Street.
Madeleine get's in on the action (17/6/06)
. Unlike Eitan who scarffed his treat on the day, Madeleine savours the experience and lords it over her brother' the rest of the weekend. The sticky gathers dirt, hair, dust... but this fails to pursuade Madeleine to throw the thing out. Sonnet and I try, but the screeches of protest unbearable. The final straw is the trail of blue, yellow and red across the couch, wall and any other exposed space under five feet.
