thunder in the skies!

Every year for the past 50, Chicago has held an air & water show on the lakefront. The main stage of the event is located directly east of us, less than a mile away. So every year at this time we get to have the Blue Angels zooming overhead, setting off all the car alarms on the street. The thundering of jets has sent Ruby scurrying for my leg to grab onto several times this week.

Despite the anxiety of my kids, I love the air & water show weekend. I love feeling the jets speed by... and thinking about how much fuel they are burning. The brave/crazy/talented pilots have made my jaw drop a few times. They do some amazing maneuvers just over our rooftop.

I am glad it is only once a year, otherwise it wouldn't be such a treat.

I'm raising a Chicago driver

Alli and I were talking about driving the other day and I told her that some adults do not drive. She looked at me as if I had a flower sprouting out of my forehead and said,

"Mom, driving is easy. You just turn the steering wheel and honk at people who are in your way."

Can you tell Alli is growing up in the city?

Is this a reflection on my driving? I don't think I honk very much... that said, I have honked more in the last three and a half years than I have in my entire driving career combined. Sometimes I (calmly) say "beeeeeeep!" instead of laying on the horn to relieve my frustration without contributing to the noise pollution and irritation of others. Honking never makes traffic better... though it can get you through a tricky turn in an intersection.

The girls definitely hear lots of car horns throughout the day whether we are driving or not. Ruby likes the honking and she repeats "Beep! Beep!" quite cheerfully as if it were a funny joke.

Very funny. Let's move it people!