Tales of Doom

Subtitled "If Only I Had Something To Report!"

You see, we should have had a super amazing past week and a half. Really, the calendar was full, the excitement level was high. But then...

Stellan finished preschool last week. Or did he? The afternoon before his last day, he started throwing up. So did virtually every other kid in 4 classes at his school. Apparently some sort of waterborne stomach bug affected everyone who participated in the big water slide on Wednesday's Water Day celebrations. So do I have photos of him and his teacher while he holds a certificate of completion? No. Do I have a video of him singing songs he spent weeks practicing? No. Instead, we spent 3 days cleaning vomit off way too many surfaces in our home.

The next week was also supposed to be amazing. I'm sure you can't have helped hearing about the transit of Venus, especially if you know me. I was all set to talk to thousands of Fort Walton Beachians as they oohed and aahed at the view through the telescope of Venus passing in front of the sun. That is not what happened. Here is what did happen: I spent the night inside the local science center showing about 50 people the transit of Venus via webcast from Hawai'i and doing some fun, but not as cool as a never-to-be-seen-again astronomical event, hands-on activities. So do I have photos of a Baby Bjorn-laden Momstronomer (it was Annie's first outreach) engaging excited throngs by a telescope? No.

I thought my luck had changed on my drive home, when I saw the sun peeking through the clouds as it was setting. There was even a rainbow to bring me hope and good luck. As I raced home, cursing the minivan in front of me for only going five miles above the speed limit, I knew I had to get my sun-filter adapted binoculars from the kitchen counter and then head for high ground in order to have any chance of seeing the transit. I hurried Stellan into the car (Rachelle was going to bed and Annie was already in the car, albeit out cold) and we raced away. I am sad to report we were not fast enough. By the time we got out of our forested neighborhood, the sun was too low to be seen even from the best spot I could think of. So do I have a photo I took of the transit which I saw with my very own eyes through an eyepiece? No.

But hope springs eternal. This week was also Girls Camp. And though I did not attend for the whole week (because I have a nursing baby, not for lack of desire), I had been invited up to teach the girls about astronomy on Wednesday night. Sadly, it was pouring rain on Wednesday. I called the director and we decided to hope things cleared up by Thursday. They didn't. Not on Friday, either. If you know me and my love of Girls Camp, you know how sad I was to have missed my free ticket to the funnest place in Northwest Florida. So do I have photos of 80 teen girls unplugged from their tech toys and enthused about the night sky? No.

At least my week was going to end well. Girls Night Out was all planned, an evening on the beach sipping mocktails and watching the sun set - sans kids. It's that last part that's the real kicker. But guess what? A huge storm hit on Friday night, and hasn't let up yet. Streets are flooded and power out in nearby Pensacola. I fear for our leaky roof and hope it doesn't collapse on any of my children in their sleep. Do I have photos of a relaxed and thirst-quenched mom taking a well earned break on the beach at sunset with 20 or so of her closest friends? No. We did have a Girls Night In at my house, which included tasty treats, Dr. Mario and Phase 10, so it wasn't a complete wash.

So if you were wondering why this post has no photos, and nothing exciting to report, now you know. Our summer vacation is doomed. I'm quitting now before it gets worse.


P.S. Did I mention I wanted to go to Pensacola on Monday? Oh wait, now I can't. See above for details on flooding and power outages.