Barrie Fest - Finally!

After Family Day at Allstate, we hightailed it back to Oak Park to catch the tail end of Barrie Fest.  Here are some scenes:

Hanging out with friends in the park, and taking pictures of their children, listening to live music being performed by a local band (the lead singer of which is also a friend), well, it was the cherry on top of a wonderful day.

Recovered!!

A very unfortunate component of life in Oak Park is the stolen bike factor.  Own a bike and live here for any length of time, and soon you, too, will have a stolen bike tale to tell.  The stories are as diverse as the people who tell them.  It's an awful feeling to have your bike stolen, and quite frankly, the bike theft issue is about the only thing that makes me want to leave Oak Park for the far-flung reaches of suburbia where, at least in my fantasy, my kids could ride their bikes all day long without worrying about having them stolen.

Late yesterday afternoon, Kelsey's bike was stolen.  She was in tears when she called to tell us.  We reported the theft to the police, especially since we'd taken the steps early on to register the bike.  We were told that most likely, our bike had been taken across the line into Chicago and "chopped."  Kelsey and Baird came home last night from the police station sad and deflated.

So imagine our surprise when the police department called this afternoon, saying they had recovered our bike!  We were thrilled to pieces!  We truly feel like this is a small miracle, and it totally made our day!

Pool Time

Every summer for the past 13 years, the 5 Ring Circus has had pool passes.  Since we live just a couple of blocks from Rehm Pool, we're usually there several days a week, for an hour or two, weather permitting.  I realized that, like 4 Square, hanging out at the pool is something that is done so frequently, I sort of take it for granted, and I have next to no pictures showing where our summer afternoons are often spent.  Today I decided to take my camera to memorialize our pool days.

Another reason I love Oak Park and Rehm Pool: within 30 minutes of arriving at the pool today, Drew ran into 17 people he knew.  I reconnected with several people I hadn't seen in awhile.  That sense of community is priceless!

Block Party 2010

I've mentioned before how much I love outdoor gatherings in the summertime. Our annual block party rates right up there as one of my favorite outdoor summer events. Even tho we live on a block that's shortened by a cul de sac at one end, there are people at the other end of the block we hardly ever see.  The block party tends to bring everyone outside for the day, and it's great to re-establish those connections.  It's also a great way to meet the new folks.  We've had four new families join our block since last fall, and they all came out for the party.
Each block party tends to reflect the personalities of those who live on the street, and ours is no different.  For years, our block party has included some sort of craft project in the day's activities.  It's obvious from the projects we've had over the years that we have artists and carpenters on our block.  One year the dads made the frame of a play house, and the kids spent the day covering it in paper mache.  The house provided hours and hours of entertainment that entire summer.  This year's project was a much smaller undertaking: building and painting small houses.  Some kids chose to make bird houses, others chose to design theirs for small dolls and stuffed animals.

Bubbles are another block tradition.

The traditional evening potluck is always a hit. Everything was so tasty, from the tamales and the potato salad to the grilled eggplant bruschetta.  All of it was homemade and just amazing.

The pinata isn't really a tradition; rather, it makes an on-again, off-again appearance. This year, it was SO on!

New this year: teenage rock band.  Kelsey's friends joined our block party and added live music and a great vibe to the dinner atmosphere.

When the band finished playing, they joined us inside for awhile to relax and cool off.  After refreshments, a game of spoons broke out in the living room.

Heads or Tails

The summer reading program at the Oak Park libraries is in full swing.  Drew's been devoting these first days of summer vacation to reading.  He's set a goal to be the first one done with the summer reading log.  He's two-thirds of the way there.  For accomplishing this milestone, the librarian asked him to pick "heads" or "tails."  Drew picked "tails," and came home with this:

Telling Me Where to Go

Warning!  I'm cranky and irritable today, so if you're not in the mood for a rant, you may want to skip this.

Somehow, some way, for the past nine years, I've figured out how to get from my house to Irving School without directions of any sort.  The school is only a block-and-a-half from my back door, so it's not that hard.  The Village of Oak Park has apparently decided that its citizens are too directionally challenged to figure out school routes on their own, and so they decided, in their infinite wisdom, to help us out.

In an era when money is so tight that are streets are falling apart, our school district is crying poor, and the Village insists it's broke, somehow, some way, someone was able to find $15,000 to pay for signage like this to appear throughout the Village so that people will know how to find the safest way to their local school:

I know the Village used grant money to pay for most of this project, and so it was "only" $15,000 that actually came out of the local taxpayers' pockets.  I don't care that they saved more than $60,000 because they got a grant - they still spent $15K!  In my household budget, if I'm broke, I'm forced to quit spending, no matter how good the deal is that comes along.  I think the Village of Oak Park needs to learn live within its means, not spend less money than it might otherwise have because someone found grant money.  And I don't like them telling me where to go, so I may just have to return the favor.

