The Rooftops of London and the Rooftops of Pleasant Grove

Hello Troops,
I saw Mary Poppins when it came out in the early 1960's. I loved the movie then and love it still.

Do you remember Bert singing Chim chim-in-ey, chim chim-in-ey Chim chim cher-oo? Here are two verses from the song.

I choose me bristles with pride, yes, I do

A broom for the shaft and a brush for the flute

Up where the smoke is all billered and curled

'Tween pavement and stars is the chimney sweep world

When there's 'ardly no day nor 'ardly no night

There's things 'alf in shadow and 'alfway in light

On the rooftops of London coo, what a sight!

Chim chim-in-ey, chim chim-in-ey

Chim chim cher-ee!

When you're with a sweep you're in glad company

Nowhere is there a more 'appier crew

Than them wot sings, "Chim chim cher-ee, chim cher-oo!"

On the rootops of London..

Chim chim cher-oo!

In the movie, Bert was a Chimney Sweep and a good friend of Mary. Now, you're wondering why I'm writing about a character from Mary Poppins. Well, Bert and I have something in common. We spend a part of our working days on rooftops. Bert enjoys birds eye views of London and I do the same for Pleasant Grove.

Every day I ascend Heaven's Ladder located in the 4th Grade Hallway Custodian's Closet and trek across the roof of Central Elementary to do one of the duties required of me as Space Center Director. Can you guess what that is? Am I......

1. Venturing to the rooftop to do astronomical observations?

2. Venturing to the rooftop to do astrological observations?

3. Venturing to the rooftop to signal extraterrestrials with one of our EverReady Flashlights?

4. Finding a good place to "End it All?"

5. Looking for the only place where I can find peace and quiet?

6. Resetting the rooftop air conditioner that cools the Gym?

If you said #6 then YOU ARE CORRECT!

Every day I open the gym doors to feel the exiting air and most days I find it isn't being cooled. The air conditioner has a mind of its own and needs to be switched off and on for the compressor to work correctly. We go through this every summer. We put in maintenance work orders, the problem gets fixed sometime in the Fall and then it reappears in the summer.

The air conditioner is located on the school's roof. To access the roof I unlock the Custodian's Closet, move the carpet shampooing machine and tread carefully up the worn yellow ladder leading to the rooftop.

I'm in a different world up there. I see the blue sky, trees, clouds and people going about their day to day business completely unaware of me peering down at them from behind an air conditioner.

I scale another ladder to the gym's roof, the highest point of the school. I switch the conditioner off and give it a minute or two to reset. That gives me time to take a walk around the gym's perimeter.

Today I had to check the Discovery Room's air conditioner. At 4:00 P.M. the room started heating up. The Air Conditioner wasn't cooling. While I was up on the roof I discovered the Utah Power and Light Auto Switcher displayed a red LCD light.

That meant the compressor was shut down automatically as part of the power company's program to conserve power and prevent black outs. The air conditioner came on while I was checking it out. That problem was solved.

Before descending I take a moment and enjoy the view.

I switch the gym conditioner on, descend the ladder, then reenter the school through the hatchway. Back I go into my underground world of space and simulations, locking the hatch above me.


So, Chim Chim Cher-ee and Cheerio.....

Mr. Williamson

Another Space Center Milestone....

Kade's Rank Paper. Our First 21st Century Camper!

Hello Troops,

It happened two weeks ago. A young man walked up to my desk during Overnight Camp Sign In's and presented his Rank Paper.

"Is your name spelled correctly?" I asked.

He looked at the spelling of his name and replied, "Yes."

"Staying overnight or going home?" I asked as I went through my checklist of questions. "Overnight," he said.

I gave him the Rules Paper and directed him to take a seat on the stage steps. That's when I noticed something about his paper I'd never seen before. This young man, Kade, was the very first student from this new century to attend one of our camps.

Last year I saw my first camper with a birthday of 2000. But the year 2000 was the last year of the 20th Century. Kade, was our very very first camper born in the 21st Century.

It's just one of those interesting milestones I thought I'd share with you.

Simply,

Mr. Williamson

Recent News from the Space Education Center.

Hello Troops,

It's Time for News!

What you are about to see are uncensored, candid snapshots of the wildlife roaming freely at the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center and Wild Game Preserve located near beautiful downtown Pleasant Grove, Utah (Just up and down a few blocks from the world renown Purple Turtle Fast Food Emporium - home of the Over the Top Shakes!) Please read this post in a quiet room. Sudden and / or loud noises can disturb the animals. Some frighten easily and once frightened, become unpredictable.

