It's not often that we venture out into stores these days, but alas my son wanted to go to Hobby Lobby (Holly Lolly, Holly Hobbie, Lolly Bobbie...I fumble with this name always) last night because he is OBSESSED with making a Graf Zeppelin airship.
For months we've been fine-tuning the structure (theoretically) and fuel options - outer sheathing and energy supply. He was set on helium but concerned about its short supply and cost...helium 3 was a consideration but it is very likely a few years off (comes from the Moon!).
In a sudden change of heart, he has now made a stark turn towards hydrogen fuel (God help us!) He wants to redesign air travel and thinks the Zeppelin was a good model for this. (Yeah, but....THE HINDENBURG!) "Mom, would you fly on one?", he asked. Carefully gathering my thoughts in order to support his interest yet with safety considerations, I respond, "If it were re-designed and proven safe with a guarantee....maybe?" He then replied, "Nothing's completely safe Mom and I would need you to sign a waiver" LOL OMG! What is the world teaching him?
This Zeppelin obsession is not going away any time soon so we are starting off with a low scale model from balsa wood. :) Still considering options on sheathing....paper/mylar? I kid, but this is all very exciting to see him bursting with dreams and ideas.
The art supply store comes with perks apparently as the artificial and dried flowers were 50% off! I really tried to stay focused but put me in a store like that with art supplies and flowers and well..... My son called my flower selection Dr. Seuss-ish. I had to admit, they really did look like they came out of a Dr. Seuss book. LOL Hmm
What does that say about my state of mind in this moment? They brought me happiness. The thought of them somehow being connected to a whimsical Dr. Seuss story somehow made them even more endearing and appealing to me so I decided to take them home.
On the way home, we continued strategizing about the Zeppelin project when it occurred to me that, like my peculiar Dr. Seuss flowers, his obsession with giant flying things probably stems from his love of "James and the Giant Peach"! We must have read that book 5 times in the course of two years.
As I spilled over into laughter at the idea, I couldn't help but verbalize my hypothesis...."What do ya think?!" Slowly, as if realizing the accuracy of this observation, he joined me in a great big belly laugh and finished it with a reassuring, "Maybe"
“From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere!” - Dr. Seuss