Tink's Tribulations: February 2008

Monday, February 25, 2008

Scary Tribulations and a Medical Update.

Way to accurate for my taste... Thanks Mrs. Who and Bug for making me more paranoid than I already am. :)

Back to the doctor again today, who was first amazed last week that I had an ear infection and even more so this week when it appears the antibiotic and allegra were doing nothing for it and it has gotten worse. I can't even hear out of my left ear at this time. So now we are on antibiotics that cost $21.10 apiece after the insurance and a steroid. Cross your fingers with me that this time it works. :)

Sunday, February 24, 2008

This Week in Space #17

A Meme of Tribulations

I'm easing back in, starting with a meme that I blatantly swiped from Amanda at Brandon's Puppy.

1. What is in the back seat of your car right now? Car seat, pillow, clothes, shoes, toys

2. When was the last time you threw up? Don't remember, don't want to remember

3. What’s your favorite curse word? Frankly Scarlet, I don't give a....

4. Name 3 people who made you smile today? Pan. Pan. Pan. Haven't been around anyone else today.

5. What were you doing at 8 am this morning? Hitting the snooze.

6. What were you doing 30 minutes ago? Trying to concentrate on a game rather than the feel of cotton in my ear. There is no cotton in my ear, it's just how it has felt this past week.

7. What will you be doing 3 hours from now? Not really sure. Taking a shower would be good.

8. Have you ever been to a strip club? Yes.

9. What is the last thing you said aloud? Good luck

10. What is the best ice cream flavor? French Vanilla

11. What was the last thing you had to drink? Water

12. What are you wearing right now? Tink pajamas

13. What was the last thing you ate? Cinnamon Toast waffle

14. Have you bought any new clothing items this week? No.

15. When was the last time you ran? Last time Indy was here.

16. What’s the last sporting event you watched? Whatever was on the telly at Longhorns last night. I think it was a race. But not sure.

17. Who is the last person you emailed? Pan, mom, bug, Nuke, Scamp, The Princess, ddpup and a co-worker. I sent the full size pictures of the the eclipse

18. Ever go camping? yes and never again unless I am well paid.

19. Do you have a tan? No. We really need to get the boat back in the water.

20. Do you drink your soda from a straw? Never.

21. What did your last IM say? xluaosugljhstaoyoi

22. Are you someone’s best friend? Yes.

23. What are you doing tomorrow? Trying to make another doctor's appointment.

24. Where is your mom right now? Either at home or out shopping with ddpup.

25. Look to your left, what do you see? An empty box of tissues

26. What color is your watch? People still wear watches. The last one I had, had mickey mouse on it.

27. What do you think of when you think of Australia? Karooch, Kay and Godzilla

28. Would you consider plastic surgery? No.

29. What is your birthstone? Peridot

30. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? Both.

33.How many kids do you want? I have all the ones I want, thank you.

34. Do you have a dog? No.

35. Last person you talked to on the phone? Bombshell

36. Have you met anyone famous? Yes.

37. Any plans today? Maybe take a nap.

38. How many states have you lived in? Eight

39. Ever go to college? Yes.

40. Where are you right now? At home.

41. Biggest annoyance in your life right now? (plug in favorite curse word here) ear.

42. Last song listened to? Something by Prince that was on the television last night before I turned the channel.

43. Are you allergic to anything? People.

44. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time? Sandals.

45. Are you jealous of anyone? No.

46. Is anyone jealous of you? Yes.

47. What time is it? 11:04 a.m.

48. Do any of your friends have children? I believe so. At least I hope those are their children.

49. Do you eat healthy? Normally.

50. What do you usually do during the day? Clean house, work, play with Indy and the Princess when they are here.

51. Do you hate anyone right now? Yep.

52. Do you use the word ‘hello’ daily? Sure, each time I answer the phone.

53. How old will you be turning on your next birthday? 52

54. Have you ever been to Six Flags? Which one?

55. How did you get one of your scars? Getting my finger caught between a dock and a 4-ton boat. Can you say OUCH?

Friday, February 22, 2008

Tribulations.... I'm Home.....

kind of. Remember last week when I said I wasn't feeling too well? Seems I really wasn't. I had an ear infection. I think the infection has cleared up but the congestion sure hasn't and it still sounds like I'm listening to everyone and everything through a fishbowl.

