11 December 2008
In His Element
Katherine has some fairly time-consuming science homework due Friday, during an already hectic week. The assignment is to draw three Twin Cities' bridges (for a "D"), label the structural elements (for a "C"), draw three additional examples of bridge types (for a "B"), describe under what conditions an engineer would choose such bridges (for an "A"), and for extra credit find real-life examples of the second three bridges including a picture, location, length, and date of construction. (Whew!) So we brought in the big guns to help her out: my father, the semi-retired civil engineer.
Yesterday afternoon, he came over and had already planned out an itinerary of a few bridges to visit. As they were making the "tour", I was receiving e-mailed photos of the bridges from his phone. This frightened me as one appeared to have been taken as he was driving. I later found out that he had pulled over, but that he also had Katherine out on the highway shoulder. (And I'm only telling you this because I know you will not bust him to Mom. You know who you are.) Who knows what grandfathers are for, if not to do crazy stuff with their grandchildren.
When they got back he started going all Civil Engineer on us, to the point that even my eyes started to glaze over. He called on his way way home with more bridge knowledge. Then again from his cell phone in his "office" (my old bedroom) to tell Katherine he had e-mailed her more bridge pictures. I think it's hilarious that he sits up there with his laptop and cell phone and makes calls as if there isn't a land line in the house. I'd call it his Man Cave if it weren't still painted canary yellow from stem to stern. But I digress.
This morning when I checked e-mail, he had sent a link to the ASCE Bridges 2009 calendar. (That's American Society of Civil Engineers for those of you not in the know.) It appears to be the engineers' version of Hot Girls of the Big Ten calendar or whatever. And once again, I am only telling you this because I know you will not razz him about it. It is totally adorable. And I think it's awesome that he was able to help Katherine. I think she learned a lot more than she would have without him.
Yesterday afternoon, he came over and had already planned out an itinerary of a few bridges to visit. As they were making the "tour", I was receiving e-mailed photos of the bridges from his phone. This frightened me as one appeared to have been taken as he was driving. I later found out that he had pulled over, but that he also had Katherine out on the highway shoulder. (And I'm only telling you this because I know you will not bust him to Mom. You know who you are.) Who knows what grandfathers are for, if not to do crazy stuff with their grandchildren.
When they got back he started going all Civil Engineer on us, to the point that even my eyes started to glaze over. He called on his way way home with more bridge knowledge. Then again from his cell phone in his "office" (my old bedroom) to tell Katherine he had e-mailed her more bridge pictures. I think it's hilarious that he sits up there with his laptop and cell phone and makes calls as if there isn't a land line in the house. I'd call it his Man Cave if it weren't still painted canary yellow from stem to stern. But I digress.
This morning when I checked e-mail, he had sent a link to the ASCE Bridges 2009 calendar. (That's American Society of Civil Engineers for those of you not in the know.) It appears to be the engineers' version of Hot Girls of the Big Ten calendar or whatever. And once again, I am only telling you this because I know you will not razz him about it. It is totally adorable. And I think it's awesome that he was able to help Katherine. I think she learned a lot more than she would have without him.
