August 9

First thing this morning we hung up Trev's glow-in-the-dark planets in his room.
And of course discussed our solar system while we did so.
"What was the planet that they landed on that they (the ship) only stayed there for a few minutes? The one with the volcanoes, and storms?"
I think he's talking about the Russians, and I think it must have been Mars or Venus. Has to be. Something to look up.

Madd held a tea party with books in her room.

Trev came running in, "Where's my backpack?" and shot back outside with it again.
Daddy and he were on a hunting adventure -- prehistoric creatures.

I came outside to see how it was going.
"Eric, will you clean out the pool?"
"Yeah. It has mosquito larvae in it. Trev discovered it."
"You did?"
"Wanna see?" asked Eric.
"Okay." Then, "Oooh. Hey - maybe we could put one on a slide, and look at it under the microscope. Want to?"
"Yeah," agreed Trev. None of us had any idea of how very cool this was going to be.
Trev and I got a little ramiken, and a metal measuring cup for scooping, and got one right away. A tiny thing.
We took our little bowl downstairs, to where our microscope and slides are.
Using a pipette, making a proper specimen, we sucked him up with just about five drops of water. We let out some excess, and he kept swimming to the top of the pipette.
Finally, with one drop on the slide, and one still in the pipette with our larvae, we laid him on the slide.
To cover or not to cover?
We didn't.

It was so awesome!!
He had a bit of room to swim and scamper, and he did so. Which was pretty exciting. All of our observations before now have been on non-living (dead) things.
Not only did we get to see him active, but we could see the inside of his body. What looked like the main artery, lungs or gills, and maybe the heart? His animated organs. And of course eyes, and the little scuba thing on the end of their tails for taking in oxygen.
We had to run upstairs to get Daddy and Madd to tell them how cool it was.
We all agreed.
So awesome.

***
Now it's soooo quiet here.
Daddy's gone to work.
Maddie is puttering in the driveway on her trike.
Trev is on a date with Grammy, to celebrate his birthday a few weeks ago.

What to do, what to do?

***
My Little Son has been gone for about five hours now.
I've called twice to his cousin's house in the last few minutes.
The first time to see when they're coming home. The second time to see when they're coming home, too.
"Miss me, Mom?"
"I do. So much!"
"Well." sigh. "Meagan and Natalee wanted me to stay for supper... but since you miss me so much, I'll tell Grammy that I have to come home now."
"Aw. It's okay, Bud. You can stay and have a good time, and I'll just miss you very much until you get home."
"Okay....."

Five minutes later.
Call again. Little Niece answers.
"Can I speak with Grammy, please?"
"You're not leaving Nat's carseat there, are you? You're bringing Trev home in it?"
'Cause, you know, I can come get him.... - even though it's 45 minutes away. And even though Eric took the truck....
"Of course not. It's an extra one. I keep it in my car, now."
"Okay. Call me before you leave, so I don't worry, okay?"
She chuckled. "Okay. I'll call you."
"Alright...." ahem..."When are you coming home?"
"Well, Robyn said something about going somewhere, and then also to Pier One..."
All that and dinner???
whoof.
"You're doing all that and dinner?" I couldn't help it.
"Well, I'm not sure, I'll call you before we come home."
Sigh. "Alright."

What to do, what to do???

***
Putter
Mutter
Piddle
And stutter.

***
Batteries.
Recharging, charged.... let's check Once Again to see if camera wants to work.
Nope.
Oh, Look. The date/time battery for drowned camera.
Let's take that out.
Ooh, look. It's corroded.
D'you suppose????
Call my Dad....
"Maybe," says he.
Hmmm.
Swap with old camera? To see?
Put old battery into new.
Nothing.
Put batteries into old to see if the old date/time has died.
Nope.
Ooh. It's engaging.
After a few more on/offs, it fires up!
Old dead camera has decided to work for a bit!
Huh.
Prob'ly better dust it off a bit.....
Mutters to Self: Probably shouldn't have treated it that way...

Ha!
Something to do!
Can finish up Play/Rumpus/Discovery Room, and take pics for K!
Thanks, K, you've saved the day!!

"Madd - wanna go play downstairs? While I finish up down there?"
"No! I wanna ride my trike!!"
doh!
Hmmph.

***
Waiting
Waiting.

***
Grammy calls and says they're coming home early.
whoof.
Thank Goodness.