You Never Know

One of our summer "rituals" is a trip to a small local family owned amusement park. (by local I mean within 60 miles)In the evening. It's a small park with some very kiddie rides, middle kiddie rides and a few rides that are fine for adults/teens. The reason I like to go in the evening, is that I enjoy it immensely when the sky gets dark, and the rides are illuminated. The pulsating white and red lights punctuating the dark humid air, accompanied by the soundtrack of rides rumbling, and shouts of glee rising into the night sky, are quintessential summer.

Though it's a little early in the season to get the full night effect, as the sun sets right around the park's closing time of 9 pm, we like to go when the big kids are in camp, and this week worked out for us. We picked Wednesday, partially because that was the best day logistically, but mostly because they instituted a deal for 5 pm to closing for Tuesday and Wednesday nights. This park is pretty small, so four hours is really not necessary as it tends to be fairly empty in the evening. Especially when it's so hot.

Tuesday evening I picked my daughter up from her day camp, and as she got in the car she said "bad news." I asked what the problem was, and she said the camp was going on a trip the next day...to our amusement park.

We all "awwwwed," and I told the kids we'd try to go another night, and that we'd still have a fun evening trip on Wednesday night, we would work it all out when MBB got home.

The more I thought about it though, the more the trip the camp was taking made me uncomfortable. Wednesday's temperatures were supposed to be in the 100 degree range, and HUMID, and I didn't trust a nine year old, or her 16 year old counselor to ensure that proper hydration would occur. I vacillated and we talked about it (she was willing to stay home and have us all go in the evening, but that wasn't a good reason not to go), and came upon a solution. We both talked to her about how much she had to drink, and wear a hat, and we froze one water bottle, and put the other one in the fridge.

We made a plan for Wednesday evening. We would go bowling, then to Carvel and possibly a night swim. Yay, fun!

The next morning she applied sunscreen, and took a bottle of the easy on sunscreen spray for reapplication. We again told her how much she had to drink, and reminded her of the girl we saw faint at the blueberry picking. (That girl's father yelled for her mother, Linder..that's Linda for you non New York readers, to come quick and bring water. Apparently Linder had left the water in the car. MBB started to head over to where they were with our extra bottle of water, but by the time he got there someone else had given them some. Once the crisis had passed the father went into an obscenity laced diatribe against Linder for not taking the water out of the car. Dude, if it was that important why didn't YOU take the water out of the car?)
Our intrepid camper promised to drink and wear her hat, even if she was the only one, and off she went.

That afternoon I went to pick her up, and she happily proclaimed "We didn't go, we went bowling instead!!!"

I was very pleased that literally COOLER heads had prevailed and they canceled the trip, but now our second choice of activity had been usurped by the camp! I immediately called MBB, and Plan A was back on!!!

So even though the lights did not go on, the girls had a blast, came home sticky from ices and sweat, and my summer remains intact.

Next up.....

VISITING DAY!!!