Mulberry Trees and the Last Post

Paul's HUGE junior high (7th and 8th grade). Indoor pool, huge stage, very very nice...weekly rec nights til 9 pm...all the soda you could drink (although the cups were those 6 oz ones!) Cool thing about this school is that you can not see it from the street. The road winds behind a pasture/wooded area, dips down and then up and then here it is! David said he wants to move here this summer so this could be his junior high!




Anyone know why flags are at half mast?

Pauls elementary school. To the right is Pauls fourth grade class and behind him and past the hallway is his fifth grade class. He swears the school doesn't look different at all. Showed the boys were the old hopscotch was painted on the courts (and hadn't been repainted since Paul was there judging by the looks of it), and showed the boys were the brick was slightly dinged...Paul swears from years of wall ball!

This is also the spot his fifth grade teacher brought a horses trough and gave everyone a sack of dirt with real gold in it (gold at the time was regulated to $32 an ounce) and taught the class how to gold pan. Paul says it is this teacher who gave the "west" such a good name and is one of the reasons he went to AZ. His sixth grade teacher is the one who painted the "Paul the Pro" picture hanging in his office. Paul didn't have the teacher who married and was then "Mrs. Weiner". The boys love that name!

Mulberry bushes/trees line the side of the elementary school. paul had us all try them and the boys fell in love, so Paul showed them how to get the really tasty, mature ones (bring high branches low).

Fingers, ears, shoes are all stained purple. Sigh...

Four square. Boys LOVED doing this. Paul remembers playing this for hours and also, just kitty corner, is the outline for the softball field and Paul remembers going home for lunch (can you imagine??) and running back in time to get picked to play ball!

This is the Howell Homestead. Beth's window is the one on the right, and her parents were on the other side behind. The window to the left of Beth and right of the door is a bathroom window and the window to the left of the door is the room the piano was in which could be seen by both main rooms. The house is painted a lawn green and at that time, the fence was green too, but it isn't anymore. The house backs up to a radio station (wrok) that is still there with HUGE satellite dishes--and a new building which looks nice but takes up some of the football space Paul used. There is also a big hill there that the kids would sled on.

Paul remembers Scott and him going to the bank and buying pennies and dimes, taking out the wheat pennies and ??? dimes, rerolling the rest and doing it so often, they were getting back their own rolls, so they had to wait a month for "fresh coin". paul was also into CB radio at this time and was in a club of about 150 people. He remembers staying up really late and talking on his CB.

Day 13

Paul remembered his paper route and told us who tipped well, etc. He had to collect every two weeks, but those he didn't find on collection day, he'd stop on his way to bowl and then use the money at the alley (games were .50).

Paul has a very vivid memory of being in the car with his Dad waiting to turn left out of the subdivision, and across the street a lady, (25 y/o or so), jumping around... jumping high, waving, etc...completely NAKED!

He also pointed out which house they thought was haunted and which house had an indoor swimming pool. I think he remembers pretty much everything about Rockford! Many of the restaurants and corner stores are still hill ... not all, but quite a few.

We had a picnic where his family used to picnic--they would bring KFC to the park, and while driving around, Paul said his mom's favorite restaurant had frog legs and she would let him eat her leftovers.

Paul showed us the apt building his dad owned (by the rr tracks) and told us funny stories about Clarence, one of the renters.

The church Paul went to was nice...two story high stained glass windows, Paul said it was so beautiful inside.

It was three hour tour yesterday (w/o me) and five 1/2 hours today..and I could tell Paul didn't want his Rockford tour to end; so many happy memories for him and he was really excited to share them with us.

Well, I've taken close to 700 pictures (probably 1000, as I delete every so often) and I am ready to go home. I tried making a photobook at Walgreens, but I couldn't get the book to take photos from multiple albums...so it is half done and I probably won't order it.

good trip and lots of great memories. We'll be home tomorrow night and I hope to hear from everyone!

Winding Down and Finding the Perfect Day

Renee and Rhonda, fast friends!















Sam and Kaitlyn, fast friends! So many cute pictures of these two!











Paul in Russ' garage, holding an old family photo that includes his dad, aunt and uncle, grandparents, and great aunts. One of the best family pics I've had the pleasure to see!













This morning right outside our hotel with a view of Lake Michigan. Perfect, perfect, perfect, PERFECT weather!!!









Day 12:

Slow start to the day, but we hadn't brought in our suitcases, only a change of clothes since we were staying only one night in that hotel. So the clean up to get out process was quick and painless.

