1950s: A Space Race Begins
As summer holidays begins for the kids, Thomas too gets some vacation and the family pack their bags and head off to see the family members they don't see as often. They start in Copperdale, to spend some time with Betty's family, but as they will live at the farm with Anna and Johnny, Betty has suggested that perhaps they could rent something of their own in Copperdale. Thomas is happy to agree, and arranged for them to stay in a small cottage by the sea.
Michael runs straight for the ocean, but once there, he sees something he's never seen before. A carnival! There is music, rides, probably ice cream and candy! He runs back to daddy. "Can we go, today, now, pretty please?" he begs.
Luckily, Thomas is not opposed to the idea, and so the family make their way to the pier. They buy ice cream for the family, then Michael gets to go on the rides. He has to take dad with him on the haunted ride, but can go on the Ferris Wheel on his own.
That night, as they go to bed, all the kids are exhausted, but very happy.
Betty and Thomas too are tired. Betty gives Thomas a massage before the two go to bed.
The next day it's time to be with the family. They all meet up at the park, so that the kids can play. Betty can't believe how big her sisters are getting. One of them is nearly ready for college and the other is starting high school this fall.
After a day at the park, it's nice to gather back home, where mum has cooked a wonderful dinner. They eat outside, the the sound of the waves crashing against the cliffs in the background. Even Michael gets to be up way past his bedtime.
The toddles, however, fall asleep on the couch before it's time to head home. Thomas and Betty carry them home and straight to bed as they settle in for the night.
Thomas and Betty discuss whether they should go to see Barbara in San Sequoia or not, as they are so close, but neither one is really comfortable with Barbara's lifestyle, and more importantly does not want to subject the children to seeing how you can live together while not being married. They opt to drive south to Chestnut Ridge and aunty Anna instead.
In San Sequoia, Barbs is happily unaware of this. She is quite pleased with her life, as she gets to focus on the things that matter most to her. Her art, her jewellery making and having fun. Like most days she and Doug start out at the art center, painting, playing music and eating at the restaurant. Barbs is quite crap in the kitchen still, as is the rest of them, but then they eat most of their meals at Fort Robles.
Today, however, Barbs feels like going someplace else, so she and Doug heads off to the park. Doug shoots some hoops at the basketball court, Barbs enjoy herself on the swings, and then the two of them play some chess together.
Doug finds that someone has put a piano on the square, and unable to keep himself from it, he gives a little concerto for all to hear. Barbs is so proud of how far his talent has taken him. He's really good!
On a whim the two decides to watch a movie in the local theatre. There are lots of good ones to choose from. He wants to watch "The Bridge over the River Kwai", she wants to watch "An Affair to Remember" so they end up watching "Funny Face" instead. Comedy they can both enjoy and Paris is a place they can both dream of and somewhere they want to go one day.
As Barbs dreams of Paris, Arthur dreams of rockets. Or rather satellites, as Sputnik is launched by the Soviets, starting the space race. At the Station, things are moving with a new sense of urgency. People are called back from holidays, research is being reexamined, and space becomes a priority. Not that Arthur minds, because Sputnik has lit a fire in his mind, and he cannot be anything but in awe of the achievement and eager to help push the boundaries and replicate - and surpass - the effort.
Normally, space would not be on the agenda for the High-Speed Flight Station as their research is focused on supersonic flights, with pilots such as Neil Armstrong and Chuck Yeager testing their planes and pushing the boundaries for how fast a plane can fly. But now, that research can be useful for other purposes as well. Research needs to be reviewed, revised and shared with other NACA stations, such as Ames where research is now being shifted into reentry calculations and the inventions of heat shields. At the station focus is moved towards the X-15 program, as a testbed for suborbital and near-space flight. For Artur all this is very exciting. He goes over all his research and sends what needs to be sent to Ames and other research facilities, but also physically get out to help build engines that needs to go on the planes and future rockets. Most of all, he values the time he can get in the observatory, trying to spot Sputnik flying overhead.
Michael runs straight for the ocean, but once there, he sees something he's never seen before. A carnival! There is music, rides, probably ice cream and candy! He runs back to daddy. "Can we go, today, now, pretty please?" he begs.
Luckily, Thomas is not opposed to the idea, and so the family make their way to the pier. They buy ice cream for the family, then Michael gets to go on the rides. He has to take dad with him on the haunted ride, but can go on the Ferris Wheel on his own.
That night, as they go to bed, all the kids are exhausted, but very happy.
Betty and Thomas too are tired. Betty gives Thomas a massage before the two go to bed.
The next day it's time to be with the family. They all meet up at the park, so that the kids can play. Betty can't believe how big her sisters are getting. One of them is nearly ready for college and the other is starting high school this fall.
After a day at the park, it's nice to gather back home, where mum has cooked a wonderful dinner. They eat outside, the the sound of the waves crashing against the cliffs in the background. Even Michael gets to be up way past his bedtime.
The toddles, however, fall asleep on the couch before it's time to head home. Thomas and Betty carry them home and straight to bed as they settle in for the night.
Thomas and Betty discuss whether they should go to see Barbara in San Sequoia or not, as they are so close, but neither one is really comfortable with Barbara's lifestyle, and more importantly does not want to subject the children to seeing how you can live together while not being married. They opt to drive south to Chestnut Ridge and aunty Anna instead.
In San Sequoia, Barbs is happily unaware of this. She is quite pleased with her life, as she gets to focus on the things that matter most to her. Her art, her jewellery making and having fun. Like most days she and Doug start out at the art center, painting, playing music and eating at the restaurant. Barbs is quite crap in the kitchen still, as is the rest of them, but then they eat most of their meals at Fort Robles.
