Simple Christmas

We didn't have a white Christmas...but it was very heavily frosted at 27 degrees.












I'd call this a pretty simple Christmas.
Mom got some harp strings, a clay castle from a friend and a stocking cap with large braided tassles. "It covers my ears nicely!"

Dad now has a very special hat- handmade by mom! If you click the picture you will see it up close. Two ties- one a bowtie and another regular tie: both with piano livery. Now I can be dressed appropriately when I tune pianos.
(go here to see why the logo: keysintune.com)
Merry Christmas!

Dispelling the myth about snowflakes.

Yes, they really do have 6 sides.

These are snippets from MACRO pictures taken at Christmas 2003 at my daughter's place when they live in Salt Lake City, Utah. I had the best camera for taking MACRO shots like this- it would focus up to 10cm.

We were listening to the radio today and in a scientific journal was an artist's rendition of an octagonal snowflake in the article. If you look around during Christmas, chances are you will see snowflakes being displayed with 5 sides and 8 sides. This misconception about snowflakes is just laughable!!!

Well here is proof! After all H2O is three molecules and when you start putting them together (3+3=6...last time I counted) they make six sides and that's how they are going to stackup!

'Nuf said. Any questions from the Pentagon?
Click the picture to enlarge it.

Never Retire from the Rail Road

Dad's Train Yard
There is one thing that has stayed in the family for a very long time- and it still is: Dad's love for model railroading!
However, Dad needed some other train mechanics to get ALL the cars hooked up and running again. So this year the next most senior engineer managed to repair several more couplers so the senior engineer (Dad) could pull 18 cars around his train yard.
Here is a glimpse.


Speed and trains don't mix!
(You can blame this one on the next most senior engineer- and he builds airplanes?)

A good way to make grown men feel like kids again!
Since my camera was small enough, we decided to put it ON the train.
You are now ALL witnesses of this train wreck!
It was so much fun to imagine- plus, even more fun to put this together.
Hope you laughed as much as I did.

(The sound effects came from Vancouver Washington- After visiting Mom & Dad, I took the train home. What better place to get the sounds of trains then at a train yard.)

Remember Extreme Temperatures

This will give you some idea of the extremes we have been through recently:
Dec 10th the time I was leaving for work: .........Last July, 29 mid afternoon:

Our inside temperature is on the bottom LEFT.
Curious- how the different halves of the moon was up at that time! (Just a coincidence...ha ha)

Today (12/12) it warmed up to 36 degrees at 3pm.

We Wish You - Silver Bells...(in lights)

I found out how the big boys do it!


We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Silver Bells

Jingle Bells

Time?

Now why would anyone go around taking pictures of clocks? Well...to show you what time it is?

No, If you keep looking down these clocks...

This one is the ------>

L A R G E S T

clock I have ever made!

You can see the difference in size from the clock on the left to the clock that's on the right.