One Sixteenth

This is it!

Our last day. We start home tomorrow.

We spent Monday at the museum campus (planetarium and aquarium). We found a fantastic archaeoastronomy exhibit at the planetarium that I had somehow missed before. I'd like to go back and explore it with just the older kids ... um, someday. The belugas as the aquarium were playful, spraying us and sticking their heads out of the water and talking.

We usually walk to museum campus, but that day I decided we'd take the bus. We ended up sitting next to the superintendent for the Peoria school system. He asked Connor if he would be writing a book report on his vacation when he got back to school. While I was mentally fumbling to not point out that this field trip was not, in fact, a book, Connor told him he was homeschooled. The very nice, friendly superintendent didn't bat an eye. He went on talking to Connor about other things, not making school the least bit of an issue. We had fun talking with him and his wife.

Yesterday we worked all morning and then played in the afternoon. We found the place where the rabbits live, ironically out near Navy Pier. We were playing tag in one of the lovely parks when Connor noticed a rabbit out on silflay. The three older boys held hands and crept toward the rabbit v e r y slowly and oh-so-quietly. Of course the rabbit hopped away, but we were able to follow it to a fenced-in wild area that was full of bunnies. Fun.

We've talked about going up to Lincoln Park today.. I'm nervous about that, though, as that will be an all-day trip and I feel like we have more work to do. We will see.

So, how about that debate? I had planned to not watch, but then I remembered that I like to hear Cheney speak. Also, yesterday I spent a bit of time researching John Edwards' legal career, and was interested in what he'd have to say about rising health care costs.

I do not like John Edwards. I do not think John Kerry is the best man to lead this country. I do not think John Kerry can handle the war on terror appropriately. I don't like Edwards personally. Very, very personally. (I think he is a large part of the problems childbearing women face today: high c-section rates, high malpractice insurance for the OBs leading to many OBs either refusing high-risk patients or getting out of delivery altogether, and constraint of choice in care in childbirth.)

The media tells me the debate was dry, and they doubted that people stayed tuned in. I thought it was fascinating. I didn't want to leave the TV. Nor did I even have the urge to drink large amounts, though I did do more audience participation. I thought Cheney came across very well, far better than Pres. Bush did. Sen. Edwards dodged questions too often, and was frequently unable to stick to the topic at hand, needing to go back to previous questions.

Time for coffee, and to get to work. Enjoy your day, folks.

Posted by Steph at October 6, 2004 08:31 AM