Photo 1: Alex the Pious stands with Chelsey. Alex is humbled at Chelsey's accomplishment of obtaining her promotion pin for passing the Voyager's stations. Chelsey smiles embarrassingly after seeing a tear of joy streaming down Alex's left cheek.

"What a turd," she was hear mumbling as she returned to her seat.

Photo 2: Stacy of Lehi awards the Knighthood of Galileo Pin to Julie of the North and Alex the Pious.

"How can one contain the flood of emotion that comes from being so honored?" Alex was overhead saying near the drinking fountain afterwards.

After receiving her honor, Julie was seen erasing the names of younger volunteers from the staff working schedule posted in the hallway near the Briefing Room. She wrote her name in their place.

"You do what it takes to move ahead in any organization?" she confessed.

Photo 3: Mr. Williamson, wearing his chains of office, congratulating Chelsey on her Voyager Award. He seems in good spirits - which is unusual for him, especially after an Overnight Camp.

There are rumors Mr. Williamson was seen smiling at WalMart last week. The cause for his obscene behaviour is unknown.

"I don't know what you're talking about," was his response to a question put to him on the matter.

Photo 4: In this snapshot we see Emily of the Red bestowing the Honors of the Voyager to Julie of the North (Julie got her Voyager pass). Don't let Julie's cheer fool you. Her smile is directed to all the little volunteers crushed during her meteoric rise to Space Center Stardom.

Emily is a Space Center EMT and Flight Director. She thrives on the thrill of story and 'Blood and Guts'. This pictures captures the moment just before Emily pushed the pin deeply into Julie's unsuspecting chest. Blood was drawn.

"An Accident?" you ask.

"Doubtful" is this witness' response. Emily gets her first aid practice anyway she can.

Photo 5: This is Jace, recently returned from the Utah Summer Games where he won two gold medals in some for of martial arts. I can't remember exactly...... perhaps it was French Feet Fighting. No, I believe it was Ty Quon Do (the spelling is hopeless but at 9:16 P.M. I can't be expected to do anything right). Jace was promoted to Space Center Rule Enforcer after demonstrating his Black Belt skills on two thirsty eleven year olds who took too long at the drinking fountain during a summer camp crew rotation. Many volunteers where shocked at the brutality. Emily was delighted. She arrived twenty seconds later with full First Aid Kit in hand. I'm happy to report the two younglings are recuperating well and pledged not to take more than fifteen seconds at the fountain each.

Any ten year old that gets out of hand will feel Jace's swift and precise hand. A slice, a dice and a well placed kick and these younglings will be marching in step with a smile on their face.

Excellent Work Jace!

Photo 6: This is Josh receiving his Odyssey Pin from Emily of the Red. Does he seem worried? Does he seem concerned? Josh asked that Emily not put the pin on the Lanyard. He accepted the pin in hand.

Photo 7. Emily of the Red seconds before drawing blood from soon be be screaming Connor L. Connor earned an Odyssey Pass. The piercing caused Connor to lose his footing and strike his head on the "Lord of the Votes" trophy behind him. He went home that day with his head wrapped in twelve layers of bandages. Emily succeed in protecting his airway but forgot to leave his eyes unwrapped. He stumbled out to meet his parents and missed the curb. It was a nasty spill, too gruesome to describe.

Photo 8: In this photo you see (Left to Right) Brittney, Aleta, Mr. Williamson, Nate E. Marissa B, and a mysterious youngling that remains unidentified. It was the end of the Overnight Camp. The staff gathered to wish them a happy birthday. Mr. Williamson was forced to surrender the cake so everyone could have a piece. He wasn't amused. He ordered Mrs. Houston to cut the cake into one inch squares. He took what was left home.

"Isn't it all about me?" he said in his defense when denying second helpings to the hungry staff and volunteers.

Photo 8: This is Happy Kyle standing next to the Galileo. Don't confuse Happy Kyle with the Confused Kyle "The Fish" Herring . Happy Kyle is the Center's All Around Handy Man. He stands proudly next to the new Air Intakes he recently installed on both sides of the new simulator.

We call him Happy Kyle because of his attitude. No one has ever seen him really angry. The closest thing to "getting angry" was a moment of upset a few months ago when he messed up a telephone order for aluminum.

"Darn It!" he was heard saying as he hung up the phone. He quickly apologized to everyone present for his emotional outburst and enrolled in Anger Anonymous. He attends religiously.

And that's All the News for Tonight Troops.

All the Best!