Splashing around

 

 

 

There's an amusement park not too far away from us . . . provided the traffic doesn't pile up too bad . . . but we don't go too often. It's a standard amusement park in China . . . some rickety rides and some great rides! Until last year, it was a "pay per ride" park and with two kids, that added up quite quickly. However, now that they've switched to a "pay one price" (POP), it makes it harder to find excuses not to go. I guess the main one for us is the crowds and the heat. There's not much shade for people not riding rides!

In the three years we've been here, though, the place has been upscaling. It has an ice skating rink and a swimming pool, as well as a bowling alley, etc. Once again, traffic is usually horrendous (about an hour or more to get there) so we don't go very often.

Yesterday, Rachel and I met some friends at the skating rink. Had a couple of hours of fun (she skated, I watched!) and gratefully walked back into the sunshine afterwards. As I walked by the swimming complex, I decided to go in and check it out.

I. was. amazed! Look at these photos! This is in OUR town . . . a somewhat rural location . . . with world class water entertainment! The kids got so excited and just begged to go today since it was a holiday. Now, my mantra is "I don't do swimsuits," so they switched over to begging Daddy to take them. (He does the water sports.) I said if they went swimming, I'd stay home, clean house, wash clothes and make dinner. It was a deal.

I just got a call and they were so happy. They all had a great time and now they are on their way home. I got the house cleaned (including mopping the floor), almost all the laundry done, and made scalloped potatoes for the first time in my life. No one ever told me they were so easy to make! They will go well with the crock pot Italian roast beef I've been cooking all day. Now I'm off to make some biscuits to go with the meal and we'll all be happy campers.