Category: Family
GlowGolf
We took the kids to Stratford mall today to try the new glow in the dark miniature golf called GlowGolf. At $30 for four of us (3 adults, 1 child) it was a bit pricey, but it does include 54 holes (there are two 18-hole courses so you get to play one twice) which do not have to all be played immediately. They will stamp your hand if you want to go shopping or grab something to eat and come back.
I do have a complaint about the place – there’s a small area in the front where they have a few booths which encourages parents to sit there while their kids play. Not so bad if the kids are old enough to behave themselves, but certainly not for a five and six year old like the siblings left to their own devices who kept getting in our way. God forbid someone look after their own children in a public place!
Another annoyance was the mom with her two pre-teen sons who kept blazing through the hole behind us and then practically standing on top of us obviously impatient while we were trying to putt. Finally they got tired of waiting (no WAY was I rushing through for their sake) and skipped a hole so they could play ahead of us.
Seriously, I’ve never understood the people who pay good money to play miniature golf and then rush through each hole as if it’s a race to the finish. I’d like my money to last. Call me crazy.
In any case, the place is ok but I doubt we’ll go back. People are just way too annoying, and that was at noon on a Wednesday. I’d hate to see the place on a weekend.
Indiana Beach
Yesterday was our annual visit to Indiana Beach. We mixed things up this year by choosing a weekday which was a good move since even though they waived the admission (normally $2.50), they raised the wristband prices from $23 to $27, but we had a BOGO (buy one get one free) coupon valid Mon-Thur for the combo ride/waterpark pass which is $30. The coupon was only valid for one wristband, but they also have the same BOGO promotion if you bring in any Coke product so we only paid for two wristbands but got four. We didn’t use the waterpark portion of the wristband but overall between the free parking and admission, it was still cheaper than last year.
We got there around 2 pm and the free parking lot was pretty dead. I guess Mondays are good days as it was less crowded than when we’ve gotten there first thing on a Saturday. Plus the weather was beautiful – only 78 and a bit cloudy so we weren’t sitting in the sun all day.
Amazingly, E went on three roller coasters with Joe. He’s become quite the adrenaline junkie. I think his recent visit to Great America with his school’s band might have started that. And they say peer pressure is a bad thing. ;)
He even went on the Falling Star which used to be my favorite ride when I was a kid. Alas, my stomach hurt yesterday so I barely went on any rides at all. But I got my tacos that I talk about every year (and who even have an entry over at Yelp!), so I can’t complain. And if you follow me on Twitter you’ll see that I was posting tweets while the kids were on the rides. I think they went on the swings at least eight times each. It’s by far their favorite ride.
We left the park a little after 8 pm and got home around 9:30 pm our time (the park is in the Eastern time zone). Everyone had a sandwich and then retired to their respective rooms to watch tv. I managed to get in an episode of my new favorite show, The Big Bang Theory, before passing out on the couch. All in all, a pretty good day.
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During the ride to the park we were Googling info on Indiana Beach and I found out why they painted the skyride last year and raised prices – they are under new management as of February 2008. It’s kind of sad – the same family owned and operated the park since its inception in 1926. Luckily the management change hasn’t affected the quality of the park. In fact, it seems less run-down than before. I also noticed the ride operators seem more attentive to everyone’s safety, so as far as I’m concerned the increase in prices is worth it.
We’ll definitely be going again on a weekday to save money and not have to wait in long lines. We might only have a few years left before the kids would rather go to Great America anyway.
Charlotte Sometimes
Well, as usual I’ve neglected my blog. It’s not that nothing has been going on – more like too much has been going on and I’ve been too tired to sit down and write about it. Let’s see …
Friday night (the 3rd) we went to a pool party where most of the men proceeded to get drunk. One lit firecrackers from his butt (no joke) and some of them decided to strip down to their skivvies and jump in the pool, proving that alcohol does warm the blood as it was not terribly warm outside by that point. There was more than one beer run made (with a designated driver, of course) and the girls, who weren’t drinking at all, made a run for marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate and made s’mores on the host’s cool fire pit.
Saturday (the 4th) we were up bright and early to head to Darien to see Joe’s son’s in the annual 4th of July parade (he plays bass drum in the band). It was rainy and cool so it was not the best time ever, unfortunately. After the parade we took the kids back to our place for a bit before heading over to my parents’ to hang out, eat, and play games. Then we headed back toward the kids’ neighborhood to check out the fireworks before going our separate ways.
The rest of the week fly by in the blur thanks to lots going on at work and having two rats who desperately want to run around the house for at least an hour every night. Templeton is definitely the naughty one – he’s obsessed with climbing over the gate that is preventing him from getting behind the couch so that he can crawl under it. No matter how many times I pick him up and try to distract him, he runs right back over there. So we took some empty boxes and Joe made a barrier with them. They are too tall for either of the rats to climb over and once we get the entire living area surrounded by our homemade gates, we will even be able to let Oreo run around (separately, since the rats could harm her) without fear of her getting under the couch or behind the furniture.
Earlier in the week we got a shipment of painted lady caterpillars in the mail (care of a kit we bought) and as of this morning all five of them have formed a chrysalis and will soon become butterflies. I’ve wanted to do this for years as it’s a very interesting process to watch. Too bad once they are butterflies they will only live two weeks. We’ll probably keep them for just a day or two and then release them so they can enjoy their short little lives.
Today I awoke to a welcome surprise – a notice from AT&T that my iPhone has shipped. I couldn’t be more excited! I was really starting to worry I wouldn’t get it before the 20th when the kids are coming to stay for a week (and I’ve got a few days off). We’re going to Indiana Beach one of those days and since both kids love riding the swings over and over I’ll now have something to entertain me.
The kids are with us this weekend so we might be heading to the pool later on once my brother gets here. Joe and I went to the pool last Sunday and I got burned even though I put on sunscreen. We’ve lived here nearly five years and I think that’s the first time I’ve actually gone in the pool. I’ve been poolside a few times but I don’t think I’ve ever gone in before because I was heavier and felt uncomfortable being half naked in front of other people.
Downloaded apps: 57 and counting
Current phrase: “My iPhone is coming!!! Woohoo!”
Ticketed
Last weekend my brother came to visit and when he went outside to leave, found two $25 parking tickets on his windshield written within one minute of each other by the same cop. The first reason was he was parked with the left wheel to the curb instead of the right, and the second reason was because he was too far from the curb.
We felt responsible since he had asked us earlier in the day if he should move his car and we told him not to bother. I thought the way he was facing wasn’t correct, but I didn’t say anything because I second-guessed myself and thought maybe it was just me being overly anal and not necessarily against the law. My brother didn’t think much of it either since he lives on a one-way street where it doesn’t matter if the right wheel isn’t against the curb.
We originally went down to the police station just to pay both tickets but as we were walking to the building I started getting mad thinking about it and asked how to contest them instead. I realize they are two separate infractions, but they are listed together as one reason next to the check box so I think the cop was being a bit of a jerk about it. To add insult to injury, there’s an out of state car that’s been parked on the street overnight for going on two weeks now who hasn’t been ticketed at all. The rules are no street parking between 2am – 6am for vehicles that don’t have a city parking sticker, so I included that as one of the reasons I felt they should waive one ticket.
Today I got a response in the mail and at first got mad because the piece of paper stated that my request was denied. But then I noticed that there were two papers, one for each ticket, and one of them was approved, so that means we only have to pay one of the tickets! Hooray! Joe was surprised they agreed to waive anything, so that goes to show you it pays to at least ask. Also, we’ve learned a $25 lesson for the next time my brother comes over.