heavenly bodies
Wow.
I feel like I've worked almost as hard as if I'd actually been at work - but at the same time, it seems like AGES since I was at work!
As always, a 'holiday' at my old man's has involved hard work, early mornings, very very late nights, much partying and more piss-taking than really can be fitted into 24 hours each day.
but the Observatory is now officially open. I made a speech. I'm SO frickin' proud of my old man. I mean...he now OWNS an OBSERVATORY in his back garden. Which he built on his own, and, as he keeps saying, is unique in the western spiral arm of the galaxy XD How many people can say that??
So I've spent three clear-ish nights up in the dome, playing. We've watched Mizar and Alcor (a double double star - the middle star in the 'handle' of the pan of the Plough, which appears as a single star pretty much, when viewed normally), we've watched Albireo (an amber and blue double) we've seen the seven sisters up close, we've watched Polaris, we've seen globular clusters, we've seen the ring Nebula, the sombrero hat nebula, we've watched Mars and the Moon as well as countless other things. I've given guided tours of the night sky to people who've never even looked up at it with binoculars before - I've shown tiny children stars hundreds of light years away, I've told grown adults things they never knew before.
I've also seen members of my family who I haven't seen for almost 15 years - and I've been TOLD that I will go 'home' (back to Italy) next summer. My Italian accent, I think, is APPALLING. But I've been told it's not too bad. I think I'm on to a loser - I come from the Westcountry - our vowel sounds are the longest and muddiest EVER. Italian demands pure short vowel sounds. I'm doomed, I tell ya, DOOMED. I think La Famiglia are just being kind to me. I must learn Italian well enough to chat to the fam by next summer!
Also, this weekend, I saw an old friend of mine - my best friend from Primary school - it was fab to meet up again after all these years! Yayes for Facebook! And now I've vowed not to be so useless, because if we leave it this long again we'll both be about 40!
This morning, whilst washing my feet in the shower (coming back to civilization means I need to wear shoes again!) I headbutted the soap-dish so hard I now have a big lump on my forehead. DUH. It's only been there since...oooh...I was BORN.
Other news...my old man got a Nintendo DS Lite for his 60th. BWAHAHAHA. He doesn't understand it, but did manage to play yahtzee and Boggle the other day, so there is hope!
I'm sure there was lots more I was going to say...as always.
I feel like I've worked almost as hard as if I'd actually been at work - but at the same time, it seems like AGES since I was at work!
As always, a 'holiday' at my old man's has involved hard work, early mornings, very very late nights, much partying and more piss-taking than really can be fitted into 24 hours each day.
but the Observatory is now officially open. I made a speech. I'm SO frickin' proud of my old man. I mean...he now OWNS an OBSERVATORY in his back garden. Which he built on his own, and, as he keeps saying, is unique in the western spiral arm of the galaxy XD How many people can say that??
So I've spent three clear-ish nights up in the dome, playing. We've watched Mizar and Alcor (a double double star - the middle star in the 'handle' of the pan of the Plough, which appears as a single star pretty much, when viewed normally), we've watched Albireo (an amber and blue double) we've seen the seven sisters up close, we've watched Polaris, we've seen globular clusters, we've seen the ring Nebula, the sombrero hat nebula, we've watched Mars and the Moon as well as countless other things. I've given guided tours of the night sky to people who've never even looked up at it with binoculars before - I've shown tiny children stars hundreds of light years away, I've told grown adults things they never knew before.
I've also seen members of my family who I haven't seen for almost 15 years - and I've been TOLD that I will go 'home' (back to Italy) next summer. My Italian accent, I think, is APPALLING. But I've been told it's not too bad. I think I'm on to a loser - I come from the Westcountry - our vowel sounds are the longest and muddiest EVER. Italian demands pure short vowel sounds. I'm doomed, I tell ya, DOOMED. I think La Famiglia are just being kind to me. I must learn Italian well enough to chat to the fam by next summer!
Also, this weekend, I saw an old friend of mine - my best friend from Primary school - it was fab to meet up again after all these years! Yayes for Facebook! And now I've vowed not to be so useless, because if we leave it this long again we'll both be about 40!
This morning, whilst washing my feet in the shower (coming back to civilization means I need to wear shoes again!) I headbutted the soap-dish so hard I now have a big lump on my forehead. DUH. It's only been there since...oooh...I was BORN.
Other news...my old man got a Nintendo DS Lite for his 60th. BWAHAHAHA. He doesn't understand it, but did manage to play yahtzee and Boggle the other day, so there is hope!
I'm sure there was lots more I was going to say...as always.