Our friends had a successful court appearance, but only today did "mom" get a chance to tell us via blog about the details. Their story makes it abundantly clear that God answers prayer, often in ways far more blessed than we dare to hope. I trust you will take this opportunity to read their story and thank God for what He has done in their family and for the little boy who is now part of their family.
They cannot claim their new son until August 3, according to local law. I assume they will be returning to the USA soon thereafter. Be in prayer for their trip and for the inevitable challenges that their new son will bring to their home.
30 Mayıs 2012 Çarşamba
A Wonderful Story: God's Hand at Work
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Remember These Votes!
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The debt bill that our president signed today is not now, nor will be, good for our economy. In about 15 months, most of the people who voted Yea or Nay on this bill will be up for election.
You should know how they voted.
And as a service to all the blog readers, you can click below to find out how your representatives and senators voted. And of course, the president signed it.
How the House of Representatives voted
How the Senate voted
Our Friends' Adoption: An Update
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This summer friends of ours went to Russia and adopted a little boy, now four years old, with Down's Syndrome. Today "mom" updated her blog with uplifting photos of how well their new son is doing here in America. You can read about it here.
Of course, there are still a lot of challenges (take language, for example, and health), but it is a great blessing to see the willingness they have to cherish and raise up this little boy. Our prayers and encouragement go out to them.
Of course, there are still a lot of challenges (take language, for example, and health), but it is a great blessing to see the willingness they have to cherish and raise up this little boy. Our prayers and encouragement go out to them.
Why I'm Voting for Rick Santorum in the SC Primary
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Tomorrow, in the South Carolina GOP Presidential Preference primary, I will be voting for Rick Santorum. Here’s why.
I need to start out by saying that I haven’t been totally thrilled with any of the four remaining candidates. All of them have obvious weaknesses of character and/or policy which will make their race against Obama less of a lock than it ought to be. The Republican Party needs a leader of the Reagan type, who, like him in 1980, would win 40+ states and carry a mandate with him to Washington. But since we have four remaining candidates from whom to choose, and since any of them will be an improvement over the current president, I must choose from among them.
Rick Santorum, on the whole, represents my views the most consistently. He has been consistently and passionately pro-life, and wrote the bill that ended partial birth abortion. On social issues, he and I are of one voice. He is also a firm believer in the Second Amendment (The NRA rates him A+). He opposed TARP, voted against McCain-Feingold and Frank-Dodd, and receives low ratings from both the ACLU and the AFL-CIO. While I am concerned about the trouncing he took in the 2006 Pennsylvania Senate race (and, for that matter, the trouncing he may get here in SC tomorrow, if the polls are valid), he is more demonstrably opposed to Obama than either Romney or Gingrich. His biggest liability in my eyes is that he does not come across as a leader.
Newt Gingrich, at the moment, would be my second choice. I agree with him on most issues—but he occasionally throws one out there that makes me scratch my head. His personal character history is a serious problem and, even if he has sincerely repented and stays on the right track, will be a detriment in the race. (Obama, for all his flaws, has no hint of marital infidelity.) I am also concerned that his ego may become a liability.
Mitt Romney seems to be a conservative now, but my gut just doesn’t like the fact that he wasn’t while he was the governor of Massachusetts. I think he can be a great executive, and if he is the GOP nominee, I will vote for him in November. But for now, I’m going with the most consistent conservative.
Ron Paul is problematic. His voting record is often meritorious and often puzzling. The ACLU rates him pretty favorably—that's a problem. His vicious and untrue attack ads concerning Santorum (being shown ad nauseam this week on SC TV stations) trouble me. His foreign policy ideas are dangerous to the future of our country.
Please educate yourself on the candidates and then take the opportunity to vote.
I need to start out by saying that I haven’t been totally thrilled with any of the four remaining candidates. All of them have obvious weaknesses of character and/or policy which will make their race against Obama less of a lock than it ought to be. The Republican Party needs a leader of the Reagan type, who, like him in 1980, would win 40+ states and carry a mandate with him to Washington. But since we have four remaining candidates from whom to choose, and since any of them will be an improvement over the current president, I must choose from among them.