Still on Wednesday night I snuck outside from time to time to see about taking pictures of the eclipse. Many thanks to NYIP for their tips on how to accomplish this. Don't know if I followed them to the letter (probably not), but at least I had a starting point.

Without further ado here are some of those pictures.

At the start of the eclipseCamera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi; f/5.6; exposure time: 1/200 sec.; speed: ISO-100; Bias 0 step; length: 200 mm; metering mode: pattern

at about mid-pointCamera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi; f/5.6; time: 1/500 sec.; speed: ISO-100; Bias: 0 step; length: 200 mm; metering mode: Pattern

after totalityCamera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi; f/5.6; time: 4 sec.; speed: ISO-100; bias: 0 step; length: 200 mm; metering mode: Pattern

Friday, February 15, 2008

I've been Tribulating Through an Amusement Park

Fri 2/15 Blog Prompt: Feb. 14 was Ferris Wheel Day. Do you like to go to amusement parks? If so, what is your favorite park and favorite ride?

I like to go to Disney World and I love Disney Quest at the Disney Marketplace. I do not like real roller coasters but get a charge out of the virtual ones you can build at Disney Quest. It has been many years since Pan and I have gone, but the last time we were there, Bug and Brains came up for the day and that is where we headed. First we played in the Buzz Lightyear bumper cars where you got to shot cannon balls at the other cars. Brains and I paired up for that one and walloped Bug and Pan. I can't remember who was driving, but it must have been Bug because they got backed into a corner and couldn't maneuver out.

After that we did the virtual roller coaster. This time Bug and paired up and designed our roller coaster while the guys designed theirs. Then we traded designs. Pan got woozy one the one the Bug and I designed. But he really doesn't like virtual games. That meant he had to sit out the virtual Pirates of the Caribbean. Next to the virtual roller coaster, I think I liked this best.

Now, of course, I really like the Mission to Mars at Epcot. Did you know they have barf bags available?

The layout today is still of my sister's wedding, but you get to see a picture of me, too. LOL. Normally I was behind the camera.

Affection of the Heart kit (c)Deanna Patterson; Sketch by Miyuki Yamaguchi; Fonts: LHF Boston Trucker, Edwardian Script

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Lovely Valentine Tribulations

Thurs 2/14 Blog Prompt: Today is Valentine’s Day. What was your favorite Valentine gift?

If I get what I want today, it will be to feel better. I had to take Indy to the doctor on Monday and the clinic was packed. I managed to get a seat but those who came in after me were having to stand up. All of the kid chairs in the children's waiting room were full too. Good thing Indy didn't want to sit down. But being so packed, I managed to pick up a cold or something.

But if this is in reference to past Valentine's, my favorites had to have been those which included my favorite Japanese restaurant. Don't think we are going there tonight though. Not even sure I feel up to it. But if we do, I won't complain. Would you?

In honor of Valentine's, here is another layout of my sister and brother-in-law at their wedding.

As Time Goes By kit (c)Pepeetje; Template by Andrea Gold

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Monday to Wednesday Prompts & Tribulations

Mon 2/11 Blog Prompt: Feb. 10 was Umbrella Day. Do you use an umbrella? If so, describe your favorite umbrella. (Is it a plain one or a fancy one? What design does it have?)

I don't usually use one, but I do keep on in the truck, just in case. It is a very plain black and white striped umbrella with a wood handle for holding on to. The Princess uses one all the time, so I have handy supply of Disney Princess ones around and one umbrella with the little Japanese frog that was so popular years ago. That one belonged to Bombshell, but the Princess confiscated it from her.

Tues 2/12 Blog Prompt: Today is Lincoln’s birthday and he was known as “Honest Abe.” How do you feel about honesty? Is there ever a time it is alright not to be honest?

