Milwaukee, Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan cruise

Amy, Barbara, candy, birdie and I took a river cruise on the Milwaukee River and out to Lake Michigan. It was a dark and foggy night....actually it was a hot and sunny day but very foggy on Lake Michigan. Some of the pictures are part of The Fonz in Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley and the nazi scene from The Blues Brothers. The local twang is a bit Bronx, New York City, Chicago. The early immigrants were from Poland and Germany, and then later the Irish in The Third Ward. The city is founded on breweries and sausages. We passed the baseball stadium Millers Park but I had no time to get a pic. Milwaukee's  the home of The Brewers and The Packers. 

I did my best to like Wisconsin curds but I cannot do it. They are the consistency of a latex glove and taste quite similar. What are they on about. I knew if the boat tipped we could stuff our knickers with the curds and float a few feet above the water. I'm surprised they don't put packets of them under the seats of passengers in aircraft. Much easier than mucking about with a blow up vest and a whistle that goes toot toot bleddin' toot. However, chocolate cheese...uh huh uh huh.

I loved the way the other boats came out of the fog and the lighthouse, bless it's heart rose eerily from the lake.

Passing the cities sewerage ponds was a treat on a warm day, especially as the high chimney pumps out methane gas from the factory that chomps, dries and packages the effluent for fertiliser. Oooh yummy.

Milwaukee is a fascinating old city and like every city has a mixed history and a troubled past with the native Americans. New Zealand did no better, so I can't point the bone.

The river is traversed by many bridges. Most of them lift up to allow bigger boats through and there is a swing railroad bridge that still operates a couple of times a day to let the Trans Am through.

We had. A fabulous day and it was a magic way to see the city.

I HAVE BEEN TO MILWAUKEE AND ON LAKE MICHIGAN.

America, America

Lovely people and not one gun toting, good Ol boy in sight.
This is an unusual summer apparently and the heat continues. 32 yesterday with 88% humidity. Even a convertible won't save you from being hot hot hot.
Barbara arrange two school visits yesterday to Park Lawn and Country Court. They are in different school districts so have different superintendents. The superintendent was on site at country court and he was lovely. Things are the same but very different.
Like our education systems it has behaviouralist systems in place to manage relationships and behaviours. Schools in the same district have the same values, rules etc. I think it's called PBIS Positive behaviour in school. We have PB4 L available in NZ but it's not something I would follow. We have taken the developmental approach which is harder but has much longer term effects. I watched some great teachers in action yesterday and instinctively they used developmental theory to  facilitate learning. It's all about relationships and genuine caring. The children in those classes knew that no matter what, their teacher liked them, wanted to be with them and genuinely cared about their success. Kids and good teachers are the same everywhere.
I watched some children with special needs collect the eggs and feed the hens on the school property. They have a vege garden too but the ownership of that was with the groundsman I think.
Barbara used to take her dog Lucy to school with her as she was a certificated Therapy dog. Everywhere we went at the schools, the children asked where Lucy was and those that knew she has died were interested in her new puppy and wondering if the puppy would be a Therapy dog too.
I'm keen to get a lovely dog for school. Mmmmm.
In 1988 Barbara heard about reading recovery and got permission from her school district to come to Hoon Hay School to see it in action. She stayed with the then principal Ian Kennedy and his wife Marjorie. She stayed a few days with graham and I in our little house in Hillmorton before we built it into a big house.
Barbara was so impressed by NZ teachers that she brought the good news of RR back to Wisconsin and was trained in Illinois as a RR Teacher. She also loved the way NZ teachers taught literacy and numeracy as a natural extension of language acquisition.she has never forgotten what she learned and has countless videos of teachers at hoon hay school, one in particular, that she thought were great teachers. So I'm bringing back a couple of DVDs that she has made of the tapes because one of the beginning teachers she rated highly is a colleague and still just the same.
She has video of Ian and Marjorie who go to St. John Anglican Church in Rangiora. So there it's a small world after all.
Barbara has a favourite book shop so we've sat there a couple of times and drank coffee and browsed.
She showed me the beautiful home on the lake where she raised 6 children.  Photo next time.
Oconomowoc is the place of thousands of lakes and beautiful mansions on the lakesides. It used to be the summer homes for the rich and famous..
It is also Republican country and George W Bush is the main man.
Today we are off to Lake Michigan for a cruise. Who would have thought that this could have been on the cards a year or so ago. IVE GOT THE PHOTOS, THE TSHIRT, THE COMMEMORATIVE SPOON AND THE FRIDGE MAGNET TO PROVE IT.  Well maybe  just the photos. And even that's debatable. I loaded the pics to google before I put them on picassa and don't know how to import them again. Whoops
God bless America and me too please.

Oconomowoc,Wisconsin

I've experienced a combination of driving miss daisy and grand theft auto. Barbara has a white convertible and when her tyres hit the road she travels. Barbara is 81 and totally gorgeous, kind, loving and generous. She does not believe however that road rules are for everyone at all times. Bless.
I sat next to a ginormous man on the little plane from Saint John to Toronto and I have just looked at myself in the mirror and wondered why I didn't spread into his seat and cause an uproar akin to the reversing falls of St. John. The portions of food in America are huge. Impossible to eat. No need for Jesus to do miracles here, he could feed the 5000 + with the leftovers, I had a frozen custard from Le duc's? And couldn't finish half if it and that was the kiddies portion. I have rediscovered Chicago mix and overcome my dislike of popcorn again.
It is so hot and humid here that we gave up at midday and retreated to aircon.
I apologise for errors in previous posts but you can't scroll down to the bottom of an entry on an iPad so I shall fix them when I can get to a pc. I see Hoon Hay reads as noon hay.
I do have photos but will need to delete many from the iPad before I can upload the camera pics to iPad. What a great invention that little plug in is.
We are visiting 2 schools tomorrow and I met 30 retired teachers for breakfast this morning. Today was the first day of the new year for American and Canadian kids.
On Thursday we are doing a boat cruise of Lake Michigan. Can you believe It? I have to thank Tricia again for this itinerary and all of the organisation and then that means I have to thank my lovely board of trustees for letting me go, and then that means I have to thank the MOE for paying me and then that means I have to thank TeachNZ for awarding the sabbatical and then thank Graham for encouraging me to go after the experiences. I'm exhausted by the thanking so I shan't bother.
The Americans and Canadians really struggle to understand me. I feel like an ESOL kid. The accent kills them and people gather around just to make me say something so they can fall about laughing and say," Myra, Hank come over here. Y'all want to hear this cute way of talking." When they are done, I pirouette on my stand, toss the fish into the air and slap my flippers, before diving gracefully back into my pool.
Tonight I am just straight out sad as I heard that my ex caretaker at West Melton school died in his sleep. He was a kind, funny, intelligent, clever, supportive, generous, caring and entertaining friend. I am in disbelief and mourning for Ian Howley. The world is a little poorer for his loss.
House here are so cheap too. Come on NZ! What's the game. I saw some lakeside mansions and they are a fraction of the cost we have to pay. Unfair. Wisconsin is a place of thousands of lakes. There are so many that they say some are unnamed. I will name some for a small fee. Lake Tarquin. Lac wet water. Lake Persephone. Lake Langton. Lake like it lots. Lake Fred. See it's easy.
I am tired despite a much easier day today. Life in Wisconsin is great.
Hello Wisconsin!
And so to bed....
Photos when I can be bothered.
Bless and thank you God for this opportunity to wreak havoc on everyone else. The great thing is that they think all kiwis are like me.