Quick Trip to Fort Lauderdale

Me, Becky and the boys left Friday for what was supposed to be a three-hour drive to Ft. Lauderdale. We left home around 11 A.M. We arrived at our motel at approximately 5:45 P.M. You do the math.

First, a tractor laid his trailer down in the middle of Interstate 95. That caused about a two-hour delay. We got off I-95 at Fort Pierce and jumped on Florida's Turnpike. We made it to West Palm Beach before coming to a screeching halt again. We were able to get to an exit and cut back across to I-95. We didn't lose near as much time, but it still cost us extra miles.

Then came the good part. It more than made up for the drive. We arrived at the Bank America Center at 7 P.M. for a concert by "Il Divo". For those of you who are not familiar with this group, it is comprised of one pop singer and three classical singers, one each from the United States, France, Switzerland and Spain. They sing popular music in what can only be described as a classical style. Some of their songs are in English, some Spanish, some French, and a little in German. Whether you understand the words or not, most of the tunes are very recognizable.

You have never heard Amazing Grace sound so sweet!!! The also did themselves proud on an old Simon and Garfunkel tune, Bridge Over Troubled Water. Well, correct that. They did themselves proud on a lot of tunes, and boy, can they belt them out.

The trip home was a little different. We had a great breakfast at the motel Saturday morning, then headed north. We played tourist, getting off the Turnpike and cutting over to A1A. We drove it from Ft. Pierce through Vero Beach to near Sebastian, where we cut back across the Indian River to U.S. 1, where we found ourselves to be back in familiar territory. We made it home for lunch and had time to rest before watching the Delta IV launch from the house. It had been scheduled to go the previous evening, but had been delayed due to thunderstorms in the area. All in all, not a bad weekend.

OFF FOR A VISIT TO THE MAN IN THE MOON

You can't keep a good man....or rocket...down. After two delays of shuttle launches in the past week, we finally had a lift-off.

This Atlas V took off on Thursday evening around 5:30 P.M. (a much more sensible time for a spectacular viewing) Aboard were two satellites. One is to be placed in orbit around the moon while the second is targeted for a moon landing. Well, it will be more of a crash than a landing, but it is hoped that it will still be able to transmit a little date from the surface.

They Got Me Twice

NASA, that is. I am an early riser, and it is usually because of a Rocket. A little four-legged black and white Rocket of a miniature Schnauzer. He and I usually get up around 6 A.M., take our medicine, put the coffee on, and then stroll through the neighborhood. Most mornings he chases the squirrels in the park or hunts the alligator in the lake.

On the morning of June 13, shuttle Endeavour was scheduled for a 5:40A.M. launch. Youngest son Keith and his wife had extended their visit for an extra day so they could watch the launch. Since this would be their first, we decided to watch from the banks of the Indian River. They would leave immediately after the launch for the trip home.

It was a beautiful morning, even if it was a little early. We got up around five and headed out to wait on the river bank.

The sunrise was the only show we got to see that morning. We discovered soon after arriving at the marina that the launch had been scrubbed due to a hydrogen leak. Well, at least Keith and Wendy were able to get an early start on the trip home.

A few days later, believing that the leaking fuel problem had been solved, NASA scheduled another attempt. This one was also to be an early morning launch, so I decided I would watch it from home. Good decision. Scrubbed again.