Maz

Thunder and lightning, torrential rain and lots of hail. Wonder when the sirens will go off.

USBound

and DAMN did we need it... hows things going over there Maz?
did you get the secadas yet? we have about 10,000 per square meter here.

Maz

We need about another foot of rain to replenish the natural but extremely shallow lake at the back of our house. I reckon our next-door neighbours, whose house is on the market, are cursing the lack of rain as there's just mud around the big beaver dam now.

The rain and hail stopped suddenly 5 minutes after I wrote the OP. Very odd! Still, at least the sky didn't turn green.

No cicadas yet in Aurora, but when I was in Oak Brook / Lombard / Lisle yesterday they were making a right din. And this is over and above my rather loud car stereo.

USBound

gah... so THATS how you spell it.

Maz

Tracym

I've seen about 3 cicadas in Crystal Lake - haven't heard them yet.

Last time - one secretary I knew fried them up and ate them!

Maz

Oh vomit!

DDL

Hi Maz. I noticed your post about Aurora. I was born in Aurora - 53 bloody long years ago!

I grew up in Batavia (my brother still lives there) and attended schools in Geneva. Moved away from there in my early 20s and have lived down here in Charleston, SC for over 30 years, expect for 2 years in London recently with my husband who is from the UK.

We've been back here in the States for over 2 years now. Next month he'll be able to apply for U.S. Citizenship.

How did you end up in Aurora?

Nice to meet you!


Denise

Maz

Hi Denise! *waves* Nice to meet you, too! Well my hubby was born in Aurora. Know when you go down New York Street towards the island in the Fox River, and right opposite McCarty Park there's a huge red brick building? It used to be a hospital and he was born there. It's now an old folks' home. My in-laws lived in Lombard at the time, but drove out to that hospital as it's a Catholic one (they're not Catholics, though) and they knew they were having complications, and this is one of those hospitals that would do whatever it took to save the baby. Hubby did nearly die during childbirth, the hospital saved his life.

Do you get back here often / at all? Robert Cray is playing at Blues On The Fox on the 16th of June woo hoo! I love Batavia and Geneva. In fact the whole Fox Valley area, down the river, is really nice. Have to say, the river really makes the area!

If you're planning on a visit, let me know!

Best of luck to your hubby in his application (it's a breeze, did it in 2000)!

DDL

I think you are describing what was once St. Charles Hospital? That's where I was born, too!

No, I don't get back there often and when I do it's very distressing - everything has changed soooo much. I still have a bit of family in Batavia and Montgomery, but everyone else has moved further out ... to Sandwich and even as far downstate as Peru, Illinois.

When I was growing up, Batavia was considered "the other side of the tracks" ... an absolutely NOTHING type of place. Look at it now!

You're right about the river. It makes for some lovely geography. Especially in winter, with the snow ....

Do you miss the UK?

Maz

When we bought our house, we were the first owners, in Dec 1997. Unfortunately it was built on what used to be farmland. Now we are completely enclosed, and Naperville and Plainfield met a long time ago down Route 59. Eola Road south of what used to be 87th Street (now Keating Drive) was a gravel track when I got married here in 1995. Now it's a dual carriageway with houses that go for $400K on both sides. *sigh*

Not sure if I miss the UK... I miss my family, definitely, but not sure about the actual place. I'm going back for 2 weeks in July with our daughter, so I guess I'll find out then. I could certainly do without how expensive it is, especially in the south-east!

That is so bizarre that you and Phil were born in the same hospital! Or so cool, don't know which.

Zoot

I live in St. Charles and haven't seen any cicadas yet either... but they return where there were trees during their previous visit 17 years ago. If you live in newer housing that used to be a cornfield, that's probably why you haven't seen them.

MIL is coming in on Friday (from England) for a two week visit. Perhaps we'll go for a walk by the river when she's here and finally see them.

Maz

Well our area was finished about a decade ago, but we have a lake at the back of our house, a natural one, so on a good summer's evening the frogs singing would most likely drown out any cicadas anyway. Noisy little buggers they are!

Hiro11

Local places I've heard the cicadas:
1. Glen Ellyn: the noise is simply deafening in the downtown area and around Lake Ellyn
2. The Morton Arboretum: was there yesterday, amazing echoing sound of millions of cicadas right next the the Children's Garden.
3. Blackwell State Park (on Butterfield in Wheaton), great hiking trails and lots of cicadas.

Maz

My daughter has made me promise to take her to the Children's Garden this coming weekend. Provided it's not raining, she's on. I love that place, especially the boardwalk up into the trees.