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Cahokia Mounds daytripping

Katie and I took Drew and Jake to Cahokia Mounds this morning. We climbed up Monk's Mound and walked around the Interpretive Center. While heading for the long stair climb to the top of the mound we encountered two women exercising by going up and down. The issue for me was that they had a pit bull dog that they forced to do this with them. I know they went up and down at least 5 times while we were there and they had gotten there before we did. I just don't think that is a good thing to do to a dog. And, when they left, they tried to get the dog to drink out of the human drinking fountain.

 

Guys, please batton down those mattresses

Mattresses 115

Ladders 91

Another weekend another road closure

Crossing into Missouri from Illinois will get even harder this weekend. MoDOT will be closing 2 miles of I-44 between the Musial bridge and the point where it meets 55. The options for drivers wanting to go west on 44 will be to take 64 and get off at one of the surface streets which lead back to 44. This means the Poplar stands a good chance of getting really backed up. It's bad enough on normal week days and weekends when so many drivers head to the lane leading to 44 that the whole thing slows down.

Now many more cars and trucks will be jockeying for a spot on 64 west on that bridge, probably backing up as they try to get off at Jefferson or some other street. We can only hope IDOT decides to take off the Labor Day weekend and stops work on the eastbound lanes to the Poplar.

I'd say if you're in Illinois this weekend, stay there. Unfortunately we will not have that choice and need to be going back and forth several times. Katie is here for her high school reunion which has things going on Friday and Saturday. Dale is preaching in Troy on Sunday. Keeping fingers crossed there won't be a huge amount of traffic through the holiday.

New deck roof

We're having a roof put on our deck in Collinsville these days. We've long had no way to just sit out there because the sun never left that area, it was blazing hot and bright all day long. For some reason no tree or umbrella ever shaded this deck. Our next door neighbors have the same issue. So this summer Dale decided it was time to put a roof on it so we could enjoy being out there. He got this idea after visiting my sister who's deck had a really nice roof.

Dale drew up a plan in which the front of the roof deck mimic-ed the front of our house which has a craftsman style front porch with big pillars. The pillars on the new deck are pretty massive, but make the whole thing strong and holds up the new roof very well. It's getting close to the end, mostly finishing work which does take some time. When Katie and I were over there yesterday one of the men was wrapping the pillars in a nice wood which will be painted. Jason, the other man working, told me that if there was ever a tornado, the safest thing we could do was to go stand on this deck because it is really a fortress now.

Daily life

Mattresses 114

Ladders 91

Oversized dog

Lizzie took these pictures of Ferdie and me at the seminary field day on Saturday.

The Bailey boys are here

Katie and family are here this week with Drew, Jake, and the family dog, Riley. Things started early.

Mattresses and ladders

Mattresses 114

Ladders 90

Busy day and weekend

The highest pulpit

Dale preached in Frankenmuth, Michigan this weekend and the belief is, that church has the tallest pulpit in the LCMS. True or not, it is nosebleed high. In the photo you can barely see Dale. This is, however, a beautiful church.

First Day!

Today brings the opening worship service to begin the school year at Concordia Seminary. All the new students will process in together and experience the start of their time together with the entire community.

It's a beautiful experience.