Skip to main content

Summer Diary Week 7

Monday: We went to the Museum of Life and Science---see the other post.  One note that I didn't mention in the other post is that they have a new exhibit called "Into the mist," or as Amanda calls it, the "Mysteriological garden".  It's a rather large play area with sand, rocks, tunnels, hills, and...mist coming up from the ground.  We were there on a rather hot day, and the mist was very thick and cooling.  You could not see through it---the kids played hide and seek.  I think we met the designer, because when I mentioned to  the museum staff member that the exhibit was awesome, he said that it was good to see kids enjoying themselves on something he designed!  He may have convinced Amanda to give the money from her allowance that she donates to the museum, although I think he may have given her the idea that she will be able to name the playground...

Tuesday: Ella's friend came over and they had a long playdate.  My main job was to run interference between the older kids and the younger ones.  We made soap---not my favorite activity, but for some reason the kids like it.

Wednesday: We went to the (almost) free movie Rango.  We were a bit late, so I completely missed the set up, but it was fun.  The landscapes in particular were beautiful, and dusty.  Ella says there should be a warning that you want to bring a drink, because otherwise you'll get thirsty.  In the afternoon Ella went to First Lego League (a team especially for homeschooled girls) and Amanda, Luke and I went to Monkey Joe's.

Thursday: Violin/viola lessons in the morning and speech therapy in the afternoon.  I'm not sure it works to have all the appointments on the same day...

Friday: Swimming in the morning, errands in the afternoon.  I think the kids really need to go back to camp =b

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why you should study the history of math

  Why you should study the history of math In the mid 1300s a fad made its way around Italy. Mathematicians would challenge each other to “mathematical duels”. They would post problems for their opponents to solve, sometimes along with their solutions in coded poetry. The winners would get support and funding from rich patrons, the losers would descend into obscurity. One such contest, between Fiore and Tartaglia, involved a new method for solving the cubic. In order to win, Tartaglia worked day and night to find Fiore’s method---unfortunately, Fiore did not do the same and only knew his own method and no others. (*Recall that the formula for solutions to quadratic equations of the form use the quadratic formula, Giorlamo Cardano---physician, philosopher, astrologer and mathematician---convinced Tartaglia to share his method and promised never to reveal it. Then Cardano figured out a more general method, and wanted to share it, but was blocked by his promises. Fortunately (for Cardan
Post a Comment
Read more

Southern butter mints---vegan edition

After the last post, we started to be able to see what the fuss was about.  The ones made with twice the butter were the best candy I have ever tasted.  Ever.  So then we started experimenting.  How long do you pull it?  Longer than you think.  And then pull a minute or two after that.  Suddenly every single batch was creaming, pretty much right after we would cut them. I tried adding less than double butter and I think they taste much better (more delicate, according to one taste tester). The latest experiment we did involved using Earth Balance instead of butter.  It cooked pretty much the same as usual, although I was distracted right at the moment I had to pull it off the stove so it cooked maybe a bit longer than usual.  Amanda and I each pulled a quarter, while Luke pulled the bigger half.  Luke's really wasn't turning very fast---perhaps because it was too hot when he took it off the marble.  Mine was turning faster than Amanda's so we traded for a while.  Aman
Post a Comment
Read more

Southern Butter Mints part 1

Some friends of ours have a granddaughter getting married (and she's a friend of ours as well) and so I agreed to help out with the shower.  Apparently this is to be a "southern" shower, full of tradition and elegance, but not too far over the top. Among things that are needed for a shower are punch with great grandma's punch bowl, sandwiches with cream cheese and green pepper jelly, and southern pulled butter mints.  "Ah, nobody can make those anymore.  We used to know someone, but the tradition needs to be passed down."  Like a fool, I said that I'd be happy to give it a try.  I suffer greatly from "I got a PhD in math, how hard could X be?" where X is something like gardening, or quilting, or cleaning, etc.  It's always harder than I think it will be. "We'll call Mrs. X who makes these, maybe she'll pass down the method.  I hope you don't hate me!"  I was actually planning on doing research online, watching a fe
Post a Comment
Read more