Summer Vacation

Now that the children have finished school this past Friday today was the first "official" day of summer vacation. Knowing my time is very limited this summer I want to take full advantage of the time I have left and spend as much of it with my family. Today my daughter's Brownie (think small Girl Scouts) troop had their end of year party at a Water Park in the Desert.

I mention the desert because it is important to remember the different climates in Southern California. We live about 60 miles west of Palm Springs where it is eternally warm and one can be completely sure that a June day in Palms Springs will be at least 100 degrees. This is not the case where we live and where some of the other Water Parks are located. June is a very temperamental month in our location and it can be in the 60's until late afternoon which is no fun for a Water Park. Which is why my daughter's esteem leader chose to go to a Water Park in the desert and I must say this was a very good decision.

Yes, I tagged along but I wasn't intrusive (I hope?). When I discovered I would still be around for today's date I had asked my wife if it would be okay if I went to the Water Park with her and I would take care of my son. I also asked if our good friends would join us with their husband and son as well. They are great people and joined us for a wonderful day.

We made the 60 mile drive with a few complications none of which were fatal thank God and finally made it to the Water Park. My explicit instructions were to stay with my good friend, his son and my son. I was NOT to interact with the Brownie troop. We did our best and had a good time with our five year old boys. I did miss my daredevil daughter go off a huge slide which is made for teenagers not 8 year old girls.

She was the only one brave enough of all the Brownie girls to go off this ride. I did not see her go down the slide but I knew if my daughter had asked me to go with her I would have gone with some very serious reservations. It is one of those slides where you are going VERY fast and at the end you wind up with a wedgy. My daughter has named it the WEDGEANATOR.

I was proud of my little girl to see how brave she has gotten. A few short years ago she didn't want to go anywhere without her mom or dad. Now she is going down rides by herself which are made for people much older than her. Wow, my little girl sure has grown up and it is going to be very interesting to see her in her teenage years. Hopefully, my case will be settled my the time she is a teenager so I can witness this!! That is my attempt at humor, my daughter will be a teenager in five years; God willing my case will be completed as well as my time.

It was a very good day and a very good start for my daughter and son's summer vacation. This summer vacation will go very fast for me and most likely the rest of my family. We are in the process of packing up the house and in less than two weeks we will put as much as we can in storage and drive cross country to New Jersey. My wife has made up her mind and she will be staying with her mother along with my son and daughter for the remainder of the summer. Also; they will be there while I am "away" whatever period of time this works out to be.

At first I was upset that my wife would be moving across country while I was "away". However, after thinking about it I have no right in this world to be upset because I did this to them not vice versa. It was my fault completely and I took away a very good life from my wife and children. Now it is my wife's turn to get back her life that I took away from her. I know everything will work out for the best because it always does.