Drove back to Carols and hung around awhile. The boys learned about croquet (sp?) and we waited for the furnace people a bit. Carol had out the most delicious apple and strawberry danishes...never had better in AZ that is for sure!

Went over to Rhondas for a sub lunch and time just flew! It's amazing how easily conversations started and lasted. The kids really got along well today (with each other and with Kaitlyn) and they had a ball playing with each other. Jon and Ben especially played quite a bit of badminton!
I could easily see us as living in Kenosha, close to the O'Connors and Payne's; I guess I'll just have to be a good emailer and letter writer.

Left to drive back to Illinois and into Rockford. Starting at Beloit (sp?) Paul started the stories about gas being only .19 a gallon and during the gas shortages waiting with his Dad in the car to fill up. It is so funny...Paul does the same thing...always takes a boy along to run errands!

Got to our hotel and found out that the pool is being repaired. UH NO! (don't fret for us: apparently we can use the pool in the hotel across the street...WHEW!) Set up in the room and Paul took the boys out exploring and left me here to relax and find a place for all the bags, etc.

Paul is taking us out for authentic Rockford pizza tomorrow I think and then more reminiscing, etc. He has such good memories of this town, it is really fun to watch him light up as he talks about it.

Tonight looks like a movie rental night and hopefully a good long sleep; we've all had a great trip, we are happy to have these trip days to unwind, but we are tired!

We will be home Wednesday evening and then promptly will be packing for Ben to go with Grandpa and Grandpa Berland to Montana. Soon, Jason will be moving back home as well, so I'm sure that July won't be quiet!

Hope all is well with everyone and I hope you enjoyed staying "in touch" with us through this blog. It has certainly been a new experience for me!

Wisconsin: Another State the boys can add to the "I've been there" lists

Tollway out to Kenosha...stopped for almost and hour and a half. I was SO happy we had stopped for lunch and a bathroom break before getting on the road! Kids did well stuck in the car; Paul used his time calling Hertz about getting some financial credit for our van inconveniences; I watched GLEE on the IPOD again! Oh, yeah, we did listen to the cd I picked up earlier this morning at a garage sale


Russ, Paul, Sam, Ben, David, Carol, Jon.

Russ just had rotator cuff surgery! We are standing in their front yard--the yard they've had for 44 years! How cool is that?


Grandma Carol, Kaitlyn Kay, and Rhonda.

Sam and Kaitlyn on the twisty slide. Aren't the second cousins precious?

Day 11:

Basically:

Laundry and clearing out of hotel in am.

Stuck on tollway for EVER after lunch.

Went to my childhood home in Elmhurst 493 Verett. Again, close to no memories. But at least the people in the house didn't think I was doing something strange by taking pictures. And, I had thought the houses on either side were mansion like...not at all...they were just a bit bigger.

Off to Pauls house in Prospect Heights. Huge trees! The field across the way is gone and filled with big big houses. Paul remembers so much...we drove to his old elementary school (now a preschool it looks like). He has great memories of this house and the local area. He drove us around to where he would bike and the like he played with a water moccasin!! Can you imagine? (as I am typing, Paul admits to a bit of urban legend ... but it was some type of snake)

Off to Carols. I've never been to Carols and Paul hasn't been in decades. He does remember going and staying for a while after Beth was born; he even remembered the park down the street. We followed Carol and Russ to Rhondas.

We had a great dinner at Rhondas (lots of great stuff including Carols Hot Dish casserole) and spent time in the backyard with Kaitlyns play gym. The boys are enamored with Miss Kaitlyn...the "smartest two year old ever" mom! I got along really well with Rhonda and we chatted easily for over three hours! (Boy, I'm a big fan of the exclamation point today)!!

Afterwards, we went to Brendas condo. Brenda died seven weeks ago, and although I'd never met her, hearing about her throughout the afternoon and evening made me feel close to her. When Carol showed me Brendas game cabinet, I knew we would have gotten along very well...we have the same taste in games!!

I was grateful to Carol, Russ, Rhonda, and Jeff for hosting us today and for letting us get to know Brenda. I know that must be very hard.

We are going to get together with everyone tomorrow for lunch on our way out of town and back to Illinois. We will be ending our vacation in Rockford, the place of most of Paul's schools. He is going to do a hat trick: he will attempt to drive his paperroute from the early 1970's. he is certain he can remember every turn and house. He says when you do something every day for six years, it never leaves you! He is also looking forward to playing wall ball at his old school with the boys...just like he used to do.

