I totally refuse to spend more than a sentence complaining about the desktop computer I'm using, which has now decided to dump its sound card for the second time this weekend (I'm pretty sure the first time was my doing) and is generally causing malaise for my kids, who just can't be without youTube...
Instead, I'd rather discuss volcanoes, because we've been making one with our daughter all weekend. Definitely a learning process! The $10 box of plaster of paris we bought hardened right in the bowl while we were mixing, which was a blast (pun intended) to dispose of. Plan B for the volcanic structure seemed good and cheap at a time - a box of borrowed drywall finish compound (mud). We built the mountain, but alas, it would've taken a week to dry (we have til tomorrow) and it had more crack and crevasses than the San Andreas Fault. On to Plan C - spray foam insulation. Awesome. Just don't touch it when it's wet - it really does bond to everything! And by "bond", I mean this stuff makes Sharpie marker look like chalk... Did I mention this foam expands as it dries? Oh boy, do we have a LARGE volcano now! Good thing is, it weighs next to nothing and is totally carvable and paintable.
While we wait for our structure to dry, we decided to test different means of making eruptions. The internet is full of suggestions, which might be a little like cheating but has allowed little Fusciusetta to experiment with stuff we'd never have thought up. What we've learned so far: Mentos and Diet Coke did nothing at all. (we might repeat and crumble the Mentos first). Peroxide and yeast foamed slowly and looked wicked cool but didn't expand much. Maybe it wasn't enough of one or the other...Baking soda and vinegar is about the same as baking soda and alka-seltzer, except the alka is slower and longer lasting. Adding liquid dish soap makes it bubble more and move - I think this is going to be our method. We've just gotta master the "how much" factor.
We made a Forest Ranger station house, painteda hot wheels truck and added Forest Service "stickers" to the sides, made signage for the mountain and warnings about explosions, and built fun little pine trees from pipe cleaners. When it's all done, I'll post a pic of it here, because, ya know, I'm certain all the romance readers out there are dying to know how it turns out. LOL.
Have a decent Monday!
Autumn
Got romance?
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