August 29 2005 - Monday
Until very recently we thought Harry's first day of kindergarten and riding the bus would be tomorrow. His mother actually is taking the day off to watch him get on the bus. Unfortunately, we've now learned that while tomorrow is the first day of school for all the other grades, it is only an orientation day for kindergarteners; meaning they and their parents go visit the classroom and meet the teacher for something like 45 minutes. Wednesday will be his first bus ride and first real day of school.

However, since we'd expected the other, I planned to spend the day with Harry after bringing Jeremy to Mary's as he usually does on Mondays. And I found this place, The Butterfly Place, on the web and it seemed like a nice option for a potentially rainy day (it ultimately did not rain) given Harry's continuing interest in "nature."

There are apparently more than 500 butterflies in this relatively small (3000 sq. ft.) glass atrium, which means there are always butterflies flying around or sitting on a branch wherever you are inside. Indeed, it would be very easy to touch one at almost any moment, although touching them would damage their wings and Harry understood the rule against touching them very well. He did, however, offer his finger to several hoping them might settle there. Notice the black butterfly fluttering just below and to the left of the flower in the image below.

After about an hour and a half looking at butterflies and watching other cool things like a praying mantis eating a wasp, silk worms crawling in dirt, and silk worm cocoons (in a glass boxes at an information desk with a man there to talk about them). I took Harry to McDonalds for a special lunch. Interestingly, he didn't really want to play in the playland tubes because there were some boys there that were screaming too loudly and, he says, it hurt his ears. I do believe I will remember and refer to that many times in the future...


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