Rick Santorum, on the whole, represents my views the most consistently. He has been consistently and passionately pro-life, and wrote the bill that ended partial birth abortion. On social issues, he and I are of one voice. He is also a firm believer in the Second Amendment (The NRA rates him A+). He opposed TARP, voted against McCain-Feingold and Frank-Dodd, and receives low ratings from both the ACLU and the AFL-CIO. While I am concerned about the trouncing he took in the 2006 Pennsylvania Senate race (and, for that matter, the trouncing he may get here in SC tomorrow, if the polls are valid), he is more demonstrably opposed to Obama than either Romney or Gingrich. His biggest liability in my eyes is that he does not come across as a leader.
Newt Gingrich, at the moment, would be my second choice. I agree with him on most issues—but he occasionally throws one out there that makes me scratch my head. His personal character history is a serious problem and, even if he has sincerely repented and stays on the right track, will be a detriment in the race. (Obama, for all his flaws, has no hint of marital infidelity.) I am also concerned that his ego may become a liability.
Mitt Romney seems to be a conservative now, but my gut just doesn’t like the fact that he wasn’t while he was the governor of Massachusetts. I think he can be a great executive, and if he is the GOP nominee, I will vote for him in November. But for now, I’m going with the most consistent conservative.
Ron Paul is problematic. His voting record is often meritorious and often puzzling. The ACLU rates him pretty favorably—that's a problem. His vicious and untrue attack ads concerning Santorum (being shown ad nauseam this week on SC TV stations) trouble me. His foreign policy ideas are dangerous to the future of our country.
Please educate yourself on the candidates and then take the opportunity to vote.
An Update on our Friends' Adoption!
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Friends of ours adopted a 3½-year-old boy with Down's Syndrome from Eastern Europe last summer (see their blog here). They have now had the boy in their home for six months. Their story has been featured on a local TV station and I'm sure many have viewed their blog. In short, their story not only testifies of God's love working through individuals, but also to the value of every individual soul—no matter the limitations of the physical body.
Six months later, there are still trials and struggles, but there has been both remarkable progress and great blessings. The work that God has allowed them to be a part of has now reached all the way back to Russia, and we are so grateful for it! I trust you will take the time to read about it here.
26 Mayıs 2012 Cumartesi
Aurora, CO to Casper, WY
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Well, today we traveled northward - and we could tell. It got snowier and colder, and we got sadder and more reminiscent about our time in southern California.
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| Traveling northward in northern Colorado |
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| and then we were in Wyoming! |
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| Land of the cowboy ... |
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| ... where pioneers came across the great plains on wagon trails ... |
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| ... and tried to make a living on a harsh and demanding land. |
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| Sometimes they got together ... |
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| ... and sometimes they just embraced the loneliness of the land. |
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| Like Rusty, we all have a lot to reflect about as we near the end of our fantastic vacation! |
Casper, WY to Billings, MT
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Hi Folks. Today we drove north again.
Our main destination today was the Little Bighorn Battlefield.
Den Dad says it is unusual to have an historical memorial on the actual site of the battle where the terrain is almost exactly the same as it was at the time of the incident - in this case June 25, 1876.
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| Northbound in northern Wyoming ... |
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| ... and into Montana! |
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| Monument on Last Stand Hill where Lt. Col. George Custer died |
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| There is an excellent interpretive center. |
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| There were more than 220 soldiers who died over a field stretching along the hills for almost 8 km along the north side of the Little Bighorn River. |
Den Dad says it is unusual to have an historical memorial on the actual site of the battle where the terrain is almost exactly the same as it was at the time of the incident - in this case June 25, 1876.
