Watching and Waiting

Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

HISTORY AWAITS: Many eyes are on the Space Coast this week, as four astronauts prepare to become the first to fly to the International Space Station in a SpaceX Dragon capsule.

In the photo above, you can see the Dragon atop a Falcon 9 rocket. It's set to launch at 4:49 p.m. Pacific time on Saturday, Nov. 14, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. Onboard will be Crew-1 NASA astronauts Shannon Walker, Victor Glover, and Mike Hopkins, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi Noguchi. We here at MPA will *definitely* be watching this historic mission.

                   Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Once they get settled in on the orbiting science laboratory, the astronauts will have a hand in several scientific experiments, including food physiology, neural function in low Earth orbit, tissue chips, and spacesuit technology.

Back in May of this year, NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley were aboard a demonstration mission, launching in the first manned SpaceX mission. That was a complete success, laying the groundwork for Saturday's launch to the ISS.  They splashed down in the Dragon Endeavour capsule at 2:48 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 2, off the coast of Pensacola, Florida.

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CLOTHES OUT: In an unexpected twist, some of our clothing will soon be headed to Central America.

A couple of days ago a neighbor (but not someone we know) posted to our local Buy Nothing group asking for clothing donations. She wrote, 'As many of you know Central America has been hit by Hurricane ETA and has left many people homeless and nothing else but their clothes on their back.'

I'm embarrassed to admit we knew nothing of the hurricane. Pretty much it has been nonstop election-related coverage on our TV since November 3.

Anyway, the neighbor was asking for donations of clothing to send to Honduras, where she has family.

According to The Gurardian, "Hurricane Eta making landfall as a category 4 storm to the south of Puerto Cabezas in Nicaragua. The storm weakened as it moved slowly inland towards Honduras through the week. Some areas saw as much as 550mm of rain (22 inches), leading to landslides and flooding. At least 100 people have died as a result."

It just so happened that 'clean closets' was on our to do list the day I saw the neighbor's ask for help, so we were happy to take three large garbage bags worth of men's, women's and children's clothing to them. I was impressed by how much they'd collected already. There were boxes and boxes of goods being loaded into a large shipping container as we arrived. 

Our surplus clothing was likely destined for a nonprofit thrift store before I spied the Buy Nothing post. It's nice to know our our gently-used and happily-donated items will be going right to people in dire need instead.

Weekend Scenes

 

SWEET SKULLS: Saturday afternoon, the kids sat down for a little art session. We had pre-ordered and curbside picked up sugar skull kits from the South Park  branch of King County Library System.

We were impressed with the variety and quantity of the kits' contents! A whole lot of bling and four bottles of paint between the two of them.

The kit also thoughtfully included a black paper plate to place the skull on, and a big ol' doily to fancy things up a bit.

CJ's skull wound up with a butterfly on its chin and what looks like a black leaf for a moustache.

Annabelle's skull is at the top of a the post. 

WINTER IS COMING: We've had a bit of a cold (for us) snap the past couple of days, with temps in the 30s. It almost feels like it could snow. We're trying to balance getting out and getting fresh air with the fact that there's a pandemic in it's third, and likely largest to-date, wave. 

One place we feel safe is an outdoor picnic table with just we four and no one else any closer than about 20 feet. It's on the front sidewalk of a convenience store called Super Deli Mart, in West Seattle. They have lots of soft drinks for the kids, a decent taplist for the adults and lots of snacks and sandwiches if one needs something to nosh on.

When we head there, it's almost like packing for skiing or camping. 

We have masks, hats, gloves, coats, boots, scarves and such.. Here's Annabelle and her freshly-pinked hair braving the elements.

                          

We even have our very own propane heater hidden under the table. That thing is a champ! Really takes the edge off and the propane only costs us about a buck per session (long enough to have a couple of drinks and play a board game or two).

On Sunday we played King of Tokyo. I got to be the Kraken because I had my Seattle Kraken hoody on.

Christian was the King of Tokyo that day, if you're wondering who won.

We have also been playing a lot of High Risk recently. It's a quick, dice-rolling game where you're trying to scale a mountain. 

We've played it a dozen times. I don't think I've won even once. :/ I think I'm too conservative, and not willing to take a high enough risk, as the game's name suggests.

ESCAPISM: An email with a round up of fun things to check out during these pandemic times. One reccomendation was the National Museum of American History's animated series of six computer pioneers, including Kenneth Olson and Grace Hopper. That’s here: https://americanhistory.si.edu/american-enterprise-exhibition/videos/computer-pioneers. 

The email also made mention of a library system that hosts online escape rooms. They have one with a "Stranger Things" theme coming up Fri, Nov 13th, at 1 pm (https://www.esopuslibrary.org/teens). Their page also includes links to Marvel Avengers Escape Room, Wonderland Escape Room, and a Star Wars Escape Room. 

We've done a couple of escape rooms in person and enjoyed them, so we'll have to check this virtual experience out.