I'm two weeks into being sixty and I hadn't felt old until we went to a water park in Branson yesterday. We are on vacation, it's terribly hot, we have seven small children from one year old to ten, and it seemed like the thing to do. First of all, it was fun. I went down every slide, including the huge vertical drop slide where they made me take off my old guy hat, old guy white shirt, sun glasses, and water shoes. Hey, it was fun, even with my hands full of stuff. I went on several rides with the sons-in-laws and older grandkids, but the one time I took a long hike to a ride without my shoes I got huge blisters on the balls of both feet. Yes, we're talking old guy limping all through the park. The last hour and a half, after several hours in the park participating, I rested on our loungers in the Kiddie Park area while the guys did a last few rides.
So what did I do? I people watched! Usually that's fun - like at the airport or in a store. This was a water park with mostly naked people. I say "mostly" because it's been a long time since I was in a water park and I saw more flesh than I ever wanted to see. Some, because they were way too revealing and appealing. One cute lifeguard walked back and forth in front of me - guarding of course - and I found myself thinking, "She is a really good looking gal!" Then it dawned on me that she was half the age of my daughters and I felt like a dirty old man.
Then there were the Michelin Man Mammoths in rubber bands! Ugh! Why reveal SO much to SO many and risk sun burning so many thousands of square inches of unprotected skin? I know - don't look. That's like attending a Macy's parade and focusing on the sidewalk. I'm thankful for sun glasses and beautiful little children splashing in the water, who were much more enjoyable to people watch.
Yes, maybe I am getting old. Skimpy swim suits, tattoos, and skin piercings galore make people watching a lot different than it used to be. Oh well, the things you do for grand kids.
Bye for now. I've got to go put something on my foot blisters.
1 comment:
Glad you lived to be 60, and 40 more would be great too (although you might require some help climbing in and out of your tree stand by then!
Root kids and Donna's side of the family-please know that Florissant KNOWS how truly blessed we are to get to have your loved ones here!
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