To Infinity and Beyond

At the risk of sounding ‘old’, we are recuperating. There is a reason the young have young. Thursday evening we were actually asleep at 10 pm. Nothing like your own bed, yes? Even if it moves.

We did a little housekeeping, got a few groceries and watched the space shuttle 10 minutes before lift- off. I said we were going to watch it on the east coast, but Gary said it was a little too much wear and tear on the Jeep (that and gas is $3.30 a gallon) so we planned to catch it on TV. Well, we got a late start out and came upon a bad accident on the way home. Three cars facing eachother in a watery ditch, but no one was hurt that I could see.

So here are some pictures of the launch from the TV in case you missed it.



As usual, I am in awe of such power and bravery. Have you ever seen the movie “Cocoon” where Maureen Stapleton and Wilford Brimley decide to leave earth and go into space with some recently-met aliens? Well, it would take me 2 seconds to do the same thing if asked. Space awes me. It’s so vast and mysterious. I would like to know that I’d be able to come back some day, however.

Anyway, it is Discovery’s last voyage, already having 143 million miles to its credit, beginning with its first flight in 1984. By the time this mission ends, the shuttle will have tacked on another 4.5 million miles. And it will have spent 363 days in space and circled Earth 5,800 times. I wish our Jeep could do that!

Friday we slept in till 8:30 then drove to Panera for a bagel. Did a couple of chores then headed home for a sit under the awning. It was 86 degrees today. What’s so great about this weather is that it is not humid. It’s supposed to be wonderful until Tuesday when it’s supposed to rain. We need it around here.

Tomorrow we are going to do something ‘au natural’ as we are getting tired of city life. We can hardly wait to pull out of here to head north to the RV-Dreams Rally in Sevierville and on to our new jobs in Dollywood. It won’t be long now.