(no subject)
We just got home at 4:30, and other than a little cocoa sloshed into the bottom of the stroller basket, we're no worse for wear. I live two blocks from Lake Michigan, so even though light pollution is unavoidable, I can get to the edge of it and hope for the best.
At some point in the evening K decided not to sleep in her bed, so I woke up with her on me at about 2:45, which was only a little bit earlier than I'd planned, so I got up, let the dog out and checked the sky -- sure enough. Fairly clear, just a little haze. They'd been predicting rain a little later, so I wasn't sure when the clouds would head in. I cooked up some Real Cocoa (milk, sugar, cocoa) and poured it into a carafe, and I just grabbed one cup, plus a baggie of cereal. Doing almost anything with a four year old involves food.
I checked with her if she still wanted to come with, so in a few more minutes we were out the door. We brought along the twin-sized quilt I made & I wrapped her in it. I didn't even grab her slippers. We went over to the water treatment plant; it's right on the lake, but it's right across the street from houses. I figure if anything weird happens, we could at least scream and someone would be within hearing range. We sat/laid there for about an hour, and I saw at least seven or eight flashes across the sky. We also saw a couple satellites, and one other person came by to join us, but she decided it was just too light there. (About four or five blocks south would have been darker, but no houses.)
It was pretty cool. I attended a huge gathering in the desert/mountains of Las Vegas New Mexico during this shower about 13 years ago, but I don't think I saw as many meteors even there. I'm sure I went to bed too early -- the best viewing was shortly before sunrise and I *know* I didn't stay up that late. Thirteen years is a crazy long time.
K watched the sky a little, but for the most part she just kept snuggling her face into me, and after a little while I was reminded about the whole curvature-of-the-back-is-incompatible-with-concrete, and eventually we headed out. We could even tell that the sky was just hinting at beginning to get lighter, so that was pretty cool. When we got home she was eager to get to bed.
We need to do this more often. Well, not on days I have to work in another couple hours, but yeah.
At some point in the evening K decided not to sleep in her bed, so I woke up with her on me at about 2:45, which was only a little bit earlier than I'd planned, so I got up, let the dog out and checked the sky -- sure enough. Fairly clear, just a little haze. They'd been predicting rain a little later, so I wasn't sure when the clouds would head in. I cooked up some Real Cocoa (milk, sugar, cocoa) and poured it into a carafe, and I just grabbed one cup, plus a baggie of cereal. Doing almost anything with a four year old involves food.
I checked with her if she still wanted to come with, so in a few more minutes we were out the door. We brought along the twin-sized quilt I made & I wrapped her in it. I didn't even grab her slippers. We went over to the water treatment plant; it's right on the lake, but it's right across the street from houses. I figure if anything weird happens, we could at least scream and someone would be within hearing range. We sat/laid there for about an hour, and I saw at least seven or eight flashes across the sky. We also saw a couple satellites, and one other person came by to join us, but she decided it was just too light there. (About four or five blocks south would have been darker, but no houses.)
It was pretty cool. I attended a huge gathering in the desert/mountains of Las Vegas New Mexico during this shower about 13 years ago, but I don't think I saw as many meteors even there. I'm sure I went to bed too early -- the best viewing was shortly before sunrise and I *know* I didn't stay up that late. Thirteen years is a crazy long time.
K watched the sky a little, but for the most part she just kept snuggling her face into me, and after a little while I was reminded about the whole curvature-of-the-back-is-incompatible-with-concrete, and eventually we headed out. We could even tell that the sky was just hinting at beginning to get lighter, so that was pretty cool. When we got home she was eager to get to bed.
We need to do this more often. Well, not on days I have to work in another couple hours, but yeah.