July 11, 2026
Good morning!
It’s Saturday. We’re starting the day with the world’s smallest slice of pie, because we have a lot to celebrate today. It’s the 64th anniversary of the first transatlantic satellite television transmission, the 66th birthday of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, and the something-somethingth birthday of my very own mother.
It’s also the day that, 47 years ago, America’s first space station, Skylab, clumsily disintegrated while making its reentry. (Don’t worry, nobody was hurt.) Why do I mention that random fact? Because the man responsible for three crucial pieces of equipment on Skylab’s telescope mount was busy celebrating his daughter’s birthday—his daughter being my mother.
“Everything is interwoven, and the web is holy; none of its parts are unconnected. They are composed harmoniously, and together they compose the world.”
—Marcus Aurelius
Spinning ever onwards,
Clara
Wow! I remember having a Skylab party with my best college friend while waiting for Skylab to fall on us. There may have been alcohol involved.
Happy Birthday to Clara's mom! My mom's birthday today too: she's 99 and going strong. Let's celebrate the Elders!
And wow - That story about Skylab and your mom's long-ago birthday - we are all connected, for sure!