Star gazing

Rachel spent most of today at her friend Libby's house while I finished up a magazine story and Drew re-caulked the shower, which badly needed it (a law professor from Willamette is staying with us Wednesday night). I also got a chance to clear out my side of the study and get rid of A LOT of stuff that has been hanging around way too long. Yay!!

When I picked Rachel up from her playdate, we lay on the grass on the front yard, looking at the pretty patterns the sunset was making in the sky. She pointed out the contrails to me. I believe Rachel is the only 5 year old I know who can identify a contrail (thank you, Drew). She announced that tonight she would put on her nightgown, throw a coat over herself and then go in the backyard to "stargaze." (I didn't really think this would happen, but I humored her and went along with it).

After a late dinner of roast duck, wild rice and salad (thank you again, Drew), I went downstairs to watch "Downton Abbey." At 9:40, Rachel came downstairs and said, "Wanna go stargazing with me? You could pause your program." OF COURSE I said yes. How could I deny what my little girl wanted? Pretty soon she won't want me around to do anything, so I figure I should seize every opportunity to be with her when she asks.

So I bundled up, we took the summer picnic blanket from the car and went to the backyard, spread out the blanket and lay down. I had warned Rachel that we probably wouldn't see very many starts because the lights from the urban area we live in would mask them, but I was pleasantly surprised -- there were really a lot there, including Orion's Belt. Rachel went inside to get a flashlight and some pictures she had drawn of the night sky that showed the constellations. We stayed on the ground for a while, then she swung on the swing set, and I told her I wanted to go inside -- I was cold, and it was late (although there's no school tomorrow for MLK Day). While we were outside she hugged me and lay her head on my chest. She was so happy I had come outside, as was I.

Now Drew is making duck soup from the duck's carcass and some vegetables and the lovely smell is wafting through the house. We're about to go downstairs and watch the return of "Sherlock."