Enough ranting for one day.

Holiday Sing

Each year, Irving Elementary School produces a concert the week before winter break. Our two music teachers spend hours teaching the students songs from around the world and rehearsing for the big day. This year's third graders sang In the Window, a Hebrew folk song, and Drew got to play a special instrument. They also sang The Twelve Days of Christmas, acting out each item that was given in the song. All the parents cracked up at the kids squatting on Six Geese A-Laying.

The highlight of the 2nd/3rd grade concert has always been the combined song performed with sign language, led by Mrs. Lococo. This year the students sang and signed The Hope of the Future, and it was just beautiful. At the end of the song, Mrs. Lococo was presented with a special quilt honoring her 31 years of teaching at Irving.

Halloween Scenes

For the past several years, our block has had its last block party of the season on Halloween. It seems like Halloween is the time when everyone comes outside for one last hurrah before hibernating in their homes for the winter.

SiMi's mom, MJ, is fabulously creative. She found these plastic inflatable balls that have a sleeve in the middle where you insert a glow stick. It was quite a sight, seeing all these flashes of green light floating around the block!

Of course we cooked hot dogs over a bed of hot coals for the kids, but there was grown up food too, with more than a few soups and chilis to be sampled. Ali's curried pumpkin and apple soup was the perfect thing on a chilly evening.

Looking Back

We all remember where we were when we heard about the terrorist attacks 8 years ago. As I got ready to run errands this afternoon, I was suddenly aware that 8 years ago at about the same time, I felt an almost desperate need to leave the house and get a breath of fresh air. I reminisced on Facebook about the moment, and I was moved by the response my entry received. It seems like we're all in a reflective, remembering mood today. Below is my FB status, followed by the responses friends and family:

Teresa Shattuck remembers 8 years ago today...Baird was in Dallas...Kelsey was in 1st grade...it was about 1pm when I decided I'd go out to run a few errands with the 2 younger ones. NO ONE was out and it was eerie. Where were you when the world stopped turning?

From Amy: Gettin the hell out of the Sears Tower! About to get married and also about to get pregnant with MP!

From Cheri: I watched the news when Andy called after the first tower was hit and saw the plane hit the second tower. Took E to preschool then got to work and watched the second tower collapse. Worked all day, but I think Andy got sent home early from downtown.

From Eric: A and I were walking to the L stop that morning to take a train ride to the Loop (because A loved trains back then). A neighbor's grandfather stopped us and told us to go watch the news on TV -- didn't say anything more. We turned back and turned on the TV just in time to see the first tower fall. A wasn't traumatized (like I was), but he did ask a lot of questions. Later we went to Berwyn to watch all the trains heading out of Chicago, so he could know all those people were safe.

From Kathleen: Miles was downtown working at the Tribune at the time. I couldn't get in touch with him. G was 6 months old. I paced the floor with him all morning. They were all in the basement of the Tower, then eventually evacuated. What a sad day. Prayers to all who lost loved ones.

From Kris: E was in Kindergarten. EK was little. I remember looking at the sky and not seeing any jets or planes. Everyone was very quiet at the school bond election that night.

From Kristin: I remember...was in my living room in Chicago taking care of my two small babies, drinking coffee and watching 'Today.' Saw the second place crash live. Called Duusy at work BEGGED him to come home thinking Chicago was 'next" on the hit -list. Wanted to get out of town -- but where was there safety. Went to 'emergency prayer service' at church that night to pray for mercy and guidance.

From Bronwyn: I was driving to Oak Park and for some reason did not have the radio on. I went into Great Harvest for coffee and someone said a plane had crashed and hit one of the Twin Towers. I went over to the Magic Tree and Maggie Bokum was there with a portable TV and the second plane hit. We were just watching in shock on this tiny tv all day. When customers or the post man or UPS guy would come in, no one would leave right away. Everyone stood huddled around the TV listening for a while first. It gives me chills today just thinking about it. I also remember the street being eerily quiet.

From Stephanie: Yep...the quiet was one of the most profound things I remember about that day. Living so close to 2 big airports...it is a very odd thing to all of a sudden hear nothing in the sky. I also was struck by what a gorgeous day it was outside, in contrast to the ugly that had happened. I held my 4 and 2 year olds tight... as I am sure we all did to our loved ones that day. Steve was heading downtown...I begged him not to...not knowing if the day's terror was done. It was frightening...sprinkled with so many heroic and tender moments...all playing out before all of our eyes. Still shocking to think about.

From Pauline: ALASKA! On a cruise the kids were 2 hours from the pentagon and we couldn't get a plane to get them...

Tonight I whisper a prayer for all those who lost loved ones eight years ago, and for all those who've since lost loved ones since then to the war on terrorism. The sacrifice of your loved ones will always be remembered.