Back again -- and Reunion 2008

Hi! Remember us? I'm thinking that many folks started to wonder what happened to the updates. Since the flood (below), the blogging opportunities went from infrequent to nonexistent. Why? Well, a multitude of reasons, really.

Most impacting was the flood itself. As you can imagine, there was no shortage of things to do for some time. Between chaos and cleanup, the weeks that followed were a bit out of the ordinary. Pumps working overtime. Continued seepage (don't you hate when that happens?). Money quickly getting allocated for unplanned uses.

Added to that burden was work. The day job. Well, the job that became day AND night. And some weekends. Too many hours, too much stress, and not nearly enough energy to even begin to approach this blog site.

Toss in a few surprises like extremely bad back problems, a bout of food poisoning, and several filled weekends with birthdays and assorted family/friend events and you get the general idea. Something had to give. And the blog slipped to pretty much dead last on the priority list.

But at least one of those planned events was worth waiting for. It was even worth fighting off the food poisoning and gutting out (no pun intended) what could have been a miserable Saturday. What would possibly make me pull myself out of bed, get in the shower, and drive 1.25 hours with a headache and nausea?

The yearly reunion at the Zupec's place -- to celebrate with the families from the midwest who accompanied us on our incredible journey to China 5 years ago. Since that life-changing event, most of us eagerly return to Gurnee each fall to spend time together, compare our lives, share tales, wax nostalgically, and -- most important -- watch the kids simply go nuts with each other.

It's pretty amazing, actually. Most of these kids haven't seen each other since LAST fall, but you wouldn't know it. Almost from the first instant that each kid set foot in the home of Mike and Cinda, the routine from previous years was immediately remembered. Each kid would come in the door, remove the shoes, run down the hall, and make a beeline straight down the basement stairs to the play area, joining those already there. No warm-ups needed. No shyness. Just an immediate bonding -- one that I've never witnessed in any other setting.

The kids all played together, yelled and screamed, ran around, ate, and simply had a spectacular time. And no fighting! Go figure! With each year, the volume level in the house gets louder. The kids get more expressive and the personalities yet more developed. They grow bigger and more beautiful (sorry Colvin and Tristan... that would be "handsome" in your cases) each and every year.

The parents? Well, we get older and perhaps a bit slower. But we seem to enjoy each others' company no less. While we all live very different lives apart, it all comes together for one afternoon and evening. Such wonderful people. We had the pleasure of spending such incredible moments together in a faraway land. And, five years running, we've had the chance to stay in touch, rekindle friendships, and cherish these children.

We're already looking forward to next year.

Next up: The Chinese New Year!

A river runs through it

For the last week or so, I had been hoping to put up some really fun pictures from the previous weekend -- a wonderful 3-days of enjoyment spent on and off at our Winfield Good Old Days festival. Celebrating 40 years since the first festival ("1968" was the theme), it was a splendid time for the three of us -- and especially so considering that we have just returned to the neighborhood we love and it just seemed even more special.

But before I could get around to uploading the pictures, something completely unexpected occurred. Not just unexpected, but unprecedented: Hurricane Ike. Now one might normally think that, being in the more northern part of Illinois, how can we possibly be subjected to the nightmare of Ike? That's all the way down in Texas, right? What's the worst thing that can happen? A little rain?


Yes, a little rain. Followed by a lot of rain. And even more rain. For days. It just kept coming. Sometimes hard. Always steady.

Time to back up for a moment: When we bought our place in Winfield, we knew that the area was subject to a little water once in a while. It is lower-lying area and there is the west branch of the DuPage River to consider. But we didn't back up near the river. And we were houses away from any danger spots. And we were not in a flood plain. Plus, we were in a house that only taken on water twice in 31 years -- both times due to power loss.

So we felt pretty confident that we could handle a bit of rain. Until Saturday morning. Anita woke me up at 6:00 a.m. to say that there was water in the basement. Shocked, I went down and took a look. The sump pit was completely full, with water coming over. And the pump wasn't running. Hmmm... the floater was stuck. Problem solved, right? Turns out that one pump wasn't nearly enough to combat the incoming waters. And we found out the hard way that our backup pump wasn't working.

And it continued to rain.


My brother-in-law Gene stopped by and applied his extensive plumbing knowledge to our problem, quickly installed a 2nd pump and the 2-pump system kept the waters at bay in the basement. But the waters continued to build up outside. By Saturday night, our roads were flooded and we barely made it back to the house following a birthday party we attended. All night we watched the waters edge up the driveway and yard. We watched it creep in over the backyard as well. I kept marking the progress with sticks in the yard.

By morning, our place looked like a house-boat. Water was up to nearly 12' from the front of the house. And maybe about the same from the backyard. And what used to be our roadway now was a fast-moving river. Over 2' of water rushed down the block. Houses east of us completely consumed by water, some basements taking on 7' feet of water. Houses at the other end of the block also entirely surrounded, with water going up and over the foundations.

