Going Up

ON THE JOB SITE: We spent most of the weekend measuring, cutting and hammering away on the addition. When we weren't doing that, we were at Lowe's. Or Home Depot. We're all weary of going to home improvement centers.

Today, Annabelle happily swept sawdust around the floor of the addition. A clean job site is a happy job site (and a safer job site, might I add). 

IN REVIEW: Today, I had the kids write short reports about the Friday night Seattle Science Festival event we attended. Here they are, Annabelle's first ...

Friday we went to The Museum of Flight Space Gallery to go to a lecture called, simply, "Space" which was part of the Seattle Science Festival. We got to see two astronauts named Bonnie Dunbar and George "Pinky" Nelson.

There was also a opera called "The Little Prince", and the play starred a pilot and a Little Prince from another planet. The pilot was just flying along one day when he crashed into the desert and met the Little Prince. The Little Prince told the pilot that the desert on earth was the most beautiful place he had ever seen! Did I mention that it was an opera? It was a very good opera.

Bonnie Dunbar(astronaut) used to live on a ranch when she was young and when she was a year old she rode on a horse for the first time! Bonnie Dunbar is now a astronaut. She went on 5 Space shuttle missions!

George "Pinky" Nelson was one of the space shuttle scientists, so he got to do experiments. He also went on a EVA!

They also talked about a so-called mini space shuttle called the Dream Chaser, which was going to be re-useable vehicle, just like the space shuttle.

We also saw some people on silk (or some other kind of shiny fabric) ribbons (hanging from ceiling) doing lots of poses, and they called the performance "Weightlessness". The whole lecture was interesting, as you can imagine. And also very fun!

And here's what CJ had to say ...

"Space" was a part of the Seattle Science Festival that took place in the Museum of Flight. During "Space," there was a performance by the Seattle Opera, which was called "The Little Prince." Also, in "Space," you could hear the unlikely future of a cowgirl, Bonnie Dunbar.

"The Little Prince" was the Seattle Opera. It talks about how there is a boy that drew a elephant being eaten by a boa constrictor, and the adults think it's a hat. One thing I learned from the little prince is that if you do (attempt) something that might be dangerous, (tomb raid, high plane flying, etc.) it might (or will) result in failure. Another thing I learned from the Little Prince is that if you like (or love) someone, that doesn't mean they like (or love) you.

Bonnie Jeanne Dunbar was a astronaut from August 1981 to January 1998. Sometime in the 1950s, she rode on a horse with her younger brothers. She went on five shuttles, first being STS-61-A Challenger, second being STS-32 Columbia, Third being STS-50 Columbia, fourth being STS-71 Atlantis, and last being STS-89 Endeavor. One thing I learned from Bonnie Jeanne Dunbar was that some people have unlikely futures. Another thing I learned from Bonnie Jeanne Dunbar is that some astronauts work for more then 10 years.

The Dream Chaser is a ship that is currently in development. The Dream Chaser will be able to hold up to 7 people. One thing I learned from the Dream Chaser is that bigger doesn't always mean better. Another thing I learned from the Dream Chaser is that it is small, but that doesn't mean it can hold up to only three or four people.
Space Rocks! was a talk about how some asteroids have more platinum than there is on all of Earth. Some asteroids are even made entirely out of platinum. One thing I learned from Space Rocks! is that Earth is not the only place where platinum forms. Another thing I learned from Space Rocks! is that not all asteroids are made entirely out of rocks.

STILL SINGING: During our lumber runs, we take our old beater-ish extend cab Toyota. It has no CD player, so the kids provide the music. Saturday on a trip to Lowe's they sang nearly every track off Lisa Loeb's Silly Sing-Along: The Disappointing Pancake and Other Zany Songs. Here's a video of them performing  "Chewing Gum" with gusto.

PRIDEFUL: This weekend there were lots of Pride Week-related activities around Seattle, including a big parade Sunday. We didn't go to the parade (too busy building), but when we came home from the science Friday night, we couldn't help but notice that the arches of Century Link Field was awash in rainbow colors. 

I knew the photo I was taking really wasn't going to turn out, because we were in a car going about 50 MPH on the Viaduct, but it's still kinda pretty. ...