The Curtis Clan - Summer 2008
Summer Solstice to Fall Equinox
On the first day of summer, we kissed the girls goodnight at about 8:30 after a typical evening: dinner, ice cream, Gilmore Girls on DVD, brushing teeth and stories. It was still pretty light out just a day shy of the solstice but the girls seemed to quiet down quite quickly and we started watching a grown-up movie. An hour or so later we heard the patter of footsteps over head that was more than just the getting up to go to the bathroom. We went up to discover Cate was laying down on her perfectly made bed. The spooky part of it was that an hour earlier, Randy had pulled the covers down to put her in bed. To this point, Cate had never made her bed before or showed any inclination to start trying. To top things off, she had made it just about as nice as her mother does every morning (much better than the daddy version). All the still in shock, Bethany and Randy were in near jinx agreement that the only logical reaction was that starting the next day, Cate would be
responsible for making her bed (she obviously didn’t see that one coming).
Randy’s Summer of Flood Repair(?)
The summer started with a request from the higher ups in St. Louis District for Randy to be a Project Manager for levee repairs and rehabilitation on the smaller 5-20 year agricultural levees on the upper Mississippi River that had been overtopped during the mid-June flooding. He didn’t volunteer but didn’t feel he could turn down the “honor” either. So for a month or so that was his job while still attending to 2 weeks of commitments to the Jacksonville District. The most significant part of the temporary gig was a helicopter trip to view the damages.
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Randy's gets ready for a
helicopter trip to observe
flooding along the upper Mississippi River on 6/27
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4th of July - No. 2 Dog
On the 1st of July we decided to participate in the annual Webster Groves Pet Parade as part of the community’s nearly week long Independence Day Celebration with Lilly. It was our first time and based on the name, silly us thought it was going to be a goofy little parade around the football field or something. Nay, nay, nay. It is actually an ultra-cheesy dog show contest for kids and their pets with categories of Best Trick, Best Joke, Best Costume, Best Owner-Pet Look-Alike, etc. We registered but weren’t really interested or prepared for any of the categories since we were there for a goofy parade but they instructed us that we had to select at least one category and suggested Best Float. Bethany and I were more than a bit embarrassed when they called on us for our entry, which was Lilly sporting a Red-White and Blue, Dollar Store bow. We were further chagrined to win 2nd place as the only other entry. Jane and Cate were quite pleased with “their” medal and meeting Miss Webster 2007/Miss Teen Missouri 2008. Moral: Sometimes just showing up is all that is required.
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Jane and Cate with our 2nd Place pooch Lilly
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4th of July - Parades
The high schmaltz factor for WG 4th of July celebrations continued with the third annual Tuxedo Blvd. parade up and down our block. We used the same “float” that fitted on the girl’s wagon spruced up with additional flagging and colorful streamers. This year the girls walked and we pulled the dogs. At least it started that way. About three houses down, Lilly jumped out. Randy wrapped her leash around the handle and she ended up pulling Maddie up and down the street and still had to be restrained (she’s quite strong). The organizers of the dozen-person parade had made some prizes for Best Family Entry and Best Use of Recycled Material, which they awarded to the girls, who were once again quite pleased (see moral above).
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Jane, Cate, Lilly and
Maddie with Tuxedo Blvd. 1st Place float
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After that we went to the city’s parade down Lockwood at 10 (where the girls got a sack full of candy) then off to the Burns house for a pool party with their old Tuxedo neighbors. The girls stayed in the pool long enough for Jane to get a mild sunburn despite the SPF50 sunscreen lathering to begin with (Dad’s fault for not reapplying). We skipped the fireworks on the night of the 4th having seen some on the 3rd. While driving home at 9:25 pm, it occurred to us that we could park at Schnucks, about 1500 feet away and watch them. An earlier deluge had left some spots open, and we were able to enjoy the 12-minute display and be back home by 9:50 (the girls greatly appreciated the reduced noise of the extra distance too).
Orlando Sans Children
The middle two weeks of July, Bethany joined Randy for a work trip in Orlando (committed to prior to the levee repair PM duties). The girls went to Camp Gramy and had a wonderful time, swimming nearly every day. They shuffled off most of their fears of going under water (courtesy of Aunt RoRo’s tea parties on the bottom of the pool) and made significant improvements in the confidence levels (something that didn’t happen the last session or two at the YMCA). The parents had a wonderful time getting to finish sentences, not having to reprimand poor behavior or settle disputes, have conversations that weren’t focused on the children and in general remembered why they got together in the first place. Marriott was running a promotion that rewarded you for the number of stays at different hotels, so we stayed in a number of places. Most of our time was at the Orlando Airport Renaissance and Marriott (not the best the brands have to offer). Over the weekend, we went to the Courtyard at CoCo Beach (about a half an hour away). On Sunday, we spent the day visiting the Kennedy Space Center. We got there shortly after it opened at noon and figured on staying a couple few hours bet spent all day (7+ hours). Randy in particular got a charge out of visiting the exhibits for the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs as it brought back his youthful dreams of being an astronaut (like every other kid).