Can't believe vacation is winding down. Caught myself on the road this morning thinking not only of starting my classes next month, but thinking about what songs to play with the slideshow for the AVID program next MAY! I have to stay in the moment. Agh!

Dr. Strangelove, or how I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb

Ben eating Dot candy for the first time, courtesy of Aunt Donna


Second cousins, good sports, great looking kids!

Yeah another "before" pic for me.

Otherwise: Renee, Donna, Amy, Liz

David and his next campaign poster

Jon, ditto

Day: one million

Great weather. Went to Cantigny and started at the military museum and then went outside and climbed on decades worth of tanks and bombs.

At 2 there was a childrens concert outdoors. Natural canopy of trees and a breeze: great weather. The theme was beach party, so the kids got to use shakers, hula hoop, hula dance, congo, limbo, and bubbles. It was a fun time, very relaxing and not "spectacular" but a great time and memory. We bought a cd from the singer, a compilation of paradies on Christmas music. Ben, my Weird Al fan, thinks it is great!

Then we walked the gardens afterwords and Paul showed the boys the joys of a willow tree.

Then we went to Aunt Donnas. What a nice evening! My cousin Amy, her husband Joe and their three kids came over, as did cousin Todd, his wife Liz and their dtr. Donna made steak sandwiches (Porticellos?) that were so delicious. We traded stories about my dad and grandma and ended up getting sucked into a show about Michael Jacksons life.

Leaving we realized that our van (van #2) wasn't shifting, so as soon as we got home, Paul called Hertz AGAIN and I woke up to a new van. The kids are conflicted ... van two had automatic doors and a sunroof (how cool is that!!) but van #3 has satellite radio again...so we can listen to the comedy channel on our way to Kenosha, Wisc. to see Aunt Carol later today.

Things I've noticed:

Under air dryers in bathrooms, my skin really flys around. Guess I no longer have the skin of my youth!

The kids fart, a lot.

The kids are fish and would swim all the time if they could.

The boys had no idea what a toll road is: we purposed hid the credit card scanner, and paid cash so they could understand the concept of "toll" versus free. They thought is was super cool!! Ah, youth!

Who needs stinkin brakes?

Day: really who remembers anymore??

Paul spent whole morning getting new van from Hertz. Apparently our van brakes broke!

Uncle Jon picked us up and we went to Steves, then off to Funway to bowl. Bowling was fun--I didn't bowl, but the kids (both younger and older) had a good time.

Back to Steves to swim and play wii. Beth introduced us to a game called "Blokus" (sp?) Gotta get this game! Very fun. Nice to hear more stories about family and more stories that filled in the blanks.

It was a really relaxing day, and I have to admit I had been so worried about the reunion...who would I talk to, what would people be thinking/saying/doing? But it was fun and I hope the Illinois people consider visiting AZ sometime!

Reunion

Day Eight:

First a picture of my childhood home, that I insisted we go look at and then discovered I have not one single memory of the house.

I will say this: for years and years, when I drew a picture of a house, this is the picture I drew. So, somewhere in the recesses of my mind, this is my standard of houses!

Funny thing is, later on, my cousins and all remember that house, and remember the convertible my Dad had. MY DAD HAD A CONVERTIBLE???

Then off to the reunion. I was very nervous and apprehensive, but everyone was very, very nice. It was great to get to know my cousins better and it was awesome to share childhood gossip and fill in blanks (I remembered this part, they remembered another part)

Weird to be the "middle agers" at the reunion. Really weird. Give it fifteen years and we will be the old standard bearers keepers of the torch. How did that happen?

Talent show was a loose term, but I was impressed that my mom went first. She does always find joy in life! Jon and David became fast friends with Isabella (my cousin Beth's dtr) and they did an improv swim routine to "popular" from Wicked. Sam found other kids that he thought were great and the 6 y/o posse also did a swim routine for talent. Ben found the wii, and other kids his age to play wii with. Win, Win for everyone!

Bars were driven in from Nebraska, and Joan from the city (Lincoln Park) brought cute cupcakes. I felt like a slacker for not bringing anything! Talked to Joan for quite a while about living in a building in the city. I have always been a suburb girl, but when I was in the city, I had looked around and thought it might be cool to live there.

Speaking of the city, on the freeway out to the reunion, we saw a huge car fire and were two cars away from a pretty bad accident. The kids were stunned!

Overall, really good day and nice reunion.