And we were pretty much stranded. No vehicles coming in or out. Nothing to do but nervously wait it out. Stocked with food and water, we just hung on for the rain to end.

By the time the rains ended -- about 4:00 p.m. on Sunday -- the area was a disaster. But our home, along with about 3 others, were spared the flooding nightmare. Somehow, we were just high enough in elevation to hold off the water. Instead, the current continued on down the road, leaving us stunned and in utter disbelief.

Along with a neighbor, I waded from house to house checking to see who might be in need of a hand. Pumps were emptying out basements. Cars abandoned at roadsides and filled with water. But all were doing pretty well. Most had managed to move furniture to higher ground and had 2 to 3 pumps working overtime to solve the water problems.


We didn't come out entirely unscathed, though. The event pointed out some problems. For example, we didn't have a pump strong enough to push out the water. And our backup never worked. It had been improperly installed and seized up. And worse, we don't have a functioning drain tile. Whether it be collapsed or deteriorated, it was useless. Water came in (and continues to do so) through walls and floor. While the pumps held, the water found other areas to enter.

So we are still a couple of days from possible cleanup. Two attempts to try to suck up water have resulted in more water entering in from the walls to fill back up again. So we wait until the ground is dry. Then we evaluate the damage. The basement studio is now in the dining room and living room. I am reluctant to place items back down there again until we can feel confident about the water flow. And if work is required to jack-hammer the concrete to add a new drain tile system, that would certainly ensure that nothing is placed down there for awhile.

It wasn't all humorless. While stranded at home on Monday, myself and a neighbor tried chasing down some stray carp swimming down our street. Yep, fish were all over. Some snakes, too. All probably lost and trying to find their way back to the river. Actually, they probably assumed they were IN the river.

And as the waters recede, more and more fish are left beached in yards and on driveways. Small-mouth bass. Large carp. Hoses. Debris. Wood from the neighbor's woodpile. You name it. If it was not bolted down, it floated downstream.

We're pretty much fine. Some major expense coming, but it could have been a lot worse. Su didn't miss any school. I missed one day of work. And we have quite a tale to tell for years to come.

Later, I do promise to put some pictures from Good Old Days. Thanks for reading.

You can put it on the board...YES!

Well, it wasn't all a celebration. Our first White Sox game in several years didn't produce the outcome we had hoped for, but we had fun nonetheless.

A couple of home runs by Jermaine Dye (Anita's favorite player), a perfect game through 5-2/3 innings by Javier Vasquez. Then the wheels came off and the game spiraled out of reach. Bases loaded. No outs. A series of walks and hits. Suddenly 3-0 became 5-3.

But we enjoyed some tasty beers, some decent food, a great, rowdy crowd, a couple of home runs that produced exploding fireworks from the scoreboard, and a fair amount of time spent at ground level in the picnic area.

We hope to do it again soon. And better results are expected.

Note: The Sox did rebound on Sunday, with a 9th inning, come-from-behind effort that led to an eventual victory.

Go Sox!!

Some images from the game below...

First grade jitters

This past Thursday was the start of the new school season for Su. First grade. Yep, she's officially a "student" now. Full days. Lunches. More homework. But it was also the first day for Su in a new school system. Su's preschool and kindergarten time was spent in the Geneva school system. She had already developed a certain sense of comfort with her old routine. She had made a few friends along the way. And she just LOVED riding the bus. So the world was a safe and predictable place.

But with our move back to Winfield, it not only meant the start of a new school year, but also all new faces. Of course, a huge reason for trying to get this move accomplished this year was to get Su into a new school system before she really developed any lasting friendships. Our view was that kindergarten, while fun, would be forgotten soon enough. But getting into the school system that would take her from grades 1 through 8 was more important.

We also knew that, with Su's personality, she would have no difficulty at all making new friends and fitting right in. Heck, it's only first grade, right?

We were so surprised by what started to take place as the school year crept closer. Su was actually NERVOUS. And the nervousness eventually gave way to fear. And her last night of sleep before the first day was not easy for her. The look in her eyes and the fear on her face showed through. This continued through to the next morning, breakfast, and the walk to the school.

I had decided to start later at work so I could accompany Anita and Su on the walk for her first day. I tried to joke and keep her mind off of her fears as we walked the .3 mile distance to her school. But to no avail. By the time we got there, she was deathly silent (not something that happens often!). And she clung to me in line while fighting tears. It was so tough to watch. Even when her new teacher came over and introduced herself, it did nothing to ease the fear.

All we could do was wait and see how her day concluded. We had a feeling that all would be just fine once she was settled into her classroom. But the wait would be tough as we hung on to hear the verdict on Day One.

Of course, it's as we expected. She came home wired and happy. She loved the first day. And she loved the second day, too. She really likes her teacher. And she's starting to talk to a few kids. The fears are gone. Anxieties forgotten.

