Four-day Birthday Weekend Extravaganza

Iris wrapped up her four-day birthday weekend extravaganza with a trip to Disneyland on Sunday. She loves the place and was especially happy that I was able to go with her for the first time in 3 years. (I had been too sick to accompany her and Mark earlier and it will be too dangerous for me once I start on some medicine next month.)

Mark and I also have a fondness of Disneyland. It is partly childhood nostalgia and part awe. Disneyland is a marvel of operations research and systems engineering. Compare it to glitches common in other theme parks with only a fraction of the crowd size.

You know you are in a highly controlled environment from the moment you enter the parking structure and you are given NO CHOICE about parking space. You give up some freedom, but the parking system improves safety and always allows you to always find your car. Just tell any "cast member" what time you arrived at the park and they will drive you to the row that was filled in the parking structure at that time.

Iris coined the phrase, four-day birthday weekend extravaganza. As she sees it,

1. Thursday, her PT nanny (and FT college student) took her to watch the sunset and eat dinner on the pier. Her parents got to go on their weekly date night and watch a movie.
   
2. Friday, she was taken out of school early and taken on a lovely drive to a beautiful hotel. The only down side to that day was the lack of a birthday cake on her real birthdate.
3. Saturday, she saw a rocket launch-a huge birthday candle in the predawn sky. She also got a slice of birthday cake from the bakery.
4. Sunday, she went to Disneyland and they gave her a birthday button which entitled her to a free ice cream sundae with a candle and a song at lunch and birthday greetings from many "cast members" throughout the day.

Knitting Content
All that driving gave me lots of car knitting time. The scarf front is 20" long.


Election Day

While at my daughter's soccer game, one of the dads asked me, "The ozone hole, are you for it or against it?"

"I am not for it or against it. It just is."

"You mean it is real?"

"Yes."

"How long have we known that?"

"20 years."

Sometimes, it irks me that his vote counts just as much as mine. On the other hand, I realize that I am fortunate to live in a country where women can vote.