I feel very strongly about being honest, but I do believe there are times when a little white lie may be okay or even necessary. I have, at times, when I felt it was necessary, told the little white lie to spare the feelings of the person to whom I was talking. And I guess what I mean by a white lie is to distort the truth so that it won't hurt feelings. Like when someone who is extremely proud of their clothes or hair and I think it is hideous. That is a personal opinion in my way of thinking and by telling your friend what you consider to be the truth is just as bad as being mean. So I bite my tongue and tell them how well it accentuates their eyes, their coloring, their shape or even their shoes.

Wed 2/13 Blog Prompt: Today is Get a Different Name Day. If you could have a different name, what would you want?

Honestly, I don't want a different name. I like my name just the the way it is. Especially when I was going up and looked it up. It meant Pure Born Again Peace. Who couldn't love a name like that?

Vintage Valentine kit (c)Derek M.Designs; Template by Simply Sarah; Fonts: Calibri, Edwardian Script

Saturday, February 09, 2008

This Week in Space #16

Astronomy Picture of the Day
February 3: Venus and Jupiter in Morning Skies. Credit & Copyright: Babak Tafreshi (TWAN)
February 4: Light Echoes from V838 Mon . Credit: NASA and the Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STScI)
February 5: A Spider Shaped Crater on Mercury . Credit: MESSENGER, NASA, JHU APL, CIW
February 6: Three Month Composite of Comet Holmes. Credit & Copyright: John Pane
February 7: A Sunspot in the New Solar Cycle . Credit & Copyright: Greg Piepol
February 8: NGC 4013 and the Tidal Stream . Image Credit & Copyright: R Jay Gabany (Blackbird Observatory) - collaboration; D.Martínez-Delgado(IAC, MPIA), M.Pohlen (Cardiff), S.Majewski (U.Virginia), J.Peñarrubia (U.Victoria), C.Palma (Penn State)
February 9: The Bay of Rainbows. Credit & Copyright: Alan Friedman

Cosmic Log by Alan Boyle
February 5: See a dark-matter magnet
February 6: Scientific smorgasbord on the Web
February 7: Take a virtual space voyage

NASA Photo of the Day
February 4: Illusion and Evolution. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Jean-Paul Kneib (Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille) et al.
February 5: Mysterious Galaxy. Image Credit: Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI/M. West X-ray: NASA/CXC/Penn State/G. Garmire
February 6: Mission STS-122 Begins. Image Credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann
February 7: Chrysalis. Image Credit: NASA/Sandra Joseph, Tony Gray, Robert Murray

Sky and Telescope
February 7: NASA Wants You! by Stuart Goldman
February 7: February 20th's Eclipse of the Moon by Alan MacRobert
February 8: This Week's Sky at a Glance by Alan MacRobert

Space.com
February 6: Eyes to the Skies Getting Bigger By Seth Borenstein, Associated Press
February 7: Mercury's Mysteries, Old and New By Clara Moskowitz
February 7: Cosmic Finger Taps Our Galaxy's Shoulder By Jeanna Bryner
February 8: Space Magnetism May Hold Secret to Fusion Power By Jeremy Hsu
February 8: Robotic Observatory Opens on Antarctic Plateau By Bill Christensen
February 9: Hard-To-See Meteor Shower Observed from Arctic By Peter JenniskensPrincipal Investigator, Quadrantid Multi-Instrument Aircraft Campaign, SETI Institute
February 9: Coming Feb. 20: Total Eclipse of the Moon By Joe Rao
February 9: NASA Probe Begins Hunt for Alien Planets By Tariq Malik
February 9: How a Lunar Eclipse Saved Columbus By Joe Rao
February 9: Mystery of Saturn's Watery Moon Solved By Jeanna Bryner

The Space Review
February 4: Not-so-rare Earth? by Taylor Dinerman
February 4: Fire and grace by Dwayne Day

APOD #5

I'm really losing it here, LOL. No blogging this week and I can't account for what I may have actually accomplished. Not much apparently. Next week will be better.... Right? Anyway here are my pictures for this week. I have been trying to practice using available light. In my house there is not much in the way of "available" light. Just this one window. Really is a bummer since I have very long windows (from a 1 1/2 feet below the ceiling to 6" above the floor, but none are situated to really grab the light.