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| We salute all those that have died on the battlefields of the world - mostly common men doing their duty as they saw it. |
Billings, MT to Great Falls, MT
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It was a beautiful sunny day today - a great day for a drive in the country - and that's what we did. Here are a few photos;
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| A cold day in Billings, Montana |
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| We see signs of farming ... |
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| ... and ranching. |
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| Of course, there are still lots of mountains ... |
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| ... near ... |
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| ... and far. |
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| And now we are getting excited about getting home! Alberta is just beyond those distant mountains! |
Great Falls, MT to Calgary, AB
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Today we drove northward through Montana.
Soon we reached the United States - Canadian border.
Fortunately the nice border guard didn't have too many tough questions - so we got through quickly - and then we were back in Alberta!
When we got to Lethbridge we celebrated our return by having lunch and a drink.
Den Dad was content to be back in Alberta - but Den Mom was surprised we weren't going to turn around and head back to California :)
Look Mom - we're BACK!!
Soon we reached the United States - Canadian border.Fortunately the nice border guard didn't have too many tough questions - so we got through quickly - and then we were back in Alberta!When we got to Lethbridge we celebrated our return by having lunch and a drink. Den Dad was content to be back in Alberta - but Den Mom was surprised we weren't going to turn around and head back to California :) Look Mom - we're BACK!!
We're HOME!
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Hi Folks! Rudy here! Happy Valentine's Day - a day we really Love! We made it home today. During our trip we were away for 64 days - 61 of them in the U.S.A. We covered 11,593 kms.
Last night there was snow in Calgary so we saw it when we started out this morning.
This is our last entry for this blog.
Thanks to all those who followed along and sent messages
of encouragement and appreciation.
Remember - it is Love that keeps us Real!
(for other adventures you can still visit www.fosterlearning.com)
Last night there was snow in Calgary so we saw it when we started out this morning.
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| Snow! and you can see some sad flowers by the doorway. We're sad too when we think of all the beautiful flowers in California. |
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| They are far in the distance but you can see the snow-capped Rockies on the horizon. We saw mountains on every day of our vacation! |
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| Some typical Alberta farm land. (the farm on the right edge, distant, was once owned by Henry Wise Wood) |
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| After a leisurely lunch in Red Deer - we reach Edmonton ... |
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| ... and then our "home hamlet" - Sherwood Park. |
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| And here we are at home! We would like to thank Margaret and Jim for looking after our condo, and all the other bears, while we were away. And a big thanks to Barb and her bears - our most loyal blog follower. |
Thanks to all those who followed along and sent messages
of encouragement and appreciation.
Remember - it is Love that keeps us Real!
(for other adventures you can still visit www.fosterlearning.com)
23 Mayıs 2012 Çarşamba
Blogroll update
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Rich from meeting so many good people in St. Louis, it is time to add a "blogger's I've met category." (look to the left column) with a hat tip to Mr Marooned for the idea.
I was ecstatic to meet the one and only Oleg. *squeeee* He gave me a card. Awesome work. Several relations make a nice living via the lens. My eye is as far from their eye, as their eye is from Oleg's. I am in awe. Glad to have rubbed elbows...
A few need special attention. A couple bloggers I met in the form of a handshake, but wish we'd had more time to get to know them. I bumped into No Lawyers, only Guns and money twice and met Kathy @ the Cornered Cat at dinner. I wish we'd had 10 minutes to get to know them better. I hope we meet up again next year in Houston if not before.
Also take note of The Smallest Conservative by the SCSon (Kevin, I gotta think you inspired the name). I'm hoping this will be incentive to keep writing and over time improve his skills.
He unfortunately is following in my shoes. All through school my English teachers and I got along about as well as oil and water. To me English had too many contradictory rules. For example, "'I' before 'E', except after 'C', unless it sounds like 'A' as in Neighbor and Weigh". And that was one of the simpler rules. I could go on but I think you get the picture.
If you check his blog today you'll likely see lots of grammatical errors. Keep in mind he is 12. I hope we can all see steady improvement over the next 6-8 years. I keep telling him "People form an opinion of you by the way you write. Spelling, punctuation and grammar are all important!" But the only way to get better is to write more!
