Saturday was a trip to Salem. Salem is not just witch-kitsch--it's also the home of the New England Pirate Museum. And, on the way out of the museum, we ran into a strange older woman with pink eye makeup and puns we could not keep up with ("To someone waiting for the gallows, no noose is good noose," "I'd love to have the chance to unbuckle his swash, if you know what I mean") who told us this happened to be the weekend of Salem's annual Pirate Faire.
On the way back from Salem, I was able to finagle a stop at the Square One Mall in Saugus, which is the former home of Neptune in Boston's model solar system. Neptune used to be in the Food Court, and the circumstances of its removal have been left somewhat mysterious.
I thought any reasonably bookstore would have some book for children that featured all the planets, but instead the only rendition of Neptune we could find was a coffee table book. (I also thought maybe we'd be able to find a fake foam trident somewhere, but no luck on that.) We asked a guy who ran a kiddie train if he knew where Neptune had been and he assured us that nothing of the sort had been in the food court--at least in the six months he had worked there, six months being when the mall added the kiddie train. We decided to go with the theory that Neptune was booted to make room for the toddler-railroad to come through, and so here is my photo in front of it:
Four planets down, four and the Sun and Pluto to go.
10 comments:
four and the Sun and Pluto to go
*sniff* It's so sad that Pluto has to be taken out of the list in that way. At least it makes your number count sound better.
My son is following your adventures with great interest, and has decided that we have to do this, too.
But first, he had to be reassured that the *real* Saturn and Neptune had not also been put into storage.
a pirate is on
a planetary pursuit
no pluto this time
You really do make a fabulous pirate! I bet you were a pirate in a past life. I'll check with my crystal ball and let you know...
I don't know if the bandanna was part of the "pirate scene" or not. Either way, it looks really good on you!
Glad to know you're having fun in Massachusetts!
Absolut: I do not mourn the loss of Pluto, as I applaud the march of science.
PS: I recommend it! The alternative to the way I am doing it is to do all ten in one day, perhaps in order (or, for a more pleasing psychological reward structure given the locations, in reverse order).
Sister A: Correct. I do not normally wear a pirate bandana. I bought it in the museum, although with the hook for my hand.
I do not mourn the loss of Pluto
How cold hearted!
I agree that you look good in that gear. And how did you manage to wear an appropriate T-shirt so quickly? Do you buy it and then run to the restroom and change?
kids read your blog? i'm going to have to watch my commenting. unless phantom scribbler's kid is an adult. then i will be all "swears, Ahoy!"
I bought the T-shirt in large part because Salem was too warm for the shirt I was wearing. This weekend was a gorgeous pair of days here in Massachusetts.
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