Where did the summer go?

Last time I wrote we were in the middle of it - all that hot sweaty weather, and suddenly as if from nowhere comes cold! We don't go from hot to warm and then to cold. Oh no! This is Chicago, we do swelteringly hot and humid, and then freezing cold (with a touch of frost!), and then back to hot again. As a good friend of mine once said: "That's Chicago, it just can't get the hang of weather!" and at the change of seasons he's so right. It just can't cope with change. It can do hot, really well, and it likes to do cold - for a long time, it will do cold very well. However, changing from one to the other - well that's a whole nuther kettle of snails! It's confused, insecure, totally unsettled, prone to sharp outbursts and in need of a good dose of therapy .... oops forgot, I'm talking about Chicago coping with change in weather, not me coping with changes in life...

Talking of which, since I last wrote, I've had yet another first.... my first born son has packed his pocket handkerchief and left home to make his fortune ... OK, he's gone to the University of Illinois to do all sorts of interesting things including sharing a shoe box sized room with two other roomies! Now if that's not an education, I don't know what is! We don't hear from him much - I guess that's a good sign... ? My daughter has embarked on her high school years (not many complaints so far) and has joined her older brother in the marching band. They're marching today - at the ETHS vs Highland Park football game. I will go to watch the game, however, even after living in the US for over eleven years, I still haven't figured this "rugby with padding" game out, but I do love the atmosphere, and of course the half-time show. I now have to spot two people in the band - Esther is easy because there are only two bass-clarinet players there. Josh is easier than last year, because he's taller than most of the other sax players.

Tonight our church is hosting a rock show. We do these most months. They are mainly teen bands, not from church, who need a place to play. Tonight's show will be different though. We are raising money for Mallory Langill, a young girl at the church who suffers with Cystic Fibrosis and is in need of a double lung transplant. I hope many people come to raise lots of money - but also to encourage the family as they go through this incredibly tough time. Check out this link for more information: http://www.cotaformalloryl.com/node/46