Flat Stanley

He's HOME!

2006-05-17T18:08:00.000+01:00

Flat Stanley had a wonderful journey and he was ever so grateful to all the wonderful people he met and especially to Sara, Mommio, Patty and Susan for all the extra care they took with him. He's happy to be home with his main girl now though, after touring the world with several beautiful women!
He'll be making his way to Mrs. O's 1st grade classroom shortly!

-Shannon

Anything else wanted or needed

2006-05-05T23:05:00.000+01:00

Hey Miss B,

Do you have any other questions about where FS has been or what he's done?

Are there enough photos?

Let me know.

Love
Ra & FS xxoo

Final day in London

2006-05-05T14:37:00.000+01:00

So today was my last day in London, Sara helped me pack all my stuff & is addressing the parcel now as I write to you. I'm very sad to go, but super excited to be back in Saranac. Sara promised you'll read me the French animal book & the Irish folk stories when they arrive.

Here I am enjoying the sun, while Sara is packing up my parcel to go home. Here I am enjoying a little snack before I jump into the parcel & get ready to fly home to see you Miss B :) Here I am with the cool souvenirs I'm bringing with me - map of Toulouse, Tube Map from London, my plane tickets, and a French book on animals!

Well I better get going so she can head to the post & mail me off. See you soon xxoo

Last few days in London

2006-05-04T15:30:00.000+01:00

So the last few days have been very hectic for Sara at uni, so I've been sitting at home reading about the many cool places in London that could we could visit when Barrett & I go traveling next.

Here are some photos of the cool places, taken by Sara a year ago when she came to visit London for the first time ever!

Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace

Horse Guard just down the street from Downing Street (where the Prime Minister lives)

The London Eye, from one of the pods (on a clear day) you can see for miles.

Blackfriar's Bridge (very beautifully painted)

The ever famous, Big Ben

Toulouse France in review

2006-05-01T22:15:00.000+01:00

Patty, FS, Susan in the king size bed at the Crowne Plaza in Toulouse, France FS in the bidet at the hotel with his shower cap on - isn't he cute!?!?!?

A duck, which in French is un canard

local street signs Sara, FS, Patty in the public gardens - enjoying the beautiful pond & cute little houseFS posing like the statue in the public gardens AirBus A380 plane (double decker plane - note the HUGE engines)

Flat Stanley with new French friend (can't remember his name right now) Susan, FS, and Patty at the enterance to the Japanese gardensSara & FS on the bridge of the Japanese gardens (tons of goldfish in the water, just hard to see from the photo) flags from left to right are European Union (blue with gold stars), French flag (blue, white and red), and finally the local county flag for Midi Pyrenees (red with gold markings)

Where are these countries we've visited??

2006-04-29T20:58:00.000+01:00

So where in Europe are Ireland, France and England you might ask?

Well here is a map of Europe:

Toulouse, France

2006-04-27T22:04:00.000+01:00

Here is a little info about where we're going this coming weekend - of course the photos will follow later!!
Toulouse is the fourth largest city in France, after Paris, Marseille and Lyon. It is a city in southwest France on the banks of the Garonne River, it is the capital of the Midi-Pyrénées region, half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea with close to 1.1 million residents. Toulouse's metropolitan area is the second largest in southern France & one of the fastest growing in Europe. It is the home base of the European aerospace industry, it is well known for some remarkable monuments and some worldwide famous products and companies (Concorde & Aerospatiale) hosts the headquarters of Airbus S.A.S.

The warm glow of red bricks and tiles gives Toulouse its nickname, "La ville rose" (the rose red city).

Sport is a tradition here, especially rugby, Toulouse being the head city for this sport in France.

back dated post

2006-04-27T13:40:00.000+01:00

I added in some facts about Portland, Oregon, which I'd forgotten to add awhile back but I back dated it so please look for April 14th
Cheers,
Ra xx

Baking

2006-04-25T23:48:00.000+01:00

I've started back in classes this week so FS hasn't had much to do but sit in lecture halls and listen about parasites. Flat Stanley wanted to do something "fun" before we left for France and since Susan is going with us I decided to introduce them. So Susan & I walked home from our university today & had dinner of left over lasagna (from last night's dinner with my mom). When we were done eating FS made us some brownies from scratch - they were delish!! Here are some photos of dinner, cooking & the completed master piece.

