Living Without School: Messing about with cigarette lighters

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Messing about with cigarette lighters

I always loved that line in Wind in the Willows ~ messing about with boats.

Today we messed about with cigarette lighters. All in the name of Science, of course.

We looked at the properties of butane and similar low molecular gases. What happens at different pressures. From "Teaching Chemistry with Toys".

Now, my kids all like fire - Anthony loves lighting or holding candles in Mass, for example. Just for the attraction of the fire. This attraction of fire meant that today's Science experiment was prolonged. Who could resist a few extra attempts at the cigarette lighter experiment?

Tonight we are celebrating the Feast of St Gerard Majella - my dh's name is Gerard, after St Gerard. And Gerard is one of Alexander's middle names - Gerry and I prayed a novena to St Gerard in 1990, asking for his intercession re our desire for another child. Alexander was born in 1991. :-)

Alexander and I bought a Turkish Delight Cheesecake, as part of our celebration. To go with the paella, in honour of St Teresa of Avila.

I hope St Gerard would approve...

7 comments:

Mary G said...: Sounds like an excellent menu .... what exactly is a "turkish delight" cheesecake?

And I LOVE the science idea ....; 10:45 pm
Anonymous said...: I am sure St. Gerard would approve :o); 7:39 am
Leonie said...: Cheesecakes from the Cheesecake Shop; 7:48 am
Cindy said...: Fun! I am sure you have heard me tell of how Bryan got a Fire Box for his birthday when he was about 7? He loved fire.. as you spoke of so I bought matches, candles, little dishes to set it in, etc... and gave it to him. He could play all he wanted ONLY when I was with him. (In hte past I would allow him to light a candle and he would want to play and I never had time to watch blah blah blah..)

He played to his heart's content and then was not begging so much every time we lit a candle. I think it satiated him!

Enjoy and thanks for posting. You are so good about keeping up and sharing!; 9:33 pm
Leonie said...: I love Bryan's fire sory! Luke was alwys setting fire to things and having fires in our backyards, when he was young.; 9:54 pm
Anonymous said...: Hey Leonie - there are some cool science exp. dealing with fire at:
http://www.krampf.com/experiment_vid.html

I sent you one of them in a pem :-); 1:48 am
Leonie said...: Hey, thanks!; 11:22 am

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Prayer of Consecration of St. Maximilian Kolbe

O Immaculata, Queen of Heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to thee. I, N___, a repentant sinner, cast myself at thy feet humbly imploring thee to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to thyself as thy possession and property. Please make of me, of all my powers of soul and body, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases thee. If it pleases thee, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of thee: "She will crush your head," and, "Thou alone have destroyed all heresies in the whole world."

Let me be a fit instrument in thine Immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed Kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. For wherever thou enters, one obtains the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through thy hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

V. Allow me to praise thee O Sacred Virgin.
R. Give me strength against thy enemies.

Prayer of St Bonaventure

Pierce, O most Sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, with true, serene, and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with love and longing for Thee, that it may yearn for Thee and faint for Thy courts, and long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the bread of angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and supersubstantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delight of taste; let my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, upon whom the angels desire to look, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst after Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the richness of the house of God.May it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, attain Thee, meditate upon Thee, speak of Thee, and do all things to the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, and with perseverance unto the end.May Thou alone be ever my hope, my entire assurance, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my fragrance, my sweet savor, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession and my treasure, in whom may my mind and my heart be fixed and firmly rooted immovably henceforth and for ever. Amen.