The DayJob(tm) had me running a couple "techwriters" a while back. They seemed to have a bad attitude toward the job. I countered, Your product, the DataSheet is the first impression from our customer. It *HAS* to be right! I can only hope the SCSon will understand this lesson.
I also have a nagging suspicion I've left at least one out. Please remind me. Good people and we are glad to be a part of it.
I was ecstatic to meet the one and only Oleg. *squeeee* He gave me a card. Awesome work. Several relations make a nice living via the lens. My eye is as far from their eye, as their eye is from Oleg's. I am in awe. Glad to have rubbed elbows...
A few need special attention. A couple bloggers I met in the form of a handshake, but wish we'd had more time to get to know them. I bumped into No Lawyers, only Guns and money twice and met Kathy @ the Cornered Cat at dinner. I wish we'd had 10 minutes to get to know them better. I hope we meet up again next year in Houston if not before.
Also take note of The Smallest Conservative by the SCSon (Kevin, I gotta think you inspired the name). I'm hoping this will be incentive to keep writing and over time improve his skills.
He unfortunately is following in my shoes. All through school my English teachers and I got along about as well as oil and water. To me English had too many contradictory rules. For example, "'I' before 'E', except after 'C', unless it sounds like 'A' as in Neighbor and Weigh". And that was one of the simpler rules. I could go on but I think you get the picture.
If you check his blog today you'll likely see lots of grammatical errors. Keep in mind he is 12. I hope we can all see steady improvement over the next 6-8 years. I keep telling him "People form an opinion of you by the way you write. Spelling, punctuation and grammar are all important!" But the only way to get better is to write more!
The DayJob(tm) had me running a couple "techwriters" a while back. They seemed to have a bad attitude toward the job. I countered, Your product, the DataSheet is the first impression from our customer. It *HAS* to be right! I can only hope the SCSon will understand this lesson.
I also have a nagging suspicion I've left at least one out. Please remind me. Good people and we are glad to be a part of it.
May 2012 ePostal - Inspired by "Mille Bornes"
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Get out your driving gloves, it's time for a Road Trip!
This match is "Inspired by Mille Bornes", the classic family card game. But in this game there are no speed limits, no road hazards and no remedies. Just get a green light and start racking up the mileage.
Course of fire:
Download and print target here. Size check - the 25 mile card is 3" diameter.
10 shots.
Pistols: 10 yds or range minimum which ever is greater. Standing unsupported, one or two hands. No time limit.
Rifles may be shot any position including off the bench, but rests such as sandbags and bi-pods are disallowed. The fore end of the rifle must be supported by the offhand elbow. No time limit.
Ties will be broken by number of high scoring cards (1x 200 > 2x 100).
Shoot as many times as you like with as many weapons as you can lay your grubby hands on.
Classes: You got it? shoot it and we'll find a place to record the score. (I reserve the right to draw the line at tater-guns & scatter guns).
Score submissions: scan/photograph your target, fill in the gun info (make & model & caliber), distance, class, on-line identity (name/pseudonym as you want it on the score sheets, blog reference for linky love ) however you want to be remembered on the score sheets... email to SandCastleScrolls-at-msn-dot-com.
This match is "Inspired by Mille Bornes", the classic family card game. But in this game there are no speed limits, no road hazards and no remedies. Just get a green light and start racking up the mileage.
Course of fire:
Download and print target here. Size check - the 25 mile card is 3" diameter.
10 shots.
Pistols: 10 yds or range minimum which ever is greater. Standing unsupported, one or two hands. No time limit.
Rifles may be shot any position including off the bench, but rests such as sandbags and bi-pods are disallowed. The fore end of the rifle must be supported by the offhand elbow. No time limit.
- Rimfire, both iron sights and scope: 25 yards.
- Centerfire iron sight: 50 yards
- Centerfire scope: 100 yards
Ties will be broken by number of high scoring cards (1x 200 > 2x 100).
Shoot as many times as you like with as many weapons as you can lay your grubby hands on.
Classes: You got it? shoot it and we'll find a place to record the score. (I reserve the right to draw the line at tater-guns & scatter guns).