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Randy clowning around in Mercury capsule mock-up at the Kennedy Space Center
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PM in Florida
At the end of July Randy accepted a temporary promotion to be a Project Manager in Jacksonville Florida for the sites he’s been working on in the Orlando area for the last year
(Pinecastle Jeep Range and Orlando Range and Chemical Yard). The guy currently in the slot is taking a 6 month assignment in Cincinnati. Since it’s a temporary move for him, they can’t permanently back fill behind him. The impetus for Randy’s predecessor leaving is in large part due to the stress of working these jobs which have received a lot of attention locally, within the Corps, the Department of the Army and Congressionally (not to mention the lawsuits that are coming). There wasn’t really much interest for the job and the question of “Are you nuts” seems to apply to this Catch 22 position that only a crazy person would want.
So given the challenges involved and the sensitivities why did he ask/agree to do it? The promotion was a big part, though it only represents a 5% salary bump and may be invisible under the new DOD appraisal system. It mostly served as a way to quantitatively justify doing it. A bigger reason is feeling personally vested in the work and what the Corps has accomplished to date and truly believing he was the best person for the task due to my knowledge and familiarity of the sites and the people involved both within the Corps of Engineers and outside. He also hoped this be a good opportunity for his team to demonstrate what they do and convince others of the value of having them continue what they do in the future at the other challenging sites. Rumors that this had anything to do with having been assigned to be a PM for the levee repair work are categorically denied.
So what does it mean? Lots of traveling to Florida, Jacksonville and Orlando specifically, over the next half a year, roughly at twice the rate of my normal travel schedule. He returned home most weekends and work from St. Louis District about 1/3 of the time in the summer. As for those speculation that this may lead to a permanent change or having the family move to Florida, the answer is no. Endless summer and beaches are not in the cards for someone who is the end result of centuries of inbreeding among people from countries that rarely see the sun.
More July
We weren't home much during the month (allowing us to half our utility bills). We did have a few days of splashing in our wading pool and taking in the local tourist attractions.
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The girls goofing around in their wading pool on the driveway
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Jane and Bethany on the A-B tour in St. Louis
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Family Florida Trip - JAX & Orlando
Bethany and the girls drove down to Florida to be with Randy during his first 2 ½ week stint in Florida before school started. Of course this meant we marked one of the family milestones on the road.
For Jane’s 6th Birthday, we took her out for pizza to a loud chorus of grumbling until she realized it was to Chuck E. Cheese’s and than all was good (except the pizza which makes most cheap frozen options appear gourmet by comparison).
We went back to the Residence Inn and had a cake that Jane picked out from the
grocery store.
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Jane's 6th Birthday
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The girls also got to make day trips to some of the cultural points or interest or to the movies on rainy day. One day they went to the MOSH (Museum of Science and History) next door to the Jacksonville District office and another day to the Jacksonville Zoo, which has the coolest feed the giraffe exhibit but the girls were too scared to try.
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Jane and Cate pose at a fountain at the Jacksonville
Zoo
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Over the weekend we traveled from JAX to Orlando via Saint Augustine, where we took a boat tour around the inlet. Our sight seeing was curtailed when Jane got a fever bug.
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Cate actually smiling for the camera on our boat ride in St
Augustine
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The girls loved going to the pool everyday and their swimming improved even more. It also helped that we watched the Olympics at night providing additional inspiration, including Jane teaching herself the backstroke (albeit not very well).
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Bethany and the girls (enthralled) with the Olympic coverage
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In Jacksonville, they made a trip to the A-B Brewery which stood in start contrast to our visit one Sunday in July to the one in St. Louis. Fiberglass Clydesdales, one building tour with a waiting room the size of our old living room.
Eating out with them went pretty well.
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Cate and Jane sharing a lemonade in Orlando
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On our last night in JAX, we went to their landing where Randy took them on a long walk back to the hotel to burn off some of their excess energy, which never works well in a small hotel room. Bethany was not terribly pleased with the pictures of daredevil cavorting along the riverfront parapet and fountain ledges but the girls had fun (and can tread water for almost 5-10 seconds should they have gone in the drink).
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Jane and Cate dancing
on a fountain ledge at JAX landing
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We all rode to together home over the course of two days. While driving I-75 in Georgia, it was nice (?) to see that Missouri's Interstates aren't the worst in the nation for billboards advertising dubious roadside attractions. I didn’t think anyplace could beat Merrimac Caverns for billboards per mile but a few Pecan and Orange stands sure did (not to mention the Adult stores with Truckers Parking). We did enjoy getting boiled peanuts though. On I-24 in south central Tennessee, the main item of mercantile appears to be fireworks. We were 1/3 of the way through the state before passing an interchange that didn’t have the Largest, Best or Cheapest fireworks available for purchase to the exclusion of just about anything else. Noticeably the Adult Stores had ended giving some indications about what each state’s standards in vice are.
