Friday, September 28, 2007

Birthday Boy

The day started rather gloomy, but the all-day rain they were forecasting never materialized.


By mid afternoon the sun was out, to stay. I passed by that small ranch in Ludlow again, and this time the horses and donkeys were out, along with the cattle.


Had to stop and take a couple pics, and this horse came over to oblige.


My son turns 15 this week and I wanted to get him something fun, yet educational. Something to make him say "cool!" Something I would like if I were 15. Something his mom would say "Keep that at your dad's." I knew just where to go.



We headed up Rt. 47 to Hadley, then suddenly ran smack into this Friday afternoon traffic jam going over the Coolidge bridge.

It wasn't too bad though, I've seen much, much worse. The recent road improvements appear to be having a positive effect. Besides, the slow crawl over the bridge only gave us time to enjoy the great view.

We were soon in Northampton and pulled onto King St., then we parked by the Stegosaurus.

The A to Z Science and Learning Store. Yep. It'll make you go "Cool."

Really, and I'm not just being a geek.



It's as if the toy section of the Five and Dime store of my childhood was reborn as this place. Rubber band powered balsa-wood gliders. The same balsa wood gliders. Things that make sparks, things that fly, float and walk. Things to build, things to examine, things to read. Games, puzzles, mind teasers. Magic tricks and scientific experiments. Kites and fossils.


It's a great little store. And if liking it makes me a geek, well then, hand me a pocket protector.

Coincidentally it's the store's 20th birthday, and they are having a 20% off sale today and Saturday. So if you've been waiting to get that microscope...

We got my kid what I was looking for (to be disclosed later...) and we headed out.

Right across the street is the Hotel Northampton. My sister stayed there once, she said it was really, really nice.

We picked up some necessities at ol' Wally World, of course, then home.

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