Sophie talked Abe and Helen into making a human pyramid with her. It worked pretty well considering their height differences.
Becky knew Brandan was making her something for her birthday (getting locked out of the garage is a big hint), but she did not expect this: a Calder-inspired mobile made of aluminum welding wire and colored acrylic squares. Brandan hung it from the ceiling in the stairway.
The finished mobile is a work of art as well as an engineering marvel. The entire structure balances very elegantly.
On Saturday, we drove to a nearby town for their Boatnik Festival. We got there in time for the parade. The main event of the day was a speedboat race with homemade speedboats. Even the engines are homemade. The race feels like a pine wood derby for grown-ups.
Sophie sat in one of the boats for a photo. Near her hand you can see part of the steering cable. About 25 years ago Becky's dad built a soap box derby car with the same cable steering apparatus as these boats. It's pretty scary to think of trying to steer a speedboat going 85 miles an hour with that primitive cable.
7 comments:
I didn't know it was your birthday this week. They put birthdays in the RS bulletin but I never seem to be on top of that. I hope you had a great birthday. That mobile is neat. It looks like it will catch the light and throw colors all over the place.
We have always wondered about the boatnic. I guess we missed it again.. Next year :).
Glad to hear your birthday was a success! Loved the mobile as well. The speedboat festival looked fun, especially actually seeing them try to steer the boats with the wire mechanism. :)
Happy late birthday, what a great gift! Hope you had a fun day. Thanks for sharing about Boatnik, my dad played on a fast pitch softball team so when I was young every year we would go and watch him play in the tournament. Your post brought back memories...thanks.
Happy Birthday! I was thinking about you last week!! We went to Boatnik our first year in Oregon. What fun!
Wow, just another thing Brandan can do. . .it's lovely! And Happy Birthday my friend!
Is your birthday May 24th? That's my birthday too--I always have a great kinship with people born in May! I am sooo impressed with your birthday gift. It is really touching that he would make that for you. I would so much rather have a homemade gift (although it is so impressive it could easily be for sale in a shop). A keepsake.
My birthday is May 21st. Thanks for the happy wishes!
Becky
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