February 2: I need to start restocking again. But as you can probably tell I prefer red wine over white.

February 3: Even though I don't drink martini's this set belonged go my grandfather and I am pleased that I have it.

February 4: Wine glasses that have been given to me as presents over the years. The red and white wine glasses are from my darling daughter; the long stem white wine glass is Romanian crystal and was a gift from a very dear friend.

February 5: Ever wonder what to do with those flower vases and unique gifts you get? So did I until I realized that the vases make a very pretty candle holder with glass ice cubes, as does the oversized brandy snifter. The crystal pitcher houses glass dolphin stirrers we got at a TGIF in Orlando several years ago.

February 6: A diary of sorts, Indian ink with quill and a very precious glass mold of the Ballerina's hand when she was just a baby. This "diary" houses my thoughts and memories for Scamp. But I have one for each of the children. Now if I could just remember to write in them more often than I do.

February 7: Not bone china but stoneware in an exact replica of the china used in Star Trek the Undiscovered Country. Shortly after buying this piece, it was discontinued so we are not able to set a whole table with it.

February 8: Lovely reminders of the Far East. The fan and the chopsticks are treasured gifts from our daughter-in-laws parents. (the chopsticks came with instructions on how to use them and are marked as well). The art is a piece of cork that has been carved and incased in glass.

Blog Prompts & Tribulations

Been one of those weeks, but here, finally is are the answered blog prompts.

Tues 2/5 Blog Prompt: Today is National Weatherperson's Day. Describe your day as if you were a weatherperson using weather words.

Since I missed this tuesday....

Today is sunny and clear with a high of 72 and low of 40. Wind is at 3 mph and humidity is at 72%. We are currently under a Fire Weather watch. The weather will remain sunny and clear until Tuesday when we can expect some thunderstorms.

Wed 2/6 Blog Prompt: Today is Pay a Compliment Day. Who would you compliment today and why?

My husband, my kids, my family..... They are all smart, nice, considerate and charming. It is fun to be with them. It's nice to have someone to talk with, listen to and just be silent around. They are the best.

Thurs 2/7 Blog Prompt: Today is Greet Your Neighbor Day. Describe your neighbors.

It's a good thing I didn't write about this on Thursday, I would have been railing.

I don't know the neighbors to the east of us, but the ones to the west. Well it is just best said, I wish the old ones were back. They are not bad people, mind you. But he always finds fault in everything. First our pine tree was dripping sap on his car. We take the pine tree down and his car is repossessed. Next we were putting cork flooring in the bedroom. The bed was to be delivered the next day and we wanted to get it finished. 9 p.m., he pounds on the door to say we are keeping his children awake. They sleep on the other side of the house away from ours and it is the middle of summer AND a weekend to boot. Actually we were just disturbing his television show. Thursday he came over to say we needed to do something with our sprinkler, it was leaving spots on 'his' (mind... his wife's) car. So park it on the other side of the drive and let his beat up old truck get wet. His wife doesn't keep up with the kids and when she wants them home stands out in the road whistling for them.... for 15 minutes. She won't speak with me, but feels it is her duty to keep Pan entertained when he is working in the front yard.

Okay, I railed anyway. But it sure felt good. On a good note, I had to walk aside a moment and guess how I saw.... The neighbor who use to live next door. They have moved in down the street. I'm glad L & S are back.

Fri 2/8 Blog Prompt: This month is Potato Lover’s Month. Describe your favorite way of cooking potatoes.

Potato salad... Hot German potato salad, cold southern potato salad. Potato salad with apple in it is my all time favorite. But I like it with kosher dill or sweet pickles. I like it with sandwiches, chicken or even, gasp, steak.

Thursday, February 07, 2008

More OneLive Tribulations

Just so you don't think I have completely fallen off the face of the earth, just wanted you to know we are still having problems with OneLive. Will be back as soon as I can ;)

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

The Start of a Whole New Tribulation

Ever had one of those days? One where everything seems just a little off? That is my day today. It actually started several months ago. You see, I have a problem with night terrors. And lately they have just been hanging on and on and on. I wish they would take time to visit the energizer bunny and just leave me alone. Alas, it does not appear that will be the case.

