Field Trips and Disappointed Houses

There's nothing quite like a field trip with a bunch of sixth graders to wear you out. Such was the case on Thursday.

After dropping off my three chickadees at my sisters (one being my 17 month old niece whom I get to watch every day) I headed to school where I got to meet the girls I would be chaperoning. Only one kid looked happy that I was the chaperone (and she better considering she belongs to me). The others looked at me as if I had grown a tail just for the occasion.

Soon we were on our way to the Arizona Science Center in Phoenix. We had a great time. It is a hands on science center. You can touch and play with the displays. There was a human body room that explored everything such as the development of a baby, a big nose that really sneezes at you (gross) and how zits are formed. (Just loved that one.) Of course, there was a technology/communications room with a place to email anyone in the world, not to mention an alcove for Ham Radio operators to show how the amateur radios work (gotta keep my dad away or he will definitely volunteer) My favorite room was the weather room. They had this platform called The Force of Nature. It is the closest thing to a ride they have. There is a movie showing a thunder storm and you can feel the boom below the platform with sprinklers and heat lamps above you. It makes you feel like you are living through a tornado, a volcanic eruption, an earthquake, and Arizona's famous Micro bursts. Very cool. the only thing I didn't like was the special camera in the tech room that made me look like I was 750 lbs. I'm fat enough without a camera pointing out the obvious.

All in all it was a great trip. Britt enjoyed the fun stuff, but doesn't really care much about science (Boy, is she my daughter!) The girls all loved me by the end of our trip. And they were begging me to sign up for the next field trip cuz I was cool. Nice to know I grow on people. (and Britt sits next to a boy and is already working on her flirting techniques. Another monster in the making.)

Driving down the street, I saw a house that reminded me of Anne of Green Gables. See, Years and years (AND YEARS) ago my BFFs in high school would not let me watch the Anne Of Green Gables movie until I read the book. I was not a big reader at the time so I was almost pure torture to finish it, but it was worth it. I loved it. Anyway....

Whenever I see an abandoned house or an empty house, I tell Travis how sad the house is. He quietly says to himself that I'm nuts or insane or something along that nature and we continue on. Empty houses need to have a family to love it and then the house is happy. (Makes so much sense if you read the book) He thinks it is one of my strange, cute, and quirky attributes. But the sad thing is he is now seeing what I am talking about. So many houses are being foreclosed on in our neighborhood and the area is quiet and sad. And you can see the houses badly want someone to take care of them. Or at least is seems that way.

And the moral of the story is... well, there really isn't one. I love to read now, thanks to my BFFs. And empty houses are sad, and I hope soon someone will come in to take care and love them.
And I hope there is world peace (thought I'd throw that in for the heck of it.)