Busy Sunday, too...

We picked Kris up from the birthday party thsi morning and then went to church. No Sunday school today. This afternoon the Bradley Chemistry Department had its picnic. We launched a rocket, ate a lot, and played games. Andrew Bosma brought a water balloon launcher and I volunteered to be a target. It was pretty easy talking trash to the shooters, because for a while the could not hit the broad side of a barn, but in the end they got me really good and it looked like I wet my pants! Karen and Kris had to leave early so she could get a prize for their participation in the Science Treasure Hunt this past summer (they went to lots of cool places). Then Karen and I went to a faculty social in downtown Peoria (I changed clothes). Looking down from the 25th floor of the building we were in, we could see that the floodwaters have retreated significantly. Apparently the water reached nearly to the orange traffic cones not far behind behind the wall that says "Mountains Move".

Things we did today

This morning Kris and I launched a little model rocket at Bradley Park. It was fun. Afterward, we wandered into the Illinois Arborist Tree Climbing Competition at the park, with lots of people in harnesses and climbing gear competing at tree climbing, tree trimming, and rescuing (pretend) injured climbers. (That picture of the climber IS right side up.) Later all 3 of us made zucchini baked goods and processed pumpkins (we still have more on the way). Kris went to a sleepover birthday party, and Karen and I had dinner across the river. Tonight we are watching the movie of the musical "Hair". It is bizzare to still remember the words to "Good Morning Starshine" from Mrs. Pischke's grade school music class. It is also odd to see Beverly D'Angelo, whom Karen recognized as the Griswold mother in the "Vacation" movies, running around topless (and the DVD is rated PG?).

Events tonight

Kris went to a birthday party tonight at a roller skating rink in Pekin. While Karen and I were killing time in Pekin we went to Mineral Springs Park and walked around the lagoon (and were panhandled by ducks) and played miniature golf. I like Pekin's park system.

Regarding Robert Randolph

Many months ago I was watching Austin City Limits, and they had this act named Robert Randolph and the Family Band. I was very impressed. I had never known that a pedal steel guitar could be made to "rock", and rock well; I thought it could only made to twang in country songs. Anyway, I recently found that he has helped out on a Third Day song "Otherside". The recorded version of the song is at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVSoZ5xkT8c and some concert footage of Otherside featuring Randolph is at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY6phIP0JNQ&feature=related

Oh yeah, I should post a pic, too. Here is one of a couple moths from a couple days ago.

Last soccer game of the season

Kris's soccer team lost in the first round of the tournament, but she took it pretty well.

Busy day

Karen and I presented a two-hour workshop about science activities to early childhood teachers. We think it went well. Later in the day I drove back down the river to take another look at the flooding - it had risen a bit more. The river crested at 11:30 last night just shy of the 5th place record, but even this 6th place level had not been seen since the 1980s. One picture shows the riverfront from the new shoreline, the other shows Hole 1 on a golf course by the river now as its own island. Talk about a water hazard. Kris played her last regular season soccer game today. Another loss (a close one), giving her team one win this season. Afterward her team went to a local pizza place for dinner. Her team's first game of their soccer tournament is Monday evening.

Dewy pix from a couple days ago