- .177 cal air pistol, iron sights (air or C02 powered)
- .177 cal air pistol, optic sights (air or C02 powered)
- .17/.22 cal rim fire pistol, iron sights
- .17/.22 cal rim fire pistol, magnified optical sights
- center fire pistol, iron sights
- center fire pistol, magnified optic sights
- .17/.22 cal rim fire rifle iron sights (25 yds)
- .17/.22 cal rim fire rifle magnified optic sights (25 yds)
- center fire rifle iron sights (50 yds)
- center fire rifle magnified optic sights (100 yds)
- other (anything that doesn't fit the above categories)
Score submissions: scan/photograph your target, fill in the gun info (make & model & caliber), distance, class, on-line identity (name/pseudonym as you want it on the score sheets, blog reference for linky love ) however you want to be remembered on the score sheets... email to SandCastleScrolls-at-msn-dot-com.
Things I'm thankful for...
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... people that care enough to let me know when I have a light out on my car.
As a pilot, we are taught to do a preflight check of the vehicle. Checking anti collision, position and landing lights are a big part of the preflight check. Now most flights take place in conditions where these checks are 99% meaningless. The lights are simply not bright enough to be effective during day VFR conditions. Making them bright enough to be effective would require spotlights and simply not practically effective.
Drivers are not drilled to the same extent. We had a rainstorm today and had to meet someone at the airport. I pulled up behind a van and noticed a difference between the L & R headlight reflections. I wrote it off as a bad angle on the R light.
Fast forward a couple hours. Friend surprised me with a call 2 mins after we'd said good bye. Friend tells me the right headlight is dead. Now the weather today sucks and it could be a simple short. But it could also be a blown bulb. I am 100% thankful for the call. I would rather know there is a light out than learn about it from a pair of flashing lights in the rear view.
In the same vein, anytime I notice a similar problem, I will offer up the same alert in a friendly way. ("Wouldn't want to give officer friendly any excuse....")
Anytime you notice a friend with a brake or position light out, let them know. They may not be especially thankful, but they should be!
As a pilot, we are taught to do a preflight check of the vehicle. Checking anti collision, position and landing lights are a big part of the preflight check. Now most flights take place in conditions where these checks are 99% meaningless. The lights are simply not bright enough to be effective during day VFR conditions. Making them bright enough to be effective would require spotlights and simply not practically effective.
Drivers are not drilled to the same extent. We had a rainstorm today and had to meet someone at the airport. I pulled up behind a van and noticed a difference between the L & R headlight reflections. I wrote it off as a bad angle on the R light.
Fast forward a couple hours. Friend surprised me with a call 2 mins after we'd said good bye. Friend tells me the right headlight is dead. Now the weather today sucks and it could be a simple short. But it could also be a blown bulb. I am 100% thankful for the call. I would rather know there is a light out than learn about it from a pair of flashing lights in the rear view.
In the same vein, anytime I notice a similar problem, I will offer up the same alert in a friendly way. ("Wouldn't want to give officer friendly any excuse....")
Anytime you notice a friend with a brake or position light out, let them know. They may not be especially thankful, but they should be!
Sooooo true
To contact us Click HERE
Every now and then I come across something and think "Gee, I wish I'd written that." This was the third time
Just to be clear, I did not create this. I wish I knew who to credit for the work.
If I had created this, Cel 5 would feature an SR-71, but that's just me. I can see the P-51 attraction.
If there is one quibble with it, it's Cel 4 and it largely depends on who does the work. In my experience there is little relationship between the quality of the work and price charged. I have seen all four quadrants: High quality, Low cost; Low Quality, High Cost; and the inverses of each. The "low quality" half is too expensive no matter the dollar amount. I just want the quality and will pay the price whatever is asked. Fortunately the guy I'm working with now is in the High quality/low cost corner.
And the Champ in the last cel is classic. If you haven't flown one, you owe it to yourself. Go get an hour instruction today. It will be money well spent. Great airplanes. The only down side to the one we had were the straight pipes off the engine (no mufflers and fatigue-ing-ly loud). That and heel brakes (WTF were they thinking?)
