VACATION - Energetic and Scientific?

What a fun day we had!   This blog will have some links to some very short video clips.... and they will speak for themselves.

Our friends, Linda and Mark came to get us this morning at 10 a.m.  We hopped in their van and they took us around Clinton, Knoxville and Oak Ridge areas... we hit all the thrift shops!  I was looking for some silverplated dinner forks I use to make a certain tool for sockknitting machines.  We only found 2... but we had fun!

We stopped for a lunch, and then hit a few more stores... and then Mark took us to The American Museum of Science and Energy.  http://amse.org/    Mark knew the area well, as he just retired from Oak Ridge and was very helpful in providing a tour of the museum.

Well, it was geared towards family and lots of "hands on" displays....  and boy oh boy did we ever find our "Child Within" and checked out all this cool stuff!   It started outside before we even got in the door:

  

This display of local moths and butterflies was in the main foyer along side of the staircase.

The main floor had a bunch of brain teaser type puzzles with hands on displays. 

Some we got, some not so much.....

but I bet some little kids got them solved right away?

The second floor had interesting science displays to play with.

Did we play? 

Ummmmmmmm

click on these video clips to see for yourself: 

(they are all very short) 

We looked around and tried out some neat stuff, 

robot cranes and engines

Then we walked down this hallway 

and found some REAL fun! 

Steve's turn

Even Mark took a turn

he's VERY flexible! 

I had to take one more turn,

and Steve was my "cameraman" 

Can't you tell?

I am truly surprised that we didn't get kicked out of there! 

We found mazes and mock-ups of farm animals

and...

FUNHOUSE MIRRORS! 

 It was a great day filled with fun and laughter and silliness... 

I think we needed a bit of that! 

Tomorrow morning I plan to run over to Linda's weaving group at the Art Center across from the Museum of Appalachia north of Knoxville.  While I am gone, Steveio will get the rig road worthy so when I get back, we can hook up and go. 

We have been three days here at Escapees Raccoon Valley RV park and need to get going before we grow roots here!  It's raining tonight, but tomorrow is supposed to be warm and sunny and maybe up to 60~!  We are having a hard time imagining that, because back home they are getting snow and ice and sleet and all that fun stuff.  

We feel a little bit guilty about not being there.... Linda at the High Cliff Park is counting the days till Steve returns to the job.  I think she is afraid he will like vacation too much and decide to retire? 

Onward to Florida... I think we will stop around central Geogia tomorrow... around Athens.  If the weather and roads cooperate.  

Today.... 

NO MILES TRAVELED

 IN THE MOTORHOME