The clock strikes midnight and all is well. Discovery is closing its payload bay doors. The weather in Florida is good. STS-114 and its crew will soon be on their way home.
I’m at work hoping to finish up my conference paper. Rich is coming in at 2 a.m. and we’ll head over to the control center. We’re here on standby and if all goes well, we will do absolutely nothing.
I tried to take a nap, and climbing into bed just a bit before 10:00. At 10:30, I was still wide awake and had a repetitive song that would not leave my head, so I decided to head on in. I sit here in the quiet office, drinking my coffee, and listening to the flight loops. There was a note on my desk: “Gavin wuz here, 7 Aug 2005 – 11 pm.” I must have missed him by minutes, in fact, I think I saw his car leaving as I was driving in. I wonder if he finished his (our) paper?
I stopped at the grocery store to pick up some coffee creamer and was appalled at how many young children were in the grocery store at 11:00 on a Sunday night. Though, it just now occurs to me that it is summer, so I guess they don’t have school tomorrow.
When all is said and done, I will have worked about 16 hours this weekend. I don’t mind it so much when I know it is necessary, and feel that I am being productive. This weekend I have felt very productive.
UPS now says my laptop (currently in Mesquite, which is outside of Dallas) is back at a Tuesday delivery, instead of Monday. I suppose I can’t complain too much since that’s still a week ahead of schedule…
2:21 a.m. Update: Well, they just waived off the first landing attempt. Broken clouds at 1,000 feet in Florida. Second opportunity will have us landing at 5:22 a.m. This could be a long night after all…
4:44 a.m. Update: Another wave-off. Just got home, and it’s off to bed I go until lunchtime…