Curlers in Your Hair, Shame on You?
We were back in town for Bethany’s Birthday, which a pretty low key affair, though the girls had great fun getting their hair put up in curlers. Their hair looked very full the next day.
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Bethany's put curlers in Jane and Cate's hair for the first time
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Cate after curlers |
Jane after curlers
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The End of Summer Vacation for the Girls
Before the end to their summer, Bethany and the girls went to the St. Louis Zoo with Aunt RoRo and Cousin George.
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Cate and Jane playing outside the Penguin and Puffin Coast at the zoo
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On 25 August Jane started kindergarten at the
Webster Groves Computer School (WGCS) with her teacher Mrs. Bielicke. The WGCS started in 1983 as small, magnet school within the district (one class of 21-24 per grade) in the basement of the old Steger Junior High School. Jane’s classroom was being updated with AC thanks to the last bond issue but it still bore some semblance of where Randy’s took 8th grade science with Mr. Van Brunt over three decades ago (good times). Jane’s entire class is full day allowing for additional instruction through out the day, as opposed to standard of only taking in a ½ day of instruction as required by the state.
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Jane ready to start her
first day of Kindergarten
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Two days latter, Cate started her second year of preschool in the Yellow Room at the
Webster Groves Early Childhood Education Center (WG ECEC). She’s in class three days a week for the morning. Most of her friends from the previous year had moved on to kindergarten but it doesn’t seem to bother her much at all.
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Cate ready to start 2nd year of Preschool
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September also marked our great leap forward in television viewing with the purchase of a 52-inch Sony W Series LCD HD flat screen monitor. We’ve been nursing along a 20+ year old Panasonic console unit, whose remote control receiver went out 6 months ago and whose on/off switch no longer worked, requiring us to unplug it to turn it off (the picture still was pretty goo though). Given the extra cash flow from the scads of overtime Randy put in this year, it was clearly time to make our long standing desire come true. The HD signal through the bunny ear antennae looks fabulous as did the DVDs. Perhaps our favorite part of it though, is our ability took hook up our laptop and watch the Jon Stewart and Daily Show off the internet (no Randy didn’t budge from the no cable or satellite mantra). This was particularly nice during the Democratic and Republican conventions.
Take Me Out To the Ball Game
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Clan Curtis watch the Cardinals
beat the Marlins
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The weekend after Labor Day, we went to the Cardinal game with Jane’s school even though we didn’t know anyone else yet. The school had the honor of singing “Take Me Out To the Ballgame” at the 7th Inning stretch. Being in kindergarten, Jane was in front as their picture was shown on the jumbotron. At $10 a ticket for the $25 seat with a hot dog and soda included, it seemed like a fair deal too (about as good as the minor league team). Albert Pujols hit a home run and the Cards beat the Marlins not that the girls cared in the least (or Randy).
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Jane singing with her new class mates on the big board
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"God Lord willing and the creek don't get too high"
When you like in Missouri you get use tornados and lightening storms but don't pay much attention to
hurricanes or tropical storms on a personnel level. That changed on Sunday, 14 September when the
remnants of Hurricane Ike which hit Galveston on Friday when 5 inches got dumped on the area in a few hours. Widespread "flash" flooding along the local creeks was the highest in memory. Flooding along Deer Creek in our area prevented the girls from going to church in the morning.
So far its the wettest year in St. Louis history.
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2-3 feet of water over Hanley Road resulting from Deer Creek flooding from
Hurricane Ike
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More September
Tiny Dancers
Both girls are in ballet class this fall at the Crestwood Recreation Center, although in different age categories. They’re pretty cute but we’re still not worried about figuring out how to afford Julliard a dozen or so years from now. It also makes for late and bumpy Tuesday at they don’t get home until after 7 pm, which is bedtime.
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Jane and Cate ready for ballet
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Magic House
After an early school dismal, Bethany took the girls to the Magic House. Fortunately, no one else had the same idea so the kids didn’t’ have to squabble with other kids over playing with the exhibits. They particularly enjoyed the pizza kitchen.
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Pulley Fun at the Magic House
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Cate was atypically all smiles for the camera at the Magic House pizza kitchen.
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Jane and Cate playing in the pizza kitchen at the Magic House
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Go Dog Go
Jane has begun reading in spurts, in part spurred on by a couple kids in her class that have taken on a book or two. It still in great part memorization as much as anything, she’s got most of Go Dog Go down (much to her father’s delight as it is the first book he recalls mastering). She’s also picked up a number of others through fall like Fox in Socks and is relooking at our Sandra Boynton baby board books again.
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Jane reading Chica Chica Boom Boom to Cate on the steps
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