Rick and I will return to Havana, IL on Saturday to resume the adventure. In a few days from then we will be on the Mississippi River. I get my stitches removed today from my hand. The healing has been fine, with no pain or problems.
In the meantime, Rick has been enjoying his new granddaughter Bonnie and his other family there in Providence, RI. I have had a fabulous time with Janet here in Monroe, OH. This picture is at a county park where we took a hike a couple weeks ago. I remember how windy it was and thinking I was glad I wasn't out on the Great Lakes on a day like that. I've learned that in 1826 they built a north-south canal from Cincinnati on the Ohio River to Toledo on Lake Erie. It was called the Miami-Erie Canal since much of the course followed the Miami River. There are still locks to see, which I have. It takes on an increased interest for me given all the canals and locks I've been through on this boat trip.
On four occasions I have helped out with Janet's 5th grade class. The first time was on an all-day field trip, when we walked a mile to a regional park. The kids learned about animals, bugs, conservation, science, plants, and other fun stuff at six stations taught by local experts. The live black rat snakes were a favorite, as you can see in this picture. We also petted a red fox, watched a possum (they don't "play dead", they faint!), a barn owl (they have 14 cervical vertebrae vs. the 7 in mammals and the 2 I have left that aren't fused), and got to see numerous other critters, dead or alive.
I also have been in the classroom helping to maintain order while Janet evaluates individual reading abilities one at a time out in the hallway. I have a new appreciation for teachers, seeing how challenging it is to motivate, convey ideas, stimulate thinking, discipline using positive feedback, and in general handling 30 10-yr-olds for 7 hours a day.
This past Saturday we attended a fabulous concert at her church, in which her granddaughter, Morgan, was a member of her school choir. They had on stage 260 performers, from two high schools and two colleges. The full orchestra sounded professional. We also made fresh bread and two pumpkin pies over the weekend as the weather has cooled off to fall temperatures.
By the time I post here again, Rick and I should be heading down the Mighty Mississip. On Oct 10, Bob Brown and Bert Stock will be joining us for a week starting in Paducah, KY, which is about 60 miles up the Ohio River.
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