Flooding

Today, we went downtown to the Louisville Science Museum for a field trip. Located right on the Ohio River, we noticed all the flooding, right up to our favorite parking lot adjacent to the building. The muddy, rolling water was a sight, with chunks of things floating by. The kids were quite amazed at the flooding even along the highway coming in. We talked about the marks on the bridge, showing past flood levels, and how the flood gates work. No boats were visible on the river, reminding me of the terrible accident in Pennsylvania the other day, sinking a tug boat and killing three crewmen. (Read about the 1937 flood in Cincinnati on my dad's website, www.mylife.homestead.com.)

We enjoyed the IMAX, "Space Station" which generated a lot of discussion about space travel and exploration. One daughter mentioned while she wouldn't want to be an astronaut, she would like to "fly" in zero gravity.

To get my dear young (almost 3 yo.) son to walk to the theater to see the movie, we told him of the polar bear that stands outside the entrance to the theater. Wouldn't you know, the (stuffed) polar bear was gone.

"Where is he?" asked son.
"I don't know," I answered.
"Where's da polar bear?" asked son.
Desperate for another answer that might work, I tried, "He's in the basement getting cleaned."
"Let's go see it," replied son. No, can't do that, so we tried looking around a little. We hear a rather large rumble, which I think was the furnace or air system kicking on, and son was ran back to where we had been sitting, sure that there was a monster somewhere. The movie then distracted him and I was happy to leave the polar bear subject behind.

Hours later at home, son asks, "Where's da polar bear?"
"Getting cleaned in the basement," I tried.
"Where's the polar bear?"
"I don't know."
"Where's the polar bear?"
"He went to the North Pole to visit Santa Claus."
"Oh."
I knew there was some answer that he'd accept! End of discussion.