Angie’s Drama

An article I was reading celebrated the fact that Splashdown in East Peoria is celebrating its ten year anniversary. I can’t believe it’s been around ten years. WOW…I’m getting old. Before Splashdown took the title of biggest waterpark in the area, there was Lakeview. Good old Lakeview. I went to nursery school at the YWCA at Lakeview and day camp at the Y for several summers. Living two blocks away, Lakeview pool was the staple of my summer.

I can’t even describe the “awe factor” the first time I saw Rainbow Bend. We’d drive by during construction but it was hard to grasp the awesomeness of the slides until you made the massive trek to the top. Then there was always the fear of actually flipping over the slide on your way down. It was awesome. The concession area at the slide also had more variety than at the pool. You could order nachos, ice cream and any candy you could imagine.

I also have to credit Lakeview with beginning my social life. Most of the time, going to the pool was about watching all the older kids and wishing I could be like them. With time, my friends and I were on the scene and meeting kids from public schools who were far different from the catholic school kids we were with during the school year. Most of the kids didn’t have ideal home lives but they had more freedom than I could have ever imagined. It also was the first time that I was on the inside looking out and not vice versa.

It was a regular hang out well into high school. Then friends started having pools and being at a public pool started loosing its luster. I have friends that still go with their families and it always throws me. To our parents it was a babysitter and now my friends go with their families. East Peoria may have the lazy river but Lakeview will always have my heart.

Amazingly, most of the past week has been drama-free. With Rob working only one night a week at the restaurant, we’ve been able to spend quality time together and get a few things accomplished. Rob played the role of awesome husband and hung out with me at the air show all weekend. If he hadn’t, I would have seen him for a total of maybe ten hours.

On Rob’s “off” days he’s been riding the mower around since it now only takes ten minutes to mow the back, side and front yards. Believe it or not, he hasn’t painted the bright John Deere camo yet. I’m keeping my fingers crossed on that one. One thing that did get the royal camo treatment was the boat. He’s been trying to assemble the duck blind which attaches to the boat but I think it will take a doctorate in assembly for that to happen. Happily, the pieces of the blind are spread across the basement ready to stub my toes in the dark or for me to trip over and break my foot. Wait…

We’ve been trying to come up with a name for the duck boat. To recap: the first year of the actual duck blind was “effen duck blind” the second year was “mother effen duck blind” and I think last year I left it alone since they didn’t really have an actual “blind.” So, in naming the boat, I’m a big fan of “effen duck boat” or “mother effen duck boat”. Basically it could be FDB ot MFDB. Does anyone have a better idea? Walker’s MFDB?

Growing up, I think my parents (and yours too) relied on scaring the crap out of me so I wouldn’t do something. “Look both ways before crossing the street or you’ll get hit by a car.”
“Never walk anywhere alone because someone may kidnap you.” I was the only person in my school who was “required” to wear a bike helmet (only when riding the bike). That was 1986 and waaayyyy before the trend caught on. That’s what happened when your mom was the secretary to the county coroner. I hated that helmet. From my house to the school was about 7 blocks down Sheridan from Lake Street. The streets that the high school kids drove down. They loved seeing a chubby grade school girl with a helmet but they loved screaming at me more. So, I took to going through neighborhoods so I could avoid any main street. I’d take the helmet off in the neighborhoods and put it back on once I hit Sheridan again. Eventually, I just took to walking so I wouldn’t have to deal with it anymore. There is a point to the story. In my youth, you got the hell out of a car’s way.

Not so much anymore. I can’t even count how many times in the past week I’ve seen kids riding their bikes, against on-coming traffic and weaving across all lanes of traffic. Driving along Adams Street from downtown towards Peoria Heights, I was amazed how many children had no fear towards the three lanes of rapidly moving traffic. While drivers were slamming on their breaks constantly, the kids just breezed on by with a “What the hell’s your problem?” expression on their faces.

Along Forrest Hill, their was a boy riding his bicycle on the sidewalk. As he approached two parked mini-vans, a car was pulling into their driveway. The boy was hidden by the vans and thankfully the woman wasn’t spacing out or looking somewhere else and was able to avoid hitting him. He just kept riding down the sidewalk…no big deal.

I just don’t understand the fearlessness of kids today. Is it lack of parenting or am I just becoming old (31) and cranky? I’m by no means suggesting we fear our children into doing/not doing something but I think a healthy dose of respect for what can harm us goes a long way.

Back to my mom working for the coroner. As you may have guessed, I had to make the solemn lifetime promise that I would never get on a motorcycle. It’s really never been an issue and Rob is sooo not the biker type (surprise, surprise). I don’t think there’s a problem with a riding lawnmower-the new toy.

I have officially found the most dangerous intersection in Central Illinois. While my life didn’t flash in front of me, a massive semi obscured the sun so that I felt I was experiencing an eclipse(the ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ kind, not the gum). Death Trap: Main and Camp Streets in East Peoria.

My entire goal was to turn left from Main Street (coming from Shopko) onto Camp (going to Culver’s). Did I make the green arrow? Of course not. I only get that lucky once in twenty lights. Seriously, my percentage is crap. So, my only choice is to try and turn on the yellow. Well, anyone that’s been in that area in the past year, knows how much construction and crap is going on farther down Main Street (towards the Par-a-Dice), so every car coming from that direction is flying through the yellow lights. Which left me above the railroad tracks and before the intersection. All fine until a semi (coming from Walgreens) on Camp decided to turn onto Main Street (going to Shopko). The driver starts screaming at me to which I throw up my hands and ask him exactly what the eff does he want me to do? He responded by flooring the gas and turning at full speed without a care in the world. I seriously covered my head and bent down so the windshield that was going to explode wouldn’t shatter my skull. By some grace, he actually cleared my car and I wasn’t left for dead at an intersection I HATE in East Peoria. No offense to anyone, but if I’m going to meet the Maker, please let it be in Peoria. It’s only fair.

So, here are the issues with this particular intersection.

1. The railroad crossing is not well marked. It’s really hard to tell where you’re supposed stop and wait for the light. No one wants to be on the railroad tracks for more than a few seconds. So, already, once you’ve gotten past the railroad tracks you’re still screwed.

2. The intersection itself is poorly marked. I couldn’t see the white line that indicates where you turn from, let alone how far up on the hill you’re allowed to go. Thus, I was pulled to far up near the intersection. But, there was a person next to me so I couldn’t have been pulled to up too far.

3. All the freaking signs DO NOT HELP. Sign #1: Railroad Crossing Sign #2: Don’t Block Rails Sign #3: Don’t Block Intersection- I already have anxiety because I’m resting at the rails while the cars ahead of me turn, then when I’m at the light my anxiety is worsened by the Don’t Block Intersection sign. Essentially they want me to turn right after the yellow-even after the cars are still coming-which would block the intersection as I’m turning on a red light and opposing traffic has a green light. You can have as many signs as you want, but could you please MARK the intersection?

By the way, if I ever see that jackass semi-driver, it’s on.

We’re back from a fun weekend spent with friends and the great outdoors. It should just take me a few days to recover and get back up to speed.

Busy, busy, busy. Rob and I actually get to camp with the Jaycees this weekend, so we have a lot going on. A few tidbits I’ll expound upon when we return:

1) My run-in with an angry veteran

2) My run-in with a sneaky, homeless wino

3) My run-in with a total scammer who went off when we wouldn’t give him money

…and that was just on Independence Day alone

HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT HOLIDAY!!