Let us all celebrate the new voters in the family. Madison, Zachary, and Rachel. Yahoo and welcome to one of the most valued American rights. Many people here in Illinois were able to vote early. Maurie is one of those who got in early and he voted a few days before Halloween. Rachel and I waited, however because I wanted her to have the whole voting experience. The polling site in our precinct is in a small church down by the river. On the radio they were saying that there would be long lines and you should go mid-morning or mid-afternoon to be able to get in and out quickly. So Rachel and I hit the polls at a little after nine and we only waited a bit. We knew two of the election judges and three of the people in line, so waiting was not bothersome at all. She was surprised how simple the process turned out to be.
We didn't try to take pictures inside because one of the election judges said no way. But outside it was a lovely day and here is Rachel showing of her sticker.
A kind woman happened along a recognized we were trying to make the event into something a little more special and she offered to take over the camera. She got this fine shot of Rachel and I standing by the polling place sign. There were businesses all over the Fox Valley that were giving out free products and wares to people who were wearing their voting sticker. Rumor had it you could get free coffee at Starbuck's, tacos at Taco Bell, doughnuts at Krispy Kreme and beer at some neighborhood pubs. We didn't take anyone up on their offers of largesse.
I thought I would put in these last two picture to show a little scenery and the geese. We have large population of Canada Goose geese. There is a twofolld problem with the geese. First, they are pests. They leave their droppings all over, they terrorize people on the bike paths, they're greedy and loud. The second problem is that their proper name is Canada Goose. You never see just one Canada Goose. You pluralize the word and you get geese, but the correct name is Goose, so you have to lengthen the name to Canada Goose geese. It sounds ridiculous and if you talk with people from far away they think you are dumb and don't know the difference between goose and geese. They are maddening birds and there are thousands of them who will winter over all along the Fox River.
We have many retention ponds throughout the suburbs and all winter long they will be covered with the geese from Canada. This is a pond just north of our local Sam's Club. Stores with big parking lots have to devote so much of their property to ponds. We have ponds all over and in the summer they are havens for mosquitos. To stop the mosquitos from breeding owners install solar powered fountains. If you see a fountain then you know someone is looking out for you. If you see standing water and there is no fountain then you get bitter and say to yourself "Couldn't they even spring for a solar powered fountain. It runs for free. If anyone gets West Nile virus it should be them." We are very judgemental. But all the ponds are pretty.
Let us all celebrate the new voters in the family. Madison, Zachary, and Rachel. Yahoo and welcome to one of the most valued American rights. Many people here in Illinois were able to vote early. Maurie is one of those who got in early and he voted a few days before Halloween. Rachel and I waited, however because I wanted her to have the whole voting experience. The polling site in our precinct is in a small church down by the river. On the radio they were saying that there would be long lines and you should go mid-morning or mid-afternoon to be able to get in and out quickly. So Rachel and I hit the polls at a little after nine and we only waited a bit. We knew two of the election judges and three of the people in line, so waiting was not bothersome at all. She was surprised how simple the process turned out to be.
We didn't try to take pictures inside because one of the election judges said no way. But outside it was a lovely day and here is Rachel showing of her sticker.
A kind woman happened along a recognized we were trying to make the event into something a little more special and she offered to take over the camera. She got this fine shot of Rachel and I standing by the polling place sign. There were businesses all over the Fox Valley that were giving out free products and wares to people who were wearing their voting sticker. Rumor had it you could get free coffee at Starbuck's, tacos at Taco Bell, doughnuts at Krispy Kreme and beer at some neighborhood pubs. We didn't take anyone up on their offers of largesse.
I thought I would put in these last two picture to show a little scenery and the geese. We have large population of Canada Goose geese. There is a twofolld problem with the geese. First, they are pests. They leave their droppings all over, they terrorize people on the bike paths, they're greedy and loud. The second problem is that their proper name is Canada Goose. You never see just one Canada Goose. You pluralize the word and you get geese, but the correct name is Goose, so you have to lengthen the name to Canada Goose geese. It sounds ridiculous and if you talk with people from far away they think you are dumb and don't know the difference between goose and geese. They are maddening birds and there are thousands of them who will winter over all along the Fox River.
We have many retention ponds throughout the suburbs and all winter long they will be covered with the geese from Canada. This is a pond just north of our local Sam's Club. Stores with big parking lots have to devote so much of their property to ponds. We have ponds all over and in the summer they are havens for mosquitos. To stop the mosquitos from breeding owners install solar powered fountains. If you see a fountain then you know someone is looking out for you. If you see standing water and there is no fountain then you get bitter and say to yourself "Couldn't they even spring for a solar powered fountain. It runs for free. If anyone gets West Nile virus it should be them." We are very judgemental. But all the ponds are pretty.
2 comments:
I am glad that Rachel had a postive first voting experience. I left work a little early so that I would not have to deal with after work lines. I did not wait in line. There were only 3 of us there. I did not want to spend the night watching all of the returns and so I popped in Pride and Prejudice. It was a great way to spend Election Day evening.
I love this post. Zack, Alan and I voted yesterday about noon. We wore our stickers proudly and I hope that Zack will never ever miss a voting day in his life. There was no line at our high school, which is where we vote, and of course in our little town they know you by name and call out your name as you're walking up to the table. They say, "the Baums are here to vote a straight Republican ticket." Which is pretty much what they say when anyone walks through the door. JK, they don't say the republican ticket thing, but in their hearts they know we will. We know all the election/poll staffers and love that we live in such a quaint and fiercely conservative community. Did I ever tell anyone the story of when Alan was a little boy and he got mad at another child at school. Thinking it was about the worst and meanest thing he could call the other child, he said, "Oh, you, you, you Democrat!"
the river lookspeaceful and I remember you telling me about the geese and the eggs and nests in the spring. Thanks for the pics.
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