So… about last night’s craft project? I gathered my materials. I scooped more ice cream. And then I realized my batting was too small and would have to be pieced, which pretty much derailed the whole project right there. (If you don’t know what batting and piecing are, DON’T WORRY. I wish I didn’t either.) So… more craftiness tonight! Maybe.

In order to avoid my craft failure In a regularly-scheduled outing, we spent today at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. We’d never been before, and ohmygoodness did you know they have the Command Module from Apollo 9? The actual command module? The real one that was IN OUTER SPACE? Ohmygosh it was so cool. (Thing 1: How would you even know that? Of course you didn’t know that. But now you do, and wouldn’t that be cool to see? Thing 2: Possibly I am secretly a nine year old. Possibly normal non-astronaut grownups do not get excited about command modules, I do not know.)

In addition to the command module (yes! there’s more!) they’re having an exhibit on Leonardo da Vinci right now, with models of lots of his inventions. Dane and I wandered around saying to each other, Did you know he invented the chain? Did you know he invented the tank? Did you know he invented deep-sea diving? And the bicycle? And the helicopter, though the necessary engine wouldn’t be built for another 400 years? And then we would lift the children up to take turns cranking gears, or sit on the floor to help them build moveable bridges.

Here they are testing a variety of pulleys.

Sadie can lift a ten-pound bag using a pulley system while I look on in wonder.

Even if the flash does make us look sort of washed-out.

I found myself wondering what da Vinci’s life was like. Was he ever sleep-deprived? Was he ALWAYS sleep-deprived? Was he constantly stressed out about his obligations to his patrons, or did he not waste his energy thinking about such things? Was his brain just as cluttered with the everydayness of life as the next person’s? I overheard someone else at the museum mention that da Vinci never married. No wonder, she said. He didn’t have time for a woman. And then she raised her eyebrows as if to say, Am I right?

I’ve been thinking about that all day. Are some of us too busy with people and things—and laundry and dishes and shoe shopping—to invent the hovercraft or the invisibility cloak or whatever the heck else needs inventing? Do we lose our creativity and ingenuity to the everyday, to our routines and relationships? I don’t know. Obviously I think the relationships are worth such a sacrifice; the routines, I’m less convinced. Still, we need clean socks every once in a while.

But maybe—maybe—maybe she was wrong. Maybe relationships have the potential to enhance creativity, helping us to see new perspectives and providing insight we couldn’t gain in other ways. I would like to think that’s possible. Even if I haven’t invented the catapult lately. What do you think?