9 December 2013
Preparations for the Yule Ball were well underway. The recent winter storm had laid down a carpet of white and dressed the observatory in sparkling icicles that cast rainbows on the interior floor. For half the day, Academy's student body was in the hands of capable teachers like Jacen. That, coupled with Pearl's quickly improving office skills, allowed Rhiannon Harker to attend to preparations for the Ball and the long awaited dedication of the Rhydin Observatory Complex and Botanical Garden.
The eldest of her three children, the ever precocious Mairead, was accompanying her through the complex. Maggie was full of questions, today was no exception. "Mama, how come we gotta have a big fussy ceremony?"
Rhi chuckled. "We don't have to, but I think it'd be nice for people to know why this place is important to the city."
"You mean like how it's important to learn things and stuff?" Maggie pressed the elevator button to go down to the basement.
"Yes. Learning opens a lot of doorways to jobs and better lives. There fun things to do here, too, you know." Mother and daughter stepped out of the elevator and turned toward the natatorium. "Can you read that sign, Maggie?"
"MM' Candy R. Hart Nata...tor...ium." Maggie's lip twisted into something akin to an old man puffing on a cigar. That expression had come to be called her thinking face. "Why did you have to use a big long word instead of just sayin' swimmin' pool?"
Rhi smiled slightly. "Because not all swimming pools are inside."
"Why is named after Miss Candy Hart?" Never Miss Hart or Miss Candy; Maggie had taken to referring to the woman as Miss Candy Hart, no short cut.
"Because she is one of the all around sports stars that has done some good things for the community. Some of the others that could have been chosen fit better with other places here."
"Oh, ok." One of Maggie's dark brows lifted as she mulled that over as her mind backtracked to what her mother had said previously. "Wait a minute, so, there's no outside place to swim here?"
"Not unless you want to swim with the ducks and swans."
"No thanks! Not this time of year! I don't want to freeze off my toes and fingers!" Maggie made a brrr sound as she peered into the aquarium that was built into the wall between the entrances to the swimming area. "Look, Mama! A lionfish!" If a creature had fins, fur, or feathers, Maggie had probably read about it. She turned her head to look at her mother. "They're pretty, but you shouldn't touch them with bare skin."
"Why is that, my little zoologist?"
Maggie peered at her mother like she was a few sandwiches short of a picnic. "You know why! Because they have prickly things with poison stuff!" The child stretched her arm up and stood on tiptoe as her eyes widened. "Seahorses! I didn't know they lived in here!"
"Someone has asked about bringing their class into observe them."
"Huh, maybe I can go, too?"
She chuckled softly. "We'll see, Shortstop." She held one of the clear plexiglass doors open for Maggie to go into natatorium itself.
She peered at the extra long swimming pool for a while. "What if that water in there freezes up" Can we go ice skating on it?"
"No, that would bad for the building materials, Maggie. But the ponds near the gardens are big enough to skate on. The ducks and swans are in winter quarters, so, they won't be disturbed."
"On the big list upstairs, it says there's swimming and diving class. I already know how to swim, but I'd like to learn to dive! Could I" Please?"
"That's 'may I' and not until after the holidays. You are supposed to be helping Ms. DeLuca with something at the Shanachie Theater soon, aren't you?"
"Yup!" She nodded and grinned. "I like doing that stuff! Watching scenery get builded is fun!"
"Built," Rhiannon corrected gently.
"Right. Built. Whatever you call it, it's still fun!" Maggie peeked into the last of a long line of changing rooms that sign on the door, Baby Changing Area. "Baby changing" What do they get for them?" Maggie was aghast!
"Not exchanging a baby, changing like in diapers or clothes.' Rhi tried to hide her amusement as her daughter got a lesson in subtleties of language.
"Oh, that's ok then! What are other rooms?"
"Changing rooms with a full bathroom in them."
"Huh' What's that mean' Full bathroom' What's it full of?" There was that old man face again.
"A full bath means a toilet, sink, and, in this case, a shower. A half bath means there's a toilet and sink."