This Saturday we (Susan, FS & I) head off to visit my sister, Patty, in Toulouse, France. Patty works for Pratt & Whitney as a test engineer. They are working on the AirBus A-380 engine (for the huge double decker plane). Will write more when we get back from that adventure!

Today's weather was cloudy but the temperature has been warmer than last week, it got up to 62F today :) Hopefully the weather in France will be even a bit warmer!

Miss you Barrett & Shann!! xxoo

Flat Stanley & Susan eating homemade lasagna, garlic bread & broccoli
Flat Stanley organizing brownie ingredients
Flat Stanley & Sara making brownies from scratch
Flat Stanley showing off his master piece of brownies

Ireland facts

2006-04-24T08:21:00.000+01:00

Ireland is in Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain, it's geographic coordinates are 53 00 N, 8 00 W, the island is slightly larger than the state of West Virginia. The Emerald Isle is one of the largest islands in the world. It is located west of Great Britain. Heavy rain creates the lush, fertile, green land. Several lakes and rivers reside in Ireland; the longest river is the Shannon.

It's capital is Dublin. Dublin has a river that divides it in half, it is called the Liffe River.

It's weather is mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time.

It's population is about 4,062,235, of which 88.4% are Roman Catholic.

They primarily speak English but, Irish (Gaelic) can be heard spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard.

They're national holiday is Saint Patrick's Day on 17 March.

They have a female president named President Mary Mcaleese.

The Shamrock is the national flower of Ireland. The word shamrock comes from the Gaelic word seamrog, which means "trefoil" or "little clover". The shamrock has the ability to foretell the future: when it is about to rain the leaves turn upwards. The lucky four leafed clover is difficult to find because it is actually a genetic abnormality that causes the fourth leaf.

They're flag is three equal vertical bands of green, white, and orange.

Trip to Ireland

2006-04-22T01:43:00.000+01:00

So here are a few photos - will write more details later . . .

FS getting ready for bed the first night in our room in Dublin (Aston Hotel in Temple Bar)

FS having a Cornish pasty for breakfast in Dublin, while waiting for the train to Killarney

Sara & FS having a snack & playing crossword puzzles on the train from Dublin to Killarney (3 hour trip)

1st trip

2006-04-18T17:01:00.000+01:00

FS arrived safely in Ireland yesterday :) Don't worry we're getting photos but it is raining a lot and until I've got him a rain coat (aka laminated) I'm not allowing him in photos or he'd be drown in no time at all. Mum & I took a quick trip around Killarney today (in the rain) in a horse drawn carriage :)

Hope all is well in Saranac!! Oh, FS bought a book on Irish tails which mum will mail to you when she gets back to the states!!

UK Facts

2006-04-16T11:58:00.000+01:00

The UK is slightly smaller than Oregon. It is made up of 4 countries, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. I have circled them on this map (sorry it's so small!)

It has a population of about 60,609,153. The landscape is mostly rugged hills and low mountains. It is considered to have a temperate climate; more than one-half of the days are overcast.

In London, we don't get much of any snow in the winter time. The average temperature this past winter was about 35F.

The UK is on Grenwich Mean Time (5 hours ahead of NY State)

Government is very different than the US in that they have a Chief of State, who is Queen Elizabeth II, since 1952. They're head of government is Prime Minister Tony Blair, since 1997.

London, which is the capital of England and the UK, it is the worlds 9th largest city, it is situated on the banks of the River Thames. London is made up of two ancient cities, which are now joined together, the City of London primarily the business district and City of Westminster with parliament and gov't offices & Buckingham Palace (where the Royal family resides)

Other interesting facts about this city:
London is the biggest city in Britain and in Europe.
London has a population of 7,172,036
London is in the southeast of England.
London was the first city in the world to have an underground railway, known as the 'Tube'.

Most school in England require children to wear a school uniform. The uniform for boys is long grey or black trousers (shorts may be worn in the Summer), white shirt and school tie, jumper or sweater with the school logo on it. (the colour is the choice of the school) and black shoes. The girls can wear the same as above except with skirts.

Games they play at school:
Skipping is probably the most popular game in the playground at the moment: Double Dutch, Pretzel, Stalk, Can-can and Double skipping!!! (Skipping is Jumping Rope)

Flight to London

2006-04-16T10:55:00.000+01:00

On the way to London, FS got a little nervous since he'd never been on a plane before, so my mum held his hand & reassured him it would all be okay.

