Wanna Be On A Tight Budget!!!

To understand the reason for the title of the blog post, you'll have to scroll through the pictures and get to the last few.

I attended the Shelburne Museum Hot Air Balloon Festival. The weather was great, the crowd sparse due to so many activities going on in the area including a Kelley Clarkson concert.

Notice the center flap. As the balloon is inflating the velcro strips will connect with each other, thus allowing the balloon to life. When it is time to drop in altitude, the cords on the inside will be pulled thus separating the velcro again.

Now, you must give this guy credit. He's on a tight budget and a "wannabe balloonist". Nothing colorful about his balloon but he is still having fun in spite of the fact that he's having a heck of a time inflating it.

He's either a purist, a daredevil or whatever as he does not have the usual "basket" for liftoff. He merely has a harness. Reminds me of the scene from the movie "Back To The Future".

These pictures were taken last Friday night. On Monday morning, one of the balloons crashed at a nearby mall. Occupants had minor injuries.

On Tuesday evening I had the bajebies (sp?) scared out of me when a balloon was over my apartment building and appeared as if it was going to crash. It cleared the rooftoop by less than 10 feet. Cell phone in hand and in my driveway, I went running in the opposite direction. They smiled and waved to me as they were finally able to gain altitude.

Too close for comfort for me.

I'm coming along on the shawl knitting. Target date for completion is September 20th so I can wear it to the first knitting class of the season that I am teaching. Pictures coming soon.