Nov. 24: A family vacation
My father likes to tell the
story about our family's trip to Disneyland. I was forced to go on the
Small World ride, something that did not please 11-year-old me. I made
it a point to show my displeasure and I refused to look at the singing
automatons that surrounded our boat as we rode through the pavilion.
Small World is a mechanical wonder that speaks to the connection we're
supposed to feel with people around the world. I, in my adolescent
wisdom, dismissed it as a "ride for girls." I sat there and I sulked and
looked forward to the next time I could ride Space Mountain.
My dad was not annoyed. He laughed at me, which was fine. I knew I deserved derision.
My sister, of course, loved Small World. About 25 years later, she would make her own four children very happy by surprising them with a trip to Disneyland of their own.
That was surely an awesome family vacation.
-
Years later, our family went to South Dakota. While there, I wandered into a book store and bought a Stephen King novel. This was a risk. Three years ago, I rented the Shining from the library and my dad made me take it back (he thought that a story about a crazy man trying to kill his family with an ax was a little heavy for a 12-year-old.)
I showed my dad the Stephen King novel and he said he wasn't nuts about me reading it but he thought I was old enough to make my own decision.
-
But you know... despite all these trips to the States, I have to say that the annual foray to Jackfish Lake in Saskatchewan was my favourite family vacation. I remember being eight years old and riding on an air mattress while my dad dragged me into the water up to his neck. I remember getting into grandad's boat and driving out to the middle of the lake to watch the fireworks show on Canada Day. I remember the big slide on the other side of the lake, the go-cart track on our side of the lake, the Tasty Freeze and the miniature golf course in town. I remember being 14 and winning the people's choice award at the Cochin Days talent show.
But what I remember most is the plastic blue bucket that grandma put out by the cottage porch. The bucket was filled with water and we were instructed to dip our sandy feet into this water so we wouldn't track grit into the cottage.
My dad was not annoyed. He laughed at me, which was fine. I knew I deserved derision.
My sister, of course, loved Small World. About 25 years later, she would make her own four children very happy by surprising them with a trip to Disneyland of their own.
That was surely an awesome family vacation.
-
Years later, our family went to South Dakota. While there, I wandered into a book store and bought a Stephen King novel. This was a risk. Three years ago, I rented the Shining from the library and my dad made me take it back (he thought that a story about a crazy man trying to kill his family with an ax was a little heavy for a 12-year-old.)
I showed my dad the Stephen King novel and he said he wasn't nuts about me reading it but he thought I was old enough to make my own decision.
-
But you know... despite all these trips to the States, I have to say that the annual foray to Jackfish Lake in Saskatchewan was my favourite family vacation. I remember being eight years old and riding on an air mattress while my dad dragged me into the water up to his neck. I remember getting into grandad's boat and driving out to the middle of the lake to watch the fireworks show on Canada Day. I remember the big slide on the other side of the lake, the go-cart track on our side of the lake, the Tasty Freeze and the miniature golf course in town. I remember being 14 and winning the people's choice award at the Cochin Days talent show.
But what I remember most is the plastic blue bucket that grandma put out by the cottage porch. The bucket was filled with water and we were instructed to dip our sandy feet into this water so we wouldn't track grit into the cottage.
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