Thursday, August 23, 2007

Things that make me giggle...

So we're still in that stage where pretty much any use of the word "poop" is considered a hilarious punchline. And just now, I realized where they get this sense of humor. It happened when I saw this headline. Now, I know that's not how you pronounce it and all. But it still caused an involuntary giggle. And most of the story kept me giggling, too. Sigh. It's one thing at 4, but at 43, I think this just makes me juvenile.

Rare view shows big changes for Uranus
By DAVID PERLMANSAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
Strange things are happening to the rings of Uranus, that little blue planet way out there in the solar system...

The time for the rare views is now, and astronomers from the University of California-Berkeley and the SETI Institute in Mountain View, Calif., has seen some dramatic changes -- some rings are growing brighter, at least one is fading away and another is either newly formed or unexpectedly moving outward from the planet by thousands of miles. (Sounds painful. But there are OTC treatments...)

At the same time, a broad, diffuse cloud of microscopic dust particles seems to be pervading the entire ring system....(Oh, is THAT what they're calling it now...)

De Pater said in an interview that "the ring system looks completely different" from the way it did 21 years ago when the Voyager 2 spacecraft flew past Uranus and photographed its rings and moons. (Hey, in 21 years, anyone's rings are going to change...)
"The rings are exquisite now," de Pater said, (quite the sweet-talker.)

...
We're starting to realize that studying the rings and moons of Uranus is more like studying the weather than planetary geology," Showalter said. "Things are moving."
Uranus itself, the seventh planet from the sun, was discovered in 1791, but its rings were not detected until 1977.
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I enjoyed that. Oh, the shame.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Arrrgh! This be a pirate blarrrgh entry!


0807 Arrgh! Pirates!003
Originally uploaded by MommyCheryl
Avast! Or is it Amast! Or Aghast! I've no idea, matey.

For some unknown reason, the boys decided to play pirates tonight. They had the hats and a couple of scarves from our cruise LAST summer -- along with a couple of plastic swords. Except we could only find one plastic sword and deep in the recesses of our minds a vague recollection of one breaking. Arrgh.

This, naturally, made for one happy boy and one unhappy boy. I decided to rectify the situation by pulling out a piece of cardboard and cutting out a sword for Chas. But Eddie, being the crafty little bugger that he is, just had to get in on that action. So he used paper, scissors and tape to make some dangly thing that he called a sword. (Insert your own naughty joke here.) Chas wanted Mama to have a sword, too. And then it was decided that I must have one. And hats! We must have hats! But we only had the two, plus a random pirate scarf. So Steph put on her Rosie Hadit head band thing. Only Eddie thought THAT was just the coolest. So he took that, Steph took his hat and I tried to figure out how to wear a pirate scarf. Steph said I looked more like the cleaning lady on a pirate ship.

Anyway, a few sword battles ensued in the backyard. Fun was had by all. The plastic sword that started it all is discarded on the floor, not nearly as much fun (but much more likely to put an eye out) as the homemade varieties. The boys are now in the drink (bath for you landlubbers) and the seas of our backyard are safe to travel. For now.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Trains, Trains, Trains!

By Eddie Reid-Simons
With help from Chas Reid-Simons

Transcribed by Mama

Tank engines are the best in Africa. A tram engine is the best one in the snow. When trains go by, an American white train is fastest.

Engines are diesels, but some are not.

The Madagascar train that likes to carry bugs works at the quarry for 45 days.

Cars are the most important freight. Passenger cars take people where they need to go.

Lots of engines there are so good. Some trains go past some people's houses.