But back to today. My alarm goes off at 7 a.m. and wakes me, somewhat, out of the current episode. Sort of.... I recall looking at the clock and seeing that it said it was Monday. So I shut the clock off and drift back to sleep. One and a half hours later I really wake up, turn on the television, figuring on just lazing back and letting my mind become calm and in control when I take another look at the clock and it is Tuesday. Panic once again sets in when I realize I have to get to work.

There really is no need to panic as I don't have a set time schedule. Just make sure I get my work done. That's it. But still I try to keep to a schedule. Into work I rush and my in-tray is stacked 12 inches high with stuff to do. And this is not including the postal paperwork to be completed, the files I need out of the boss' office, nor the deposits and tickets to be entered. Panic again.....

I call Pan to ask him to pick up Indy (he's such a sweetheart). I, finally, get out of the office a little after 3 and have to rush to pick up The Princess from school, after which I need to make a deposit at the bank. We get home a little after 4.

She's checking her e-mail, I'm checking my e-mail. Pan calls to say he's leaving work. Thirty minutes later Bombshell walks in to get The Princess. I tell her she will have to wait on Indy as Pan was picking him up. Not so, she already did. Panic sets in.... I call Pan to tell him and he already knows. He's at the daycare. Aaarrrggghhhh.

So far, my day is not going so well. But Pan finally makes it home (and do I wish my scanner worked right now) and hands me a large envelope from my daughter-in-law. Opening it, wondering what it could possibly, I start to smile. My day has just gotten better. You see, Scamp and Honey put The Ballerina through modeling classes and Honey just sent me the last three issues of a Japanese tourist magazines in which my little Ballerina makes a debut. I'm so excited and she looks so grown-up.

I just know tomorrow is going to be better. And I'm going to catch up on the blog prompts then too. :)

Vintage Valentine kit (c)Derek M.Designs; Sketch by Becky Fleck; Fonts: American Scribe, AtelierSans

Monday, February 04, 2008

Standing Tribulations

Mon 2/4 Blog Prompt: Rosa Park’s birthday. She is the one during who refused to sit in the back of the bus just because of her race. Have you ever stood up for something you felt was right? Or do you know someone who has? Tell about this.

I'm going to be very vague and say yes I have. And although I have appeared on a PBS show about it and worked with various groups, I still don't feel comfortable discussing it here. Does that make any sense at all? Probably not. But if you know me, you will already be aware and you will know that I took a stand because no one else would and then when I found out a child was involved, it just confirmed my stance. It was also one of the factors that led to my divorce of my first husband. That was a good thing. So I'm going to leave it that, if you don't mind too much.

A big thank you to my sister, the bug, for allowing me to use her wedding and honeymoon photos this month for my layouts. Of course, she gets the full, finished versions, LOL.

Vintage Valentine kit (c)Derek M.Designs; Sketch by Becky Fleck; Fonts: American Scribe, AtelierSans

Sunday, February 03, 2008

This Week in Space #15

Astronomy Picture of the Day
January 19: Starry Night Castle. Credit & Copyright: P-M Hedén
January 20: Comet McNaught Over Chile . Credit & Copyright: Stéphane Guisard
January 21: Mercury's Horizon from MESSENGER . Credit: MESSENGER Teams, JHU APL, NASA
January 22: Shelf Cloud Over Saskatchewan . Credit: Jeff Kerr
January 23: Orbiting Astronaut Reflects Earth . Credit: Clayton C. Anderson, Expedition 15 Crew, NASA
January 24: Andromeda Island Universe. Credit & Copyright: Tony Hallas
January 25: Winter Night at Pic du Midi. Credit & Copyright: Alain Sallez (picdumidi.org), David Romeuf (Université Lyon 1)
January 26: Crescent Mercury in Color. Credit: MESSENGER, NASA, JHU APL, CIW
January 27: Mercury on the Horizon . Credit & Copyright: Juan Carlos Casado
January 28: A Solar Eclipse Painting from the 1700s . Painting Credit: Cosmas Damian Asam; Digital Image Copyright: Jay Pasachoff
January 29: West Valley Panorama from the Spirit Rover on Mars . Credit: Mars Exploration Rover Mission, Cornell, JPL, NASA
January 30: Asteroid 2007 TU24 Passes the Earth . Credit: Green Bank Radio Telescope, Arecibo Radio Telescope
January 31: Young Star Cluster Westerlund 2. Credit: X-ray; Y.Nazé, G.Rauw, J.Manfroid (Université de Liège), CXC, NASA Infrared; E.Churchwell (University of Wisconsin), JPL, Caltech, NASA
February 1: The First Explorer. Credit: Courtesy of Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA
February 2: Venus and Jupiter in Morning Skies. Credit & Copyright: Babak Tafreshi (TWAN)