Plane

2006-04-16T02:36:00.000+01:00

Here is the layout of the plane that FS & mum flew over in earlier today - after they finally found a plane that wasn't broken that is! It's a McDonnell Douglas DC 10-30, it has a cruising speed of about 550 mph and can hold 273 people, it has 3 jet engines, one on each wing & one on the tail (see photos below).

Here are a few photos of a DC10-30:

taxiing down the runway

taking off flying :)

Flight delayed

2006-04-16T01:36:00.000+01:00

FS & my mum are currently stuck in Minneapolis, MN because the plane they were taking was having hydraulic pressure problems, so they're going to find a new plane & hopefully be on their way within the next 1.5 hours.

So now instead of arriving in London at 9am they should be arriving at half 10. Will keep ya posted . . .

Packing for London

2006-04-14T20:50:00.000+01:00

So Flat Stanley (FS) made it back to my mum's house in Portland.
He's been helping mum pack, see photos below:

FS safely at mum's house in Portland

FS helping mum put the last of her packing together.

FS waving good-bye now that everything is packed :)

First "flight"

2006-04-14T19:29:00.000+01:00

So Barrett's Flat Stanley (FS) made his first "flight" today from Saranac Lake, New York to Portland, Oregon. Luckily he made it safe & sound. Grant (the guy who worked at the UPS store) retrieved him safely & soundly.

Now FS is off to help my mum finish packing before they get on the plane to come to London to see me :-) I'm very excited for FS arrival. We've got a busy few weeks ahead of us - hope he's up for it!!

Tentative plans:

17-21 April, trip to Ireland

6-7 May, trip to Toulouse, France

19-20 May, trip to Berlin, Germany

Well that's all for now.

Portland, Oregon Facts

2006-04-14T13:24:00.000+01:00

The poplulation of Portland, OR is 538,180 and it's elevation is 173 feet above sea level.

It is located at longitude 40 miles east of the 122nd meridian west and latitude 30 miles north of the 45th parallel north.

It is 78 miles east of the Pacific Ocean.

The average temperature is winter is 34° (January) and about 80° during the summer (July).

On average it gets 37" of percipitation a year, which is less than Atlanta, Baltimore, Houston or Seattle).

The local newspaper is called The Oregonian (daily), The Portland Tribune (semiweekly), and the Willamette Week (weekly).

All of Oregon is on Pacific Standard Time.

The speed limit is 55 miles per hour on most highways. Where posted, the freeway speed limit is 65. Oregon law calls for drivers and passengers to buckle up for safety in both the front and back seats.

The biography of "Flat Stanley"

2006-04-13T16:58:00.000+01:00

I found this description of the Flat Stanley project online. Barrett's class read "FLAT STANLEY" by Jeff Brown in school.
Now, she is doing what loads of other children have done all around the world, since Flat Stanley was introduced. Although I have to say, Sara, Mommio, and I are having just as much fun. But we don't get the fun of dressing him!!! That sounds like the best part. Maybe he should get a beret from France, Sara! And an Arsenal jersey like Barrett's!!!

"This book is about a young boy named Stanley who is accidentally squished "as flat as a pancake" when a bulletin board falls on him. Stanley is very, very flat but otherwise fine. The story goes on to tell how Stanley discovers some real advantages to being flat. He can slide under doors, go down into sidewalk grates, and even fold himself up small enough to fit into an envelope and be mailed to California (from a city far away in the USA) for an exciting vacation.

We send out plain paper dolls that we call FLAT STANLEYS, and we send them off to visit cities all over America and the World. The person who gets a FLAT STANLEY "decorates" him. FLAT STANLEY is "dressed" (using crayons, markers, paints, and sometimes fabric!) in clothes that he might wear to reflect the climate and / or activities FLAT STANLEY might see or do there. We also send out a questionnaire so that we can find out what FLAT STANLEY saw or did in that faraway city, what the climate is like, the distance between that city and ours, and some interesting facts about that city. Then that lucky person sends those facts back to us with the newly dressed FLAT STANLEY!"
Found at: www.pleasanton.k12.ca.us/valley_view/second/wolfe/stanley.html