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

Flooding in Peoria

Stopped by downtown Peoria this morning to see the still-rising floodwaters along the Illinois River. Note the top of the green riverfront railing above the water. The crest is predicted to be on Saturday and to be the 5th highest historical level. See http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=ilx&gage=piai2&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1 for a very thorough analysis.

Ike passes through

The remnants of hurricane Ike passed overhead today, adding more rain. The good news is that it passed faster and dropped less rain than anticipated. We got about nine inches total since Thursday. The paint job on the house and the extra downspout on the house did well. Kickapoo Creek Road was closed in some areas, but the Farmington Road bridge stayed open. We had our parish picnic today (indoors) and pigged out on on pork chop sandwiches (popular around here) and other food. After we got home, Kris had another picnic with her stuffed animals.

Goooooooooaaaaaaaaal!

For the first time, I finally got to see Kris score a soccer goal today - her first of the year, and the third of the game. I do not have a picture of the actual event (too busy just watching) but here is a picture of Kris early on in the drive to the goal. Alas, it was still a 3-4 loss, so the team has still only had one win. Note the water, water everywhere. We were pretty sure the game was going to get cancelled in the heavy rain, but there was no lightning at the time. We were all soaked, but at least Karen and I had umbrellas. Other soccer pix include the team praying after the game. Still another pic is of Kris dressed like a cowgirl for class last Friday.

I think we have gotten maybe 7 inches of rain since Thursday night, and the remnants of Hurricane Ike do not even arrive until tomorrow. Karen and I drove home at about 10 pm last night and it was some of the heaviest I have seen. There was a tornado warning at about 11 pm; the sirens went off but I don't think anything touched down. This morning I saw a fair amount of gravel washed onto the streets from people's driveways. Local flooding is occurring - this evening there is a trailer court by the river being evacuated by boat. On the plus side the grass is very green - usually September is a pretty dry month.

First day of Sunday School

Today is the first day of Sunday School at St. Anthony's Catholic Church. Karen is the lead teacher for the kindergarten class, Kris and I are her helpers. Some funny moments from the seven kids who were there today (out of ten):

1) Karen is hitting a serious moment, talking about how the Bible is God's Word and so on. A kid raises his hand, fumbles around when called upon, and eventually says from out of nowhere "I have an eye patch [at home]"

2) Karen is trying to get the kids to say the word "sky":

"Where do birds live?"
"Nests."

"Um, OK. Where do they fly?"

"South."

I guess we are not smarter than a kindergartener.

All in all it was a good class, and Kris's 4th grade class went well, too. I have attached a picture of a bee in a hosta flower.

More demo pix

A local 4-H group hosted a Science Sleepover last night, in which 4th-6th grade girls did science experiments in the evening, slept on campus, and then attended a demo show this morning. Since I was involved with this morning's program, I got Kris and her friend Bethany into the sleepover. I opted to minimize my contact with the audience; rather, I tried to get female demonstrators to lead the show as much possible so the girls saw women doing the chemistry. The demonstrators did well. It is hard to take pictures in the demo room, but here are a couple.

Rainy day

We set a record for rainfall for this date in Peoria. As the picture shows, the remnants of Hurricane Gustav dropped between 3.5 and 4 inches in our gauges. Kris's soccer game for tonight was cancelled.


We had a wet June, at something like 1.5 inches above normal, but the 5th driest August ever, at 2 inches below normal. The summer seemed so cool (8 days above 90) that I did not notice.

A Win!

Kris's soccer team pounded on the opposition tonight, 7-1.

The end of August

Pix from yesterday: Karen and Kris drawing and reading, respectively, and a sunset at a free Aaron Shust concert at a church last night. Nice concert! The media irritates me sometimes; between going into New Orleans and focusing on those who are staying and also making such a big deal out of Palin's grandchild...

I suppose that I could just turn the TV off.