Part 279 ~ The Adventures of King Ben & Zeus the Big Dumb Dog

If you missed the start of this series, you can find it here. A lot of things will be the same or very similar.

After dropping Daughter at the hospital early for her COVID class/seminar/meeting/thingy, Ben and I headed back home. He said “go home go bedtime” I told him he was right, he usually went to bedtime after we dropped Mom off, but she was early today cuz she had a meeting. Tonight I’d make him some “orange chicken”, then bath, then bedtime. He said “just orange chicken then bedtime.” I told him he was silly, he needed a bath. He said “no bath” I said “yes bath”, and it went back and forth a few times cuz that’s a game he likes to play. Then he started screaming “NO BATH!” and I stopped playing. I told him he was hurting my ears.

The neighbors in the front house have a mattress leaning against their fence on the driveway side, and Ben decided it would be fun to pull it over on his way past. UGH! I picked it up and herded him into the house. I started his “orange chicken” right away, figuring part of the attitude could be hanger. He continued to be a bootyhead in a bunch of small ways through dinner, bath and bedtime. Nothing major, just a kid being a contrary kid.

I wasn’t able to see Jupiter and Saturn cuz like many of you, I had clouds. I’m glad I was able to get the bad quality photos I got on Monday night.

I did the usual, blasted the Corned Beef, Cabbage and Smashed Taters that Daughter brought home from the meal donation, and nom nom nom’d it. It was very yummy and the Food Coma was fast approaching. I fought it off, wanting to let the food settle a bit, but it won. I woke at 12:30am, cold and creaky. I took my meds and got under my blankets and konked back out. Woke again a little after 2am, moved Sophie Cat, and konked again.

The bedquaking, ear sniffing, Bounce occurred at 3:45am. He got under the blankets with me for a little while, but at 4:15am he commanded me to the living room. When I didn’t move fast enough to suit him, he stared the BAM! BAM! BAM! of kicking the front door. DANG!! I yelled for him to knock it off, then stumbled to the Coffee Dragon, apologizing for the awakening before the scheduled time of 5am.

No Venus this morning… it was foggy and cloudy. There was about three minutes of pretty red in the clouds as the Sun rose, but then it was over. Nice sunrise, but I would’ve been happier to miss it and sleep

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We got Daughter from work and came back home. She went to her room to unwind and watch a couple shows, Ben did the blanket tent and tablet thing for bit, then moved on to chalk. I resumed Couch Sittin Duty and occasionally dozed, against my wishes and completely unintentionally. Before she went to sleep, Daughter said she didn’t want to deal with the food today, she was too tired. We could do it tomorrow. Works for me. It seemed a bad idea to do the food today anyway, but I’d kept my opinion to myself.

(We interrupt this episode of Adventures to bring you the BIG REVEAL. We will return to Adventures after this announcement.)

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You will remember, or if you haven’t been following daily you’ll learn, that in November I started taking pictures of the Sun going behind the apartment building south of our house. I was losing my sightline of the Sun. A few weeks later I discovered that I had a perfect sightline of the complete horizon. Complete enough for my experiment anyway. I continued to do the apartment pictures because I wanted to surprise you all with the BIG REVEAL.

Above are the sunsets from Summer Solstice through Winter Solstice. One picture for each month on or around the twentieth of each month, June through December.

Without further ado, the BIG REVEAL…

I don’t know about you, but I was surprised at how far the Sun appears to move between the Solstices. It will now start setting north of the Winter Solstice point. Theoretically, in March, on the Vernal or Spring Equinox, it should set at the same place it set on the Autumnal Equinox, then keep going north until it reaches the Summer Solstice point again. I will be checking, and comparing, but the daily documentation is over. I completed my six months of observations and data gathering.

I’m kinda proud of myself for sticking with it. I learned a lot about the other planets and the phases of the Moon while I was watching the Sun. It has been educational and fun for me, and I appreciate you guys coming along and reading the blathering and enduring the endless pictures. THANK YOU!

One more quick note, then we’ll let it be… the trees along the horizon are not all at the same distance. For a truly accurate experiment, the horizon should be something like the ocean or a field… something where the distance is equal along the entire route. So that’s it. My unscientific, Sciencey Stuff Project.

(We now return to Adventures …)

Ben did his chalk thing or watched his tablet or played in the dirt hole. I worked my way through my WP Reader and comments and tried to stay awake. Ben asked me for new chalk a couple times and when I reminded him that I didnt have any, he went to my room and was about to go into my closet. That’s where all the presents are stashed. I told him he better stay out of my closet or I’d tell Santa to put him on the “Naughty” list for not following rules. It stopped him cold. He said “don’t do that” and came back and sat down. Since tonight is our Christmas Eve, I won’t be able to use the Santa thing anymore, but I won’t have a closet full of presents either.

Daughter got up at 2:30pm. I had gone to my room at 2:10 when Ben went outside to the dirt hole. I needed to charge my phone and my back was screaming at me. I needed to get Horizontal.

I need to get a few things from the store and we need to wrap the presents, but all of that will have to wait until Ben goes to bed. He’s in a decent mood, but coming home from the store without stuff for him, even grocery shopping, would probably upset him. He’s been awake since 3:45am at least, so he’s tired. This is our Christmas Eve. No meltdowns if they can be avoided. We’ll probably try to do dinner, bath and bed a little earlier tonight. Just because he’s been awake so long.

A song about Fun and the Sun in honor of the BIG REVEAL. Plus, c’mon… it’s Weezer and they’re awesome!

Thank you all again for supporting me and putting up with all the dang pictures while I was doing the Sciencey Stuff Project. It feels kinda weird for it to be over. Weird and good. Santa will be busy tonight, and Gramma will be busy cooking the Cheesey Taters tomorrow, but it’s mostly prep. The crock pot will do the rest. Aside from the madness when we first get up, and possibly another round when/if Younger comes by, it should be a calm, mellow day. It’s Casa Cuckoo Christmas tomorrow and you’re all invited! Wear your most comfy clothes. ¡Hasta mañana!

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HUGS!

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