break is more than half over, and i've begun to focus on some things that needed done. got a few of 'em done too. mostly i wanted to spend some time with the young fellas in the family (4), all of whom are around and in need of some careful watching. got three haircuts this morning, but for a good view of break just go here and read one guy's view of it. with the 5-yr.-old we've finished chuck, lightning's forklift driver, and have moved on to a motor home with flags on his head- this being cardboard architecture. got some pictures too from bruce:



this is our dining room...



...and this is bruce's family, minus bruce, the photographer, and plus justin, my 19-yr.-old home from college. they are at the banks of the mississippi, where you can see the missouri side. this is the one truly spectacular site of southern illinois, because the big river just kind of rushes down through the countryside, and our peaceful universe kind of opens out onto it at certain points. we went out there, as you can see, on a winter day, watched the barges come on down, and ran around in the sand and rocks for a while. it kind of redefines 'stop and smell the roses' as 'stop and watch america lose its farmland' - for just a moment- that's what vacation is all about.