H/T to On a Wing and a Whim which you will now find linked to the left under "Daily Reads".
Just to be clear, I did not create this. I wish I knew who to credit for the work. If I had created this, Cel 5 would feature an SR-71, but that's just me. I can see the P-51 attraction.
If there is one quibble with it, it's Cel 4 and it largely depends on who does the work. In my experience there is little relationship between the quality of the work and price charged. I have seen all four quadrants: High quality, Low cost; Low Quality, High Cost; and the inverses of each. The "low quality" half is too expensive no matter the dollar amount. I just want the quality and will pay the price whatever is asked. Fortunately the guy I'm working with now is in the High quality/low cost corner.
And the Champ in the last cel is classic. If you haven't flown one, you owe it to yourself. Go get an hour instruction today. It will be money well spent. Great airplanes. The only down side to the one we had were the straight pipes off the engine (no mufflers and fatigue-ing-ly loud). That and heel brakes (WTF were they thinking?)
H/T to On a Wing and a Whim which you will now find linked to the left under "Daily Reads".
Eclipse Photos
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We tried to watch the eclipse with the East Valley Astronomy Club but the parking situation was impossible and there didn't seem to be any advantage to seeing it there. Instead we headed back to the SandCastle where we had all the comforts of home.
Thanks to Cap'n Bob & the Damsel for the heads up on the event. That gave me time to get our Eclipse Glasses ordered. I only needed three but the minimum order was 25. I figured I'd be able to sell off the other 22 as the date got closer.
The glasses may also be useful for the transit of Venus June 5th in the US.
BTW, Be sure and Check Cap'n Bob's blog. They went to Page, AZ which was directly on the line.
We tried to watch the eclipse with the East Valley Astronomy Club but the parking situation was impossible and there didn't seem to be any advantage to seeing it there. Instead we headed back to the SandCastle where we had all the comforts of home.Thanks to Cap'n Bob & the Damsel for the heads up on the event. That gave me time to get our Eclipse Glasses ordered. I only needed three but the minimum order was 25. I figured I'd be able to sell off the other 22 as the date got closer.
The glasses may also be useful for the transit of Venus June 5th in the US.
BTW, Be sure and Check Cap'n Bob's blog. They went to Page, AZ which was directly on the line.
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| Bird |
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| The SandCastle Crew |
17 Mayıs 2012 Perşembe
January
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Went over to the local Target after a sushi dinner with Katie tonight and we discovered this amazing isle!!
An isle of shabby chic-ness! I want everything!!
Love anything shabby chic and white. This XMas I got a new all white vanity from Target for my room.
It's almost Friday and all I want to do is buy a beach cruiser bike (w/ a basket!!) and ride all around Santa Barbara and Malibu!
I think Katie and I are going to look around for bikes and go to the Camarillo outlets. Then next weekend (21st) I am running a 5K and the following weekend (28) I am moving (back w/ the rents to save $) and it happens to be my birthday (30th) weekend, which I will spend in Solvang antique/vintage shopping and wine tasting with my girl Katie! Will be a lovely next couple weekends. Oh! And I plan on doing a detox the week before my bday (23-27).
I love January!
Went over to the local Target after a sushi dinner with Katie tonight and we discovered this amazing isle!!
An isle of shabby chic-ness! I want everything!!
Love anything shabby chic and white. This XMas I got a new all white vanity from Target for my room.
It's almost Friday and all I want to do is buy a beach cruiser bike (w/ a basket!!) and ride all around Santa Barbara and Malibu!
I think Katie and I are going to look around for bikes and go to the Camarillo outlets. Then next weekend (21st) I am running a 5K and the following weekend (28) I am moving (back w/ the rents to save $) and it happens to be my birthday (30th) weekend, which I will spend in Solvang antique/vintage shopping and wine tasting with my girl Katie! Will be a lovely next couple weekends. Oh! And I plan on doing a detox the week before my bday (23-27).
I love January!
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