And now nothing left but reading, writing, and arithmetic. Hmmmm... Does it get much better than Day One? Seems to me like it would be all downhill after this! :-)

But seriously. This should be a great year. Being back in the old neighborhood, closer to work, Su in school, and everyone extremely happy.

Not quite the babe

As a follow-up to the zoo, my second day off of work really featured just one plan for the day: fishing with Su. With another great day of weather on the horizon, it seemed like a wonderful opportunity to take Su out for some fishing at nearby Blackwell Forest Preserve. Su had been pressing me to go fishing for many months now. I realized that this was something that she really wanted to try -- and not just a one-time declaration. So it was with a bit of confidence that I purchased Su her very own Princess fishing pole for her past birthday. I really wasn't sure what she'd think when opening up the gift, but was delighted that she was actually quite excited about the whole idea! In the last days of our Geneva house (pre-move), Su spent many days actually practicing her "casting" down the hallway or tossing accurate attempts from the family room into the kitchen.

So there really was only one thing left to do: get my fishing license. A few weeks ago, I picked up my license and the nearest Wal-Mart and then crossed my fingers for some good weather. As luck would have it, that day would come on Friday, my second day off. So after my morning run, I returned home, cleaned up, and announced to Su that we'd be going fishing. She was just thrilled! We gathered up our poles, gear, and mosquito repellent and made our way to the lake -- first stopping off for some bait (WORMS!? They're SQUISHY!) and some beverages.

While not exactly conjuring up any comparisons to legendary fisherman Babe Winkelman, we still managed to get a few "hits" now and then while soaking up the morning sunshine. And, as luck would have it, about 1 hour into the day, Su latched onto the big one! After watching that bobber go under the water and stay under, it was time to walk it in. After spending the first hour of the day stressing the importance of "patience," she now was seeing the fruits of her labor.

It was quite a battle. Her little Princess pole bending under the strain of the classic tug-of-war, Su managed to lure the giant shark -- err, fish -- up to the shore and, using all the might she could muster up, hauled the giant sea creature up for all to see! A triumphant moment and a testimony to the sheer will of the little 6-year old girl from Winfield.

OK. Maybe a bit over the top. But you can see for yourself what counted most: Su was just thrilled and was beaming from ear to ear.

We didn't catch a thing the last hour. We mostly just lost a lot of worms. But the experience left a great impression on Su -- and I suspect we'll be doing this again very soon.

And, yes, we threw the little guy (or gal?) back into the water.

The Babe would be proud.

Talk with the animals

I had an opportunity to take a couple of much-needed vacation days this past week. With good weather in the forecast, we thought it would be a great opportunity to work our way to Brookfield Zoo, a destination we had not visited since a bit before Su entered our lives. We had taken her to smaller zoos over the last few years, more in line with the attention span of a young one -- not to mention the greater amount of walking that would be required to take in a larger zoo like Brookfield.

As mentioned, we had beautiful weather on this particular Thursday and we headed out for a day at the zoo. All told, we spent a good 4 hours or so walking the zoo grounds, taking in a little bit of lunch, and an ice cream treat when nearing the end of our day. With over 3+ hours of walking during the day, Su was quite tired and even succumbed to the calls of the sandman while driving home.

Just a few shots below from our day.

Bowling night out

One of the perks from having a good realtor relationship is finding out that you're appreciated -- even beyond just whatever commission amount you may have helped toss over his/her way after the transaction is complete. We've used the the same realty company now for 3 different occasions: a sell in 2004, a buy in 2005, and a sell AND buy in 2008.

But what has been enjoyable is the continuing relationship in between (and after) these different moves. Our realtor Joyce Courtney (Re/Max Home Court) has made a point of continually offering up customer appreciation events over the years. Kane County Cougars baseball games, bowling events, evenings out with high-caliber food and raffles, and assorted other ways of saying "thank you."

Well, this year was a family bowling night at St. Charles Bowl, in St. Charles, IL. It was a Friday night out, where the whole alley was rented out and reserved just for Joyce's customers. And because it was a "family" night, we were able to take Su along and have a wonderful time together. It was unlimited bowling, pizza, snacks, and drinks (well, aside from alcohol -- although I didn't mind throwing a few bucks toward a couple of cold ones during the evening).

We had a really great time. Su, with the benefit of some "bumpers" along the gutters, bowled a whopping 70 by her last game -- even learning to put aside the standard 2-hand roll method and adopting the 1-handed delivery -- all plenty impressive for a 6-year old.


Anita and I, both former league bowlers, each looked like we hadn't bowled in about 6 years or so. But we still had a great time watching Su toss the ball out there and then come running back each time with arms flailing. I'm not sure whose form she adopted. I doubt it was something displayed by Pete Weber or others on the bowling circuit. But whatever the influence, it was working for her.

And for us. A wonderful night out together.