Today, however, Barbs feels like going someplace else, so she and Doug heads off to the park. Doug shoots some hoops at the basketball court, Barbs enjoy herself on the swings, and then the two of them play some chess together.
Doug finds that someone has put a piano on the square, and unable to keep himself from it, he gives a little concerto for all to hear. Barbs is so proud of how far his talent has taken him. He's really good!
On a whim the two decides to watch a movie in the local theatre. There are lots of good ones to choose from. He wants to watch "The Bridge over the River Kwai", she wants to watch "An Affair to Remember" so they end up watching "Funny Face" instead. Comedy they can both enjoy and Paris is a place they can both dream of and somewhere they want to go one day.
As Barbs dreams of Paris, Arthur dreams of rockets. Or rather satellites, as Sputnik is launched by the Soviets, starting the space race. At the Station, things are moving with a new sense of urgency. People are called back from holidays, research is being reexamined, and space becomes a priority. Not that Arthur minds, because Sputnik has lit a fire in his mind, and he cannot be anything but in awe of the achievement and eager to help push the boundaries and replicate - and surpass - the effort.
Normally, space would not be on the agenda for the High-Speed Flight Station as their research is focused on supersonic flights, with pilots such as Neil Armstrong and Chuck Yeager testing their planes and pushing the boundaries for how fast a plane can fly. But now, that research can be useful for other purposes as well. Research needs to be reviewed, revised and shared with other NACA stations, such as Ames where research is now being shifted into reentry calculations and the inventions of heat shields. At the station focus is moved towards the X-15 program, as a testbed for suborbital and near-space flight. For Artur all this is very exciting. He goes over all his research and sends what needs to be sent to Ames and other research facilities, but also physically get out to help build engines that needs to go on the planes and future rockets. Most of all, he values the time he can get in the observatory, trying to spot Sputnik flying overhead.
That night, a group from the office gather at the park, aiming to try and spot Sputnik as it flies over the US. They share a meal, then head to the telescopes, trying to catch Sputnik, but mostly getting a very good view of their rocket booster.
Suddenly, sound is heard, and Kirk Wolfe cowers in fear as a meteor strikes him down where he stands!
Kirk is someone Arthur has known since his college days. He got married about a year ago, and has two twin girls with his wife. Even though it's late at night, Arthur goes over to deliver the news and the ashes to the new widow.
Kirk's wife does not take it well. "I need to clean the kitchen," she says, only to sink down on the floor where she remains. Arthur is the one who checks on the girls, who takes out the trash and mops up the puddle on the floor before making sure Claudia too is in bed. Only when everything is in order does he head home and go to bed himself, trying to wrap his head around what happened. What could it have been? Was it just a meteor? Or was it part of Sputnik that fell off? So many questions remain.
Suddenly, sound is heard, and Kirk Wolfe cowers in fear as a meteor strikes him down where he stands!
Kirk is someone Arthur has known since his college days. He got married about a year ago, and has two twin girls with his wife. Even though it's late at night, Arthur goes over to deliver the news and the ashes to the new widow.
Kirk's wife does not take it well. "I need to clean the kitchen," she says, only to sink down on the floor where she remains. Arthur is the one who checks on the girls, who takes out the trash and mops up the puddle on the floor before making sure Claudia too is in bed. Only when everything is in order does he head home and go to bed himself, trying to wrap his head around what happened. What could it have been? Was it just a meteor? Or was it part of Sputnik that fell off? So many questions remain.
In Chestnut Ridge, Sputnik is more a fun topic of conversation than a reality. Johnny is worried that this might mean the Russians could launch atomic bombs in the US and go over his bomb shelter once more, but for the rest it's mostly something that tickles their imagination. They're also quite busy with other preparations, because today is Carl's birthday. Come fall he'll be starting school!
Betty has been cooking all day, and the rest of the family helps getting the kids out of the way and getting the yard in order for the party. Then the entire family arrives, even Arthur has been nagged into attending even if his thoughts are elsewhere at the moment.
The party is a success, and the family enjoys their time together. The weather is perfect, the food tasty and everyone cheers when Carl gets help to blow out the candles.
Betty has been cooking all day, and the rest of the family helps getting the kids out of the way and getting the yard in order for the party. Then the entire family arrives, even Arthur has been nagged into attending even if his thoughts are elsewhere at the moment.
The party is a success, and the family enjoys their time together. The weather is perfect, the food tasty and everyone cheers when Carl gets help to blow out the candles.
Michael is happy that his brother is finally old enough to really play with, and Betty is enjoying watching the two play marbles together, before heading inside to read Susan to sleep.
As the night is over, the family has gone home and they are both heading to bed, Betty has some news to share. "I know we said we were happy with three, but... well I'm pregnant again." Thomas is a bit surprised, and quite stunned. It certainly wasn't what they planned. But things are what they are, and pregnancies take two, so how can he not look forward to his forth child? "I hope it's another girl," he says, "and that she looks just like her mother."
As the night is over, the family has gone home and they are both heading to bed, Betty has some news to share. "I know we said we were happy with three, but... well I'm pregnant again." Thomas is a bit surprised, and quite stunned. It certainly wasn't what they planned. But things are what they are, and pregnancies take two, so how can he not look forward to his forth child? "I hope it's another girl," he says, "and that she looks just like her mother."
Comments
Post a Comment