The Kelsey's

Memorial Day Weekend

Mom came in town for the weekend. So the kids and Laura were out with her quite a bit. We didn’t get to meet up with Doug and the rest of our little corner of the Kelsey clan because there was sickness going around over there.

It did storm over the weekend. Some of the most persistent lightning displays than I’ve seen for many years. I woke up at 2:44 am on Monday morning from the thunder. I was going to go outside, but it was too wet – it’s usually raining when lightning is about. At least around here. But I sat on the couch in our bedroom and looked out the window. It was a great show.

Trying to get rid of that house

Last week we got the results from the house inspection of our prospective buyer. There were about 20 items if you included the 4-5 needed by the county inspection. Mel came over with his big truck and all his tools and we worked for two days and knocked out just about all of them. The only things not done were some painting around the basement windows (we have the paint – so that’s up to me!), sanding and painting the bottom of one of the front porch posts (again, I’m on it when things dry up a bit), and replacing the back sliding glass door (this one might have to be negotiated).

I’m sore and tired and all I did was help get things, hold flashlights, “run to Home Depot,” help hold things in place while they were attached, and watch and learn.

What you’ve been missing

The weekend before this last one, I took Joshua, Hannah, and her friend Chisara to Six Flags. Chisara wasn’t too thrilled with some of the bigger coasters… But we figured you spend 80% of your days standing in line waiting anyway, and she and Hannah love to stand around and chat, so it worked out pretty well. We got there after stopping at the church for breakfast on the front lawn. It wasn’t just us, the whole church was invited! We stayed 7 hours or so.

We started of spinning around on Excalibur. This is something Hannah and I have done for the last couple of visits. It turns you around so many ways that if you don’t get sick on that – you’ll be fine the rest of the day. I guess if you do, you can just leave early – I don’t know. Mr. Freeze was open this time. I love getting the chance to feel what a bullet experiences as we get shot out of the magnetic rail gun that launches the ride.

The park was not over crowded, but it wasn’t as empty as you find it on a cloudy weekday (a great time to go…). I was surprised by how many people you “run into” there. I saw two people that I’ve worked with on contracts and we ran into my step brother Michael (yeah same name). Three people – I think that’s a record for me when I wasn’t already going with a group like my high school marching band.

I did face my fears and ride the Superman ride. Even at 40, I was pretty apprehensive. Joshua said that we would pray for me and he hoped I didn’t die. “How would you get home?” I asked him. “Oh, I’d just dig your cell phone out of your pocket before they carted your body off to the morgue.” He’s can be pretty quick witted when he’s on his game.

It was a little cool for the water rides, but Hannah and Chisara rode Thunder river three times – I was soaked on the first time and waited out the other two! We did ride the Colossus – the gigantic ferris wheel. Without being strapped in around your shoulders and neck like other rides, I find that one almost as scary as the Superman ride. We also rode the Joker (formerly known as ‘The Buccaneer’ before everything started following the DC comics theme) quite a few times while we were deciding what to do next. It’s a nice little swing to wile away the time on – if it weren’t for the screaming contests.

At the end of the day, each person picked one ride to finish up on, and Chisara’s last choice was the log flume. I figured I could stay pretty dry with a little strategic ducking. But what I didn’t count on was at the very beginning of the ride. People who just got off could mill about and look at pictures of themselves. There’s also a little station where you can pay a quarter and fire a water cannon at the hapless victims just starting their ride. Joshua and I were in our log and just getting settled when I got hammered by a stream of water right down my back! So much for the easy last ride!

We left the park, grabbed some Taco Bell (you thought we were going to eat in the park? Where a cup of carbonated sugar water costs $3.50?? Ah, no…), and headed on home. No pictures, except one or two on my phone which I haven’t figured out how to transfer without having to pay for it – so they sit on my phone.

I guess you’re wondering why we’d go to such an expensive theme park when from the previous paragraph I’m obviously a cheap old dude? Dad gave us free tickets! Thanks Dad!!