Oceans of Fun

I hope everyone's week is off to a great start!  I just had the best Monday ever.  One of my best buds, T., came out from the Wilds of Colorado with her 8 year-old son, R., for an unexpected visit. Well, to me, at least, since it was R.'s spring break and she'd obviously planned it ahead of time. Knowing how much I adore surprises, she called me when she was already halfway to San Diego, and asked me to meet them at Sea World this morning. 

I miss being able to hang out with T. like we used to when she lived here.  We'd always have fun together doing the most ordinary things.  I love her and her son to death and there's nothing I wouldn't do for them, which is probably why she roped me into going onto the combination roller coaster/water ride with him.  She stayed behind to spend some time with Sephie, who she hasn't seen since last May.  As I listened to the excited chatter of the young man having his "Best. Vacation.  Ever.", I couldn't help but think back to the day he was born- honestly, one of the best days of my life.  What's a little cold water on a sort-of-breezy day, next to an honor like that of being Auntie Deb to such a great kid?  Besides, I'm no dummy, I'll just take off my (thin!  but with SPF 30!) hoody and ride the coaster in my T-shirt, so that I'll have something dry to slip over any upcoming wardrobe malfunctions.

Brrr.  The ride was fun and we did get wet, but it was my pants that got soaked, instead.  Think SpongeDeb WetPants.  So much for looking like a sexy, tousled MILF- I got to walk around for the next hour looking like I had on a wet diaper. 

The child actually wearing the diaper probably had the best time out of all of us!  T. said that she was laughing hysterically at the boats on the coaster, squealing, "SPLASH!!  Again?  Again??"  We got to watch the "byooga!" (beluga) whales being fed and having "rubba tummies?" (They really did look like they wanted their tummies rubbed.)  Seph was a little frightened of the polar bear growling sounds being piped through the "Arctic Encounters" exhibit, saying she was "'cared, monter!" (scared of the monster), but I told her to just hold onto my hand, because mommies don't taste good and monsters tend to leave them alone.  She wasn't at all scared of the bat rays and would gladly have jumped right into the tank with them.  And she batted her long black eyelashes at R. at lunch until he let her have some of his chocolate layer cake.  Eating together was just like old times, trading bites of dessert like we always have. 

Seph and I sure had a whale of a good time, even though we never got to see Shamu.  (Whatever's been going wrong with my eye started acting up again- I think it's an allergic reaction to the pollen count lately, gumming up my contacts- so we left early and I ended up driving the 35 miles home with one itchy eye closed most of the way.)  It was so nice to see our friends again, and I can't wait to move so that we can be closer by and get to see each other more often.  Theme parks are great fun, but I'll be just as happy to drive down to visit them in their cozy house, in their friendly small town, and have fun doing ordinary things again.  After all, (with apologies to Marlin in "Finding Nemo"), with friends like these, who needs anemones?

Have a great week...and go kiss your mommies!

Comments

[DH]

Mommies don't taste good? News to me!