Cosmic Log by Alan Boyle
January 22: Your daily dose of science on the Web
January 23: First look at SpaceShipTwo
January 23: So when will it fly?
January 24: 'Life on Mars' explained
January 25: Spaceship sagas on the Web
January 25: Planetorama!
January 28: The unsung rocketeers
January 30: Must-see science on the Web (a break from astronomy, just interesting)
January 30: Nailing down dark energy
January 31: High strangeness on the Web
January 31: America's space age turns 50

LiveScience Blogs
January 21: Star Trek Teaser Trailer … ROCKS!!!!!!!!! by Anthony Duignan-Cabrera
January 22: NASA’s Chief Reacts to Human Asteroid Mission by Leonard David
January 25: Space Ship Two: Eerily Familiar… by Dave Brody
February 3: SETI Battle of the Bandwidth: Beatles Outsignaled by Bob Marley by Leonard David

NASA Image of the Day
January 21: Crescent. Image Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
January 22: Shuttle Plume. Image Credit: NASA, Ken Thornsley
January 23: Hot, Young Stars. Image Credit: NASA/CXC/Univ. de Liège/Y. Naze et al
January 24: Dwarf Galaxies in the Coma Cluster. Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, SDSS, Leigh Jenkins, Ann Hornschemeier (Goddard Space Flight Center) et al.
January 27: Out on a Limb. Image Credit: NASA
January 28: Isle Royale National Park. Image Credit: NASA
January 29: Viewing Copernicus. Image Credit: NASA, U.S. Geological Survey
January 30: Entering the Space Age. Image Credit: NASA
January 31: Lightness of Being. Image Credit: NASA

Sky & Telescope
January 23: Telescope Truce by Rick Fienberg
January 28: A Stardust-Free Comet by Kelly Beatty
February 1: Mercury's "Better Half" by Kelly Beatty
February 1: This Week's Sky at a Glance by Alan M. MacRobert

Space.com
January 21: Black Holes Spin Near Speed of Light By Jeremy Hsu
January 22: Curious Clouds Seen at Mars By SPACE.com Staff
January 22: Spacecraft Beams Home New Images of Mercury By Tariq Malik
January 23: Pools of Invisible Matter Mapped in Space By Jeanna Bryner
January 23: Full Moon Names for 2008 By Joe Rao
January 23: There's Got to Be an Invisible Sky By Space.com Staff
January 25: Amazing Old Stars Give Birth Again By Jeanna Bryner
January 25: Sun's Magnetic Secret Revealed By Jeremy Hsu
January 25: A Whole New View: Hubble Overhaul to Boost Telescope's Reach By Tariq Malik
January 27: Virgin Galactic Unveils Suborbital Spaceliner Design By Tariq Malik
January 27: Astrobiologists to Convene at AbSciCon 2008 By Edna DeVore, Director of Education and Public Outreach, SETI Institute
January 27: Large Asteroid to Fly Past Earth By Jeanna Bryner
January 27: Female Figure on Mars Just a Rock By Benjamin Radford
January 27: Killer Space Rock Theory Is Soaking Wet By SPACE.com Staff
January 27: Mars' Natural Sculptures Pose Mystery By Jeremy Hsu
January 27: High-Energy X-Rays Detected at Galaxy Cluster By Clara Moskowitz
January 28: Space Shuttle Atlantis on Track for February Launch By Tariq Malik
January 28: Spectacular Sky Show: Venus, Jupiter and the Moon By Joe Rao
January 28: Giant Storms Erupt on Jupiter By Jeanna Bryner
January 29: NASA Remembers Three Space Tragedies By Clinton Parks
January 29: Dust Strangely Vaporized by Stellar Explosion By Clara Moskowitz
January 30: First Images of Approaching Asteroid By Jeanna Bryner
February 1: Rogue Stars: The Miscreants of Our Galaxy By Andrea Thompson
February 1: Space Rock Misses Mars, Barely By Jeremy Hsu
February 1: NASA Spots Mysterious 'Spider' on Mercury By Clara Moskowitz
February 1: Galactic Wi-fi? By Seth Shostak, SETI Institute
February 1: Solar Eclipse Mostly for Penguins By Joe Rao
February 1: NASA Takes The Beatles 'Across the Universe' Literally By Space.com Staff
February 1: NASA's Best Missions to Get High Definition Treatment By Jeremy Hsu
February 1: SPACE.com Video Interplayer: European Lab Sets Sail for ISS on STS-122

