Shut down, shmut shmown

My friends at NASA had already been out of work five days when we got word that NRAO would also be closing due to the ongoing fiasco in Washington, and I would be locked out of my office there indefinitely.  I'm not impacted at the level of most scientists -- there are advantages to working on soft money -- but the NRAO shut down necessitated some quick checking and planning in the day care department.  And that is how I came to find myself kneeling on the sidewalk last Friday, explaining carefully to Tristan that "people in the government are having a fight, so they aren't sending money to scientists like they normally do and we all have to go home." 

Tristan's response:  "That's ok.  I have a lot of money.  And Duncan does too!  It's a good thing we saved it."  And he petaled his tricycle away, quite confident and relieved.

Together the boys have a grand total of about $30 in coins. I expect that will carry us through just fine.

Here's hoping that all my friends and colleagues out there are so fortunate, and that you are able to appreciate the rare and beautiful gift of time.

(Here's what Tristan has to say to the House of Representatives.)

(When I was their age, the US had a manned space flight program 

with human launch capabilities . . . .)

(The last photo was taken right after Duncan asked me, 

"Mom, may I please watch the compost decay?"  Well . . . , yes! Go right ahead.)