My “thing” as a kid was the Space Program.  We’d mail someplace, I forget where, and magically, 4-6 weeks later, NASA materials would make their way to the door.  I had no idea what to do with the lab extracts, the proposals for research, and most of the press materials, but I kept them for years, and separated out my favorite stuff in a red and white binder.  The binder, worn and tattered, held clippings from my local paper, made all the more dramatic with my supplemented punctuation, which clearly I had just learned, courtesy Mrs. Carew, or Mrs. Orr, or perhaps even Mrs. Brewer. 

I’ve been living here for years, and I’ve only made it to the Smithsonian Air and Space museum maybe twice.  Once to go and see the stuff that I remembered having a near biblical glow as a child, and the second time for the Magic of Star Wars exhibit.  I’m not sure what enthralled me the most the second time, the exhibit paraphernalia or the audio tour being delivered to patrons on Apple Newton Messagepad 130 units.  Heady stuff for the dawn of the 21st century!

A few years ago, the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum annex opened in Virginia.  Technically, the DC Air and Space is closer, but it’s tantamount to a 1970‘s Wide World of Sports obstacle course to get there.  Planes, trains, and automobiles indeed.  Udvar-Hazy you can actually drive to, and park within a quarter mile of.  The family and I went way pre-Marissa when they first opened, and it was great, but not quite complete.  This last weekend, it was more or less done, with the exception of a wing that they haven’t even broken ground on.

You might recognize a bunny here and there in the photos.  Don’t spook him, I don’t hear from him much.

Ross Simpson, Author and AP anchor was there doing a book signing.  We had a brief discussion about Marissa and her disease.  Thanks, Ross!

Fairfax and his Air Wing escort.

World War II Fairfax

Is astronaut training next?

The title of this massive computing beast makes me giggle.  They took it off service in 1992!

This picture is eerie to me- many decades of my life all in one shot.

The shuttle from the second balcony.  Yes, it’s a real shuttle.  The scale is interesting.  The shuttle looks much larger from farther away.  When you’re up next to it, somehow, it’s not so large.

Martian Fairfax.

G A F F C

Monument outside Udvar Hazy

It was a nice weekend.  We’ve got a major life-changing event pending, so we’ve got a lot of doctors appointments and the like stacked up over the next few weeks.  Keep those emails, comments, and Fairfax pictures coming!

Coming Thursday - Mailbag and Marissa Update!