The Space Review
January 21: Book Review: The Lunar Exploration Scrapbook by Jeff Foust
January 21: Book Review: Mission to Jupiter by Taylor Dinerman
January 21: The dark side of space disaster theories by James Oberg
January 28: Book Review: America’s Deep Space Pioneer by Jeff Foust
January 28: Monster chopper by Dwayne A. Day
January 28: Virgin Galactic: marketing for the Earth? by Taylor Dinerman

Just in case you are wondering, this is my sister; not me :)

Vintage Valentine kit (c)DerekMDesigns; Sketch by Becky Fleck; Fonts: Porcelain

Saturday, February 02, 2008

APOD #4

Wow. Four weeks of photos already. This week is again about things I treasure. Enjoy.

January 26 - Laying Sod. It was a miserable day out but the sod had to be laid. Pan had bought it just a few days ago. His best friend came over to help. Not wanting to be left out, Indy insisted on helping out as well. Since his mother did not bring any shoes over, we had to locate some socks and his crocs to wear. Pan gave him a pair of leather gloves 100 times to large, but Indy really enjoyed himself. After we went in and changed he crawled up in the bed and zonked out.

January 27 - One of the blog prompts the following week was about an article of clothing we just couldn't throw away. I wrote my prompt about my Greeneville t-shirt which I was still wearing while it was becoming shredded. There was a comment about how someone would like to see said shirt.... Well here it is. :)

January 28 - My children have long grown and left home. Still I hold on to things they had made in school. At least these are really useful. The candleholder is great for holding those huge pillar candles we like to have around when there is a hurricane on the horizon. The jars hold anything from notes to coins. I am exceptionally fond of these three pieces though.

January 29 - One of last week's pictures was a painting Pan's grandmother had done. Today is a sand dollar she had painted. I just love it. ddpup had a friend who had handpainted sand dollars for the kids when they were younger. She strung them with ribbon for the Christmas tree.

January 30 - Back when I was doing all of my scrapbooking with paper and scissors instead of the computer, I use to attend all kinds of classes. One of which was with the owners of Scrapbook Borders, where I received a limited edition bear. I think they had planned on doing them annually but shortly after Scrapbook Borders was sold. As far as I know the new owners did not continue with the bears, if that is the case, then this is definitely a limited edition.

January 31 - Remember the plastic mold kits that you can buy to preserve those hands and feet? Well this isn't a plastic mold but it is a hand painting, LOL (I just crack me up sometimes). It is of The Ballerina's the night before she left last May. I keep it in my computer room so that I can always see and and remember how little she was. I think she will be pretty grown up by the next time I see her.

February 1 - We have seen paintings by Pan's grandmother, ceramics by my kids, handpainting by the Ballerina, but this Nuke's first oil painting. It is of his first car. He went on to major in and receive his degree in art when he went to college. Funny, now he works in a nuclear power plant. But that is another story.

Tink's Tribulations