The Field Museum is one of this country’s premier museums –
and could probably be one of the most expensive. Last Wednesday was “free day”
– Illinois residents didn’t have to pay (Becky sneaked us in, so we didn’t pay,
either). However, you still have to pay to see the exhibits. So, for about $54
we got in to the museum (on a regular day it would’ve cost us about $130 PLUS
the $54 – this does not count the $19 we had to pay to park. I’m glad it was a
FREE day.). I’m not sure how people take their children to these amazing things
that are all over the place here….
Anyway, we went to the museum and saw the Tattoo exhibit. It
was fascinating….and a little disturbing, if I’m being honest. I have nothing
against tattoos – 3 of my kids are tattooed, and it doesn’t bother me
(much). It’s a personal expression of
art….The Japanese mafia tattoos were pretty amazing, I have to say, not to
mention the Russian gulag tats.
But while that was really interesting, what drew the kids’
interest the most was the animal exhibit. This is Miles’ favorite part of the
museum. It’s a zoo – kind of – every animal you can think of, all in close-up
glass cages. Just like a zoo, except they’re all dead. None of that annoying
running around so you can’t see them stuff – they stand perfectly still and you
can really look at them. Some of them are 100 years old. Dead animals. I
thought it was a little creepy, but the blue whale skeleton up on the ceiling
was cool.
When I was a kid, going to the museum was a free thing, like
going to the zoo or window shopping. We didn’t have to pay for that….and St.
Louis had, at the time, one of the finest art museums and zoos in the country
(I think they’re still right up there). At any rate, we didn’t think too much about
going, because it didn’t cost anything. St. Louis kids all knew who Marlin Perkins was
(and if you don’t, then shame on you, you obviously didn’t watch Wild Kingdom),
because he worked at “our” zoo. The thought of going to see dead stuffed
animals never entered my mind. You want to see a tiger in the winter? Watch
Wild Kingdom.
I have neglected this blog a bit – mostly because I’ve been
knitting (well, duh) and watching Shameless. (Virginia Wagner, you must tell
Jim about it – it’ll be his new “Justified.”) Shameless is a Netflix series
that takes place in Chicago – it stars William H. Macy, and every one of you
Seattleites knows he’s “our” actor. We saw him in many Seattle Rep plays in the
80’s and early 90’s. It’s funny, black humor – but only because we all know (or
think we do) a family that is just THIS close to being like this………watch it,
but start with Season 1, Episode 1, or you won’t figure out what’s going on.
We have been immersed in bluegrass with Becky and her
musician buddies. Last night we went with her to a “bluegrass jam” where about
16 professional musicians hang out and play together. Kind of like if you had
Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain and Eric Clapton all hanging out in a bar with their
guitars….okay, this is bluegrass, not rock, but there were a fair number of
Grammys represented there last night.
Becky was the only female picker there, but it didn’t matter – no gender
issues in bluegrass. She sang out loud and proud and the guys all cheered and
sang along with her.
Next week we’ll probably take off for Maine….watching the
weather. Right now the Chicago weather is warming up – after snow yesterday we’ve
got freezing rain today. At least the temperature has gone above 20, which is
the first time since Christmas. Brrrrrrr.
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