Day Two - Sunday 14th

Well it is still raining and the river is really high and some streets are blocked off. But it didn't stop my host mother Lucy and i going for a walk. It was still really humid so we just wore big ponchos and went for a walk around this big (huge) corn field. It did feel like the mid west you see in movies, with dark moody grey skies. Apparently yesterday Batavia (the suburb i'm in) was on Tornado Watch. Great!! Actually i'm told that just means low grade warning, keep an eye out, the conditions are suitable. Cool! As per usual Naomi style, i was convinced i saw about four tornadoes forming that morning. Anyway i also saw about thirty yellow school buses all parked up and a toad. Then Lucy and i raced back home, quick shower and off i went to church. To the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva, Illinois. Geneva is the next suburb, and the church was a cute wee colonial style weatherboard church with geraniums outside and white washed pews with dark oak accents. (i liked the furnishings). The sermon was interesting... 'Do you believe in God?.... 'Please define your terms'. Anyway then off to Caribou Cafe - a bit like starbucks - and i met with the rest of the team and off we headed to the big city of Chicago!!! I guess it was a bit like driving from north of auckland to the central city. Except six lane highways of course, cars on the wrong side of the road and lots of heavy rain thanks to the tail end of hurricane Ike! All of a sudden there were tall building (like REALLY tall), the Sears tower was still in cloud and there we were outside the theatre to see Jersey Boys. THis is a musical about Frankie Valley and the four seasons. It was wonderful, the theatre was beuautiful, lots of gilt celings and the music was MAGIC. It really was super and our hosts Denny and Linda were so wonderful. AFterwards we went for dinner at a pizza house with Nick their son who played guitar and mandolin for the show from the music pit. AFter dinner a wee walk on Michigan Ave, we caught a glimpse of 'The Bean' this giant sculpture in Millenium Park and then it was time to go home......