all of California, look up tonight at 19:25

The shuttle just launched and will be docking with ISS soon. Right now California has favorable geometry for seeing ISS passes in the evenings. Tonight should be really good, look (and adjust for your location as necessary).

Shuttle Discovery will be harder for Heavens-Above to predict because she will be changing her orbit, but the two should be within 15 minutes of each other today and closer later until they're docked.

Remember, both spacecraft have women in command this time. It's a first.

of spacecraft, vamptessa, and witch

The girls have grown so as not to fit any previous Halloween costumes. After making dinner I suggested that we should remedy this lack. The ensuing discussion lasted through the time of the ISS pass overhead. Not to be deterred, while heading out to the car for a costume run I delayed and looked up, just in case Discovery was as far behind ISS as had been predicted. There she was, right on time, some 12 minutes behind ISS. They must be in a notably lower orbit if they expect to catch up soon. Anyhow, we waved.

Then off to the first costume store. My elder daughter found what she wanted. The costume is called "Vamptessa", and she's adding a 60-inch black wig with white stripe to complete the outfit. But there was nothing for my younger.

Second store, nothing. It was getting late, toward bed time, but as we drove home I suggested one last option, Toys 'R' Us, with the proviso that we only look at costumes. That worked. We found a suitable witch outfit. We headed home, but we did not have the accessories -- dark wand and broom. I said first things first, it is a school night.

There was time to read as well as brush and wash, so we did. As I put the younger to bed she asked if I would get the accessories. I said first things first again. After she was in bed I verified that the store was still open. I returned and said I would be getting them and laying them on the bed beside her. She went to sleep beaming.

The accessories are now on the bed next to her waiting for her to waken tomorrow.