They were asking questions and stating facts they knew. One boy said the water came from the golf course which is across the road from the main grounds. The one maintenance man, who turned out to be named Kevin, looked at me with a smile and said, "You can't teach these kids anything!" The boys began asking questions and the senior Kevin gave them information. He explained that the water would eventually end up in the ocean by going from Lake Chautauqua to a stream to a river and all the way to the Mississippi River, emptying into the ocean at New Orleans. After removing the large logs, they used a pitchfork to remove the smaller debris. Four golf balls were tossed out of the debris. One of the boys had an aha moment when we realized the water in the stream came all the way from the golf course. I told the senior Kevin he should ask for a pay raise, because now he is an educator as well! He said educators aren't keeping their jobs; he had better stick with what he has. I had a difficult time getting Kevin to leave the group and join the Club opening session at the lake.
Just before lunch, there was another torrential downpour which lasted only a few minutes. I was ready to leave for Kevin when Melanie called to say they ran into one of the Club buildings to escape the rain, and she would get Kevin and bring him to Bestor Plaza where we decided to meet for lunch.
After we finished our lunch, the boys played in a fountain.
One of Kevin's Club friends asked if he wanted to buy some lemonade or chocolate. The friend and a couple of others had set up a lemonade stand at Bestor Plaza with the help of their parents. Kevin bought some chocolate for $.10, then hung around to help out.
When they ran out of cups, Kevin said he knew where to get some. He came out of the restaurant, where we had lunch, with a small stack of cups. I assumed he took them from the water station they provide. A while later, they needed more cups, and I saw him running back with more cups. I asked where he was getting them. He said he had asked at the counter for them. The third time, I stopped him and said he couldn't do that. "The store has purchased those cups, and your friend's parents need to provide the cups, not the restaurant." Kevin continued to help his friends with their business. In the end, they gave Kevin $3.27 for his assistance. He was quite delighted!
Kevin met another friend on the plaza, and, together, they went back to the Club. The friend was on a scooter and flew like the wind down the hills. Kevin has a healthy dose of safety first sense, and does not ride his bike down the steepest hills. I did not have my bike, so I was left in the dust behind them, and prayed the whole way back to Club that Kevin was safe! This is how I found them -- they had spent some money at the YAC for treats.
At the end of Boys and Girls Club for this week -- Kevin walking back from swimming.
Before leaving, Kevin had to check the grate at the culvert. He found 2 rocks they men had not removed.
Once back home in the condo, Teo and Kevin watched an Alvin and the Chipmunks video on my computer.
Tonight Melanie and I and the 3 boys went to the Amphitheater to hear Blood, Sweat, and Tears. I was SOOO looking forward to it. Grant and I LOVED BS&T back in the day... But that day is past and BS&T is NOT the same. They were too loud for adults or children and the music was blah. So we left after less than half an hour of the concert. It was the right time to see bats at Bestor Plaza! And we had ice cream. Kevin ordered his on his own!
There we ran into the couple, Jay and Maura Stetzer, who were so enamored with Kevin at the ballet last week. She was wearing the SAME necklace as that night, and it was backwards AGAIN!!!! Kevin pointed out last week that her necklace was backwards and told her again tonight. So funny. She thought so too.
Melanie and the boys left for home before we did, so Kevin and I walked alone later. The stars were GORGEOUS -- bright and beautiful. I asked him if he had ever seen the Big Dipper. He had not, but he has now! And we saw part of the Little Dipper.
In talking about the North Star being directly above the North Pole, he asked if that is where Santa lived. He commented on the North Pole being very cold and few people live there, then asked why Santa lives there. Then he asked if Santa is real and if the Tooth Fairy is real. I asked him what he thought. He doesn't think the Tooth Fairy is real. He thinks parents take the teeth and leave money. He didn't comment any more on Santa.
Also in our star conversation, he asked an astute question which I cannot quite recall: it was either something about does everyone around the world see the same stars or what stars are at the South Pole. I told him - everyone south of the equator, or bottom of the earth, sees different stars than we do on the top side.
On the way into the condo, he noticed something "gross" on the window. A moth! He had never seen a moth before since they come out after bedtime.
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