15/11/2014

Philae enters Idle Mode

Wilson is still in his 'Comet Lander', which has now entered 'Idle Mode' due to low battery power.

This is a pretty boring mode, apparently, so as you can see he's made a couple of brief EVAs to the living room to watch tv. 

A typical communication with Philae goes: 
Philae: 'Philae Lander to Ground Control! Conditions are Nominal! Please send more Supplies, and don't forget the napkins this time. Over!'
Ground Control: '     '
Philae: 'Hello? Hello? Ground Control, come in! POLLY!! BILLI!! I'm hungry!!' 

During his sojourn 'in space' he has been keeping himself amused by watching the live feed of the Comet Lander on his iPad and practicing on his kazoo, but due to the critical battery situation only the kazoo remains…


14/11/2014

Houston, we have a problem

Wilson has converted his bedroom into Philae, the Rosetta Comet Lander. 

He's sitting inside it wearing his Space Suit (dressing gown) with his microscope, communicating by email (or by shouting, if nobody replies) requesting supplies of Astronaut Food (Ant Juice and Cheesy Wotsits) be brought to him by the Space Drones (Polly and Billi). 

He's been in there all day apart from a brief trip back to Earth (so he could watch his hero Adam Ant on Loose Women this afternoon) then returned to 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko saying he had to adjust his solar panels before nightfall so his batteries don't fail. 

I think he's worried about his iPad running out of power before bedtime…


13/11/2014

Rosetta Mission

First thing this morning Wilson popped into the village to buy himself a kazoo from the toy shop, so he can accompany himself while playing the spoons during the birth of Ms Rowena's baby. This is going to be quite some performance — I wouldn't miss it for the world! 

As soon as he returned he was glued to the tv, watching coverage of the Philae Lander on the Rosetta Mission — he is as excited by this as I was by the Apollo Moon Mission in the '60s! 

Commentators keep saying that Philae is 'the size of a washing machine' so Wilson plans to convert his tumble-dryer into a make-believe Comet Lander as soon as he's finished watching the tv coverage.


12/11/2014

We're All Going on a Winter Holiday. Apparently.

This is about this time of year when Wilson usually considers hibernating. Hibernation is not natural for tamanduas, but he often gives it a try so as to miss the worst (ie most boring bit) of the winter.

However, he told me he won't be attempting hibernation this year because he's so excited about our Winter Holiday.

I'm obviously not going to wriggle out of this, so I'd better help him choose where we'll go.

When I say 'help him choose' I mean, of course, 'help him choose somewhere not too expensive!'

And I'd better do it before he starts ordering himself ski goggles on-line…


11/11/2014

OCD

It's ironic that, since Wilson's WASTE* clocks were designed to save time by not requiring adjustment for Daylight Saving, he spends so much time adjusting them — he just can't rest unless both clocks show EXACTLY the same time, down to the second, and is constantly in the hall fine-tuning them. 

Things are made more difficult for him by not knowing which, if either, one is precisely correct!

Perhaps OCD what happens when you are delivered with Metallica as your Birthing Music. 

And also your Conceiving Music, apparently...
_____________________________________
*
Winter And Summer Timekeeping Equipment


10/11/2014

Wilson explains the mystery

As we drove home Wilson explained that the message on the Polaroid had actually been written by Ms Jenny, to Colin's dictation. As many of W's friends had suggested.

'People may say I'm paranoid,' he continued, 'but once someone said that Colin was being used as a dishcloth, I just had to see for myself that he was safe! I didn't mention the 'dishcloth' thing to him, though — there's no sense in worrying him unnecessarily.'

We drove in silence for a few minutes before he added, 'Say what you like, though — that child is not eating enough ants! Tomorrow I'll see what I can spare and I might put a food parcel together…'


09/11/2014

Wilson learns Colin's fate...

Wilson whispered to me that he was going to take the bull by the horns and find out once-and-for-all what had happened to Colin. Before I could react, he coughed and said, 'Excuse me, Ms Jenny, but where's Colin?'

'Oh, he's upstairs in the nursery playing with his friends!' she replied. 'I'll go and get him — he'll be so pleased to see you!'

A moment later she returned with Colin the putative camel and handed him to Wilson, who said, 'I just need a word with him in private!' and left the room. 

After a few minutes they returned, with W visibly more relaxed.

He came over to me and whispered into my ear, 'Everything is okay! I'll explain on the drive home.'

Then he handed Colin to Baby William, observing, 'Baby William has very nice slippers! They remind me of my Wellington boots that look like fire engines!' 

Ms Jenny asked W whether he'd like to hold Baby William, and before he could object the baby was laid in his lap.

'Oh!' W exclaimed. 'Oh my!' Then after a short pause, 'Baby William appears to have been a bit sick on me!'