Monday, June 29, 2009

Launch!

We are still here in hot and humid central Florida, even though from our location on the Indian River, we get almost constant coastal breezes. The temps are still high, we baste ourselves often and I'm pretty sure if you stuck a fork in us, we would be well done.

We just missed a shuttle launch when we arrived here. As often as we are here, we have never seen a launch. We heard a shuttle coming in break the sound barrier once, but that was it. Brandon, of course, has seen several and has pictures of an awesome night launch. For many Floridians, even though this happens regularly for them, they still get excited watching a launch. To the traveler, however, it is almost impossible to schedule around a launch, since they are almost always postponed for various reasons.

Saturday was a launch day for an Atlas rocket, sending some kind of weather equipment up into orbit. We were told we could see it from our camp, but our campground has a pier which extends out into the Indian River, so that is where we positioned ourselves. Launch time was 6:14 p.m. and we were ready, but it just didn't happen. There was weather to the southeast, closer to us, and we were unsure if it would go or if we would be able to see it. As the minutes clicked off we got to watching some dolphins playing in the river. I happened to look back just as the rocket ascended into the sky. I yelled and Terry looked and we saw it. Good thing we looked when we did, because it doesn't take long for it to be out of sight. We did have clouds, but we saw it rise before it was obscured by the clouds. I took pictures, but we are about 40 miles away. What was visible was the fire plume at the rear of the rocket. What a site. I hope you can see it.

We spent earlier Saturday at Brandon's trimming bushes. I really don't know much about trimming Florida fauna and foilage, but I certainly don't like bushes up against the house, so I whacked away. I tried to confine the whacking to the back and when I was done, you almost couldn't see what I had done, but the house was clear of brush. I got all the dead stuff pulled out as well. With the heat, it appears a lot of limbs are dying off, so by trimming things up, they should be healthier. Terry and Brandon worked on a tree by the driveway that interfered with getting in/out of the car and they also did the plants/trees in the back yard. It didn't take long, and it sure looks a lot better. Afterward, we all jumped in the pool and enjoyed the cool water. When it started to rain, we got out. . . just in time, too, as we had a heck of a rainstorm. But an hour later, you really could not tell there had been a storm.

Yesterday we took Brandon and girlfriend Megan out to eat then to see Transformers2. What a great movie. Terry and I had watched the first one the night before so we were all "primed" to watch the sequel.

Till next time. . .

Dale

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