Preparations for the Yule Ball were well underway. The recent winter storm had laid down a carpet of white and dressed the observatory in sparkling icicles that cast rainbows on the interior floor. For half the day, Academy's student body was in the hands of capable teachers like Jacen. That, coupled with Pearl's quickly improving office skills, allowed Rhiannon Harker to attend to preparations for the Ball and the long awaited dedication of the Rhydin Observatory Complex and Botanical Garden.
The eldest of her three children, the ever precocious Mairead, was accompanying her through the complex. Maggie was full of questions, today was no exception. "Mama, how come we gotta have a big fussy ceremony?"
Rhi chuckled. "We don't have to, but I think it'd be nice for people to know why this place is important to the city."
"You mean like how it's important to learn things and stuff?" Maggie pressed the elevator button to go down to the basement.
"Yes. Learning opens a lot of doorways to jobs and better lives. There fun things to do here, too, you know." Mother and daughter stepped out of the elevator and turned toward the natatorium. "Can you read that sign, Maggie?"
"MM' Candy R. Hart Nata...tor...ium." Maggie's lip twisted into something akin to an old man puffing on a cigar. That expression had come to be called her thinking face. "Why did you have to use a big long word instead of just sayin' swimmin' pool?"
Rhi smiled slightly. "Because not all swimming pools are inside."
"Why is named after Miss Candy Hart?" Never Miss Hart or Miss Candy; Maggie had taken to referring to the woman as Miss Candy Hart, no short cut.
"Because she is one of the all around sports stars that has done some good things for the community. Some of the others that could have been chosen fit better with other places here."
"Oh, ok." One of Maggie's dark brows lifted as she mulled that over as her mind backtracked to what her mother had said previously. "Wait a minute, so, there's no outside place to swim here?"
"Not unless you want to swim with the ducks and swans."
"No thanks! Not this time of year! I don't want to freeze off my toes and fingers!" Maggie made a brrr sound as she peered into the aquarium that was built into the wall between the entrances to the swimming area. "Look, Mama! A lionfish!" If a creature had fins, fur, or feathers, Maggie had probably read about it. She turned her head to look at her mother. "They're pretty, but you shouldn't touch them with bare skin."
"Why is that, my little zoologist?"
Maggie peered at her mother like she was a few sandwiches short of a picnic. "You know why! Because they have prickly things with poison stuff!" The child stretched her arm up and stood on tiptoe as her eyes widened. "Seahorses! I didn't know they lived in here!"
"Someone has asked about bringing their class into observe them."
"Huh, maybe I can go, too?"
She chuckled softly. "We'll see, Shortstop." She held one of the clear plexiglass doors open for Maggie to go into natatorium itself.
She peered at the extra long swimming pool for a while. "What if that water in there freezes up" Can we go ice skating on it?"
"No, that would bad for the building materials, Maggie. But the ponds near the gardens are big enough to skate on. The ducks and swans are in winter quarters, so, they won't be disturbed."
"On the big list upstairs, it says there's swimming and diving class. I already know how to swim, but I'd like to learn to dive! Could I" Please?"
"That's 'may I' and not until after the holidays. You are supposed to be helping Ms. DeLuca with something at the Shanachie Theater soon, aren't you?"
"Yup!" She nodded and grinned. "I like doing that stuff! Watching scenery get builded is fun!"
"Built," Rhiannon corrected gently.
"Right. Built. Whatever you call it, it's still fun!" Maggie peeked into the last of a long line of changing rooms that sign on the door, Baby Changing Area. "Baby changing" What do they get for them?" Maggie was aghast!
"Not exchanging a baby, changing like in diapers or clothes.' Rhi tried to hide her amusement as her daughter got a lesson in subtleties of language.
"Oh, that's ok then! What are other rooms?"
"Changing rooms with a full bathroom in them."
"Huh' What's that mean' Full bathroom' What's it full of?" There was that old man face again.
"A full bath means a toilet, sink, and, in this case, a shower. A half bath means there's a toilet and sink."