The kids and I are far from our California home right now, enjoying a week with my parents, my sister and their two poodles in the Sunshine State. Florida is a very different place from California. I would compare and contrast the two, but that might get me into trouble. In general, though, I am glad that my parents live in Florida, because I get to visit and take the kids to cool places like the Kennedy Space Center. I am glad that we live year round in California, because my hair? It can't take this humidity. I look like an ad for Zotos perms, and I don't even have one. It's a sad hair week for me.
The highlight of our trip was ringing in my Grandma Pearl's 80th birthday with extended family. Present for the party were: my 83 year-old Grandpa Dick, the Birthday Pearl, my mom (almost 62) and dad, mom's sister (my aunt, who's 57), mom's two brothers (my uncles, ages 47 and 59) and their wives, three cousins plus one's boyfriend, my 28 year-old sister, the kids and me. We spent time looking through family photo albums, and it's hard to imagine how the little ones have grown so big already. I was the first grandchild for my Grandma Pearl, and I've given her and Grandpa Dick their only great-grandchildren to date. It was a really cool thing to have four generations in one room. I wonder if my daughter will remember that moment when I'm turning 80.
The second highlight of our trip was visiting Kennedy Space Center. The kids got to meet an astronaut, Sam Gemar, who flew three missions. Petunia marched right up to him and asked, "Why aren't the shuttle wings dihedral?" having just finished a science fair project about how a dihedral affects flight. He answered her -- something about a shuttle needing delta wings because it doesn't need the stability offered through a dihedral. She says we have to look into that. I'm thinking I'm going to need to take some more physics courses just to keep up with her! Dash ate up the "rocket garden" and wanted to know if we could have one too... I don't think our Silicon Valley backyard could accommodate even one, but I agree that would be cool!
They've been to many more places: the Alligator Farm, the Castillo de San Marcos, and yes, Dunkin Donuts and Rita's Water Ice. They've even ridden on Grandpa's motor scooter, trapped an anole and kept it as a pet for three days, walked the poodles on the beach, dug a hole almost all the way to China on the same beach, and much more... Something tells me they might be glad of the plane ride tomorrow, just so they can relax! But I know they'll miss all of the attention, their grandparents, their aunt and most especially the dogs very much. Thanks to all of them and to lovely Florida for a great spring break!
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