TBnJ

On Saturday afternoon, the crew headed to UT to go up the Tower. Daddy-o had expressed an interest in doing this since none of has had before, and the kids thought it would be fun. We discussed this idea with them a few weeks ago on the way home from a trip to Boggy Creek Farm. At that time, we also talked about the Charles Whitman shootings. We explained that there was a lot of security about going up the tower because a long time ago, a man had taken a gun up the tower and had shot and killed a lot of people. Since UT didn't want that to ever happen again, they had procedures in place like not allowing purses or diaper bags so that it would be safer for everyone. We talked about how the tower didn't used to be open for tours for most of the time when Daddy-o and Mama went to school at UT. T was very inquisitive (as usual), and he asked why anyone would want to go up the tower and shoot people. I told him that the man who did it had a brain tumor, and they think that his brain may not have been acting right because of that. Then T wanted to know why anyone would sell a gun to a crazy man. I told him that even though there are some restrictions, pretty much anyone can buy a gun in this country. T just wanted to know why. What could I tell him besides the second amendment and the NRA guarantee the right to bear arms?

So on Saturday, well convinced of the safety of this endeavor, Daddy-o, Grandpa and the kids headed to UT. They changed into cool clothing before leaving since the high was once again expected to be near 95. T came downstairs wearing a light gray shirt... with a Rice Owls logo on it. He is his father's child. I really don't think that it was intentional university rivalry because he didn't realize what he'd done until we pointed it to him. It also didn't dawn on him or the other kids until they were walking out the door that they should wear their UT shirts.

They arrived at UT a little early, uncertain as always of how available parking would be even though it is exam week. They had no problem finding a spot near Painter Hall, and so they then went to enjoy the turtle pond for a short while before going to buy their tickets at the Union. While the pictures at right make it look like the casualty of this event would be a child falling into the pond, it wasn't. It was Daddy-o's cell phone. According to him, a branch snagged the loop on his holder, pulling it out of his pocket and flinging it into the pond. Fortunately, it was near the edge and easy to retrieve. Even more fortunately, after being taken apart and blown dry by the hot air vent on Daddy-o's laptop, the phone is now functional again.

The kids rode up the elevator, climbed up 3.5 flights of stairs, and got to see the top of the tower. It did get a little boring for them at the top because none of them were tall enough to see over the wall and there were no stools for them to stand on. But they still enjoyed the adventure.

Labels: in Austin, kid sayings