Monthly Archives: July 2010

Valves and falling trees

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Good ending to a good day

Got the new multi-port valve installed on the pool. Took under an hour and I was able to use the existing piping.
While we were chilling (basking in the success of installing the valve) we heard a big crack and a dead tree between us and the Claytons came crashing down. It was completely calm and there were no other forces (unless a fat bird or squirrel was the unseen cause) but down it came. It is hung up on another dead tree that I had planned to take down.
Interesting day.

Link to pics

Fun in San Diego

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We are halfway through our visit to the WestCoast Cornells. Mariel is off on Thursday so we went down to Shell Beach. Dex tried out his scooter on the hill and Chase tried his trike.
Some short videos from YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNKdD03jc-0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G18LnZZy5PY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoVzS-oq3ec
Saturday morning, Matt, Dex, Chase and I went to The Home Depot. Dex and Chase built periscopes, and we got the materials for the soda bottle rocket launcher.
In the afternoon we went to the pool for a while:

link to pics
Betsy and I took Dexter and Chase (or the other way around) to see Toy Story 3 on Saturday night.
Sunday mid-day Dex and Matt and I built the launcher and did a few proof of concept launches out on the street. Concept has been proved!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGWjU6dctQI
Turned out the bottle was not fully mounted on the launch tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0al_20Nfw5s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH9duYc1-4I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-igxea1EBM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd1BOR_NnP8
And later that night we went to the Aquarium and watched two sets of fireworks.

Here are some pics from Saturday.
link to pics