Today I had to return a library book to the Lake Oswego library. It was overdue. I kept waiting for an opportunity to go that way, since I did not want to waste gas on a single errand so far away. But nothing came up and I realized that every day I didn't go I was racking up overdue fees. So today I went.
We passed a park and I took note of the fact that it wasn't raining and thought perhaps we could stop there on our way back. Letting Charley run around and play would redeem the trip a little. Later down the road we passed a McDonald's with a big play place. Charley noticed it too.
I thought since it was lunch time and we don't have a play place like that by our house, we might as well go there. You know to redeem the trip.
So after the library stop we hit the McDonald's. Let me just say that when a mother is saying things like, "You have to eat two more french fries drenched in ketchup before you can go play in the play place," it's a rough life.
After the nuggets had been gnawed on, orange soda spilled and playtime thoroughly enjoyed, it was time to go.
"Charley, time to go home. Come down the slide now please."
"No! Hee, hee, hee!" Gleeful, rebellious giggling ensued. After me standing at the bottom of this colorful structure for awhile trying to coax, bribe and threaten my daughter down, I realized I was going to have to go up.
Now the way up was not a simple set of steps like the one shown here, or even a ladder, but this was a crazy angled back and forth set of floating stairs-for lack of a better description. You climbed up on one and turning and ducking you went up the other-sort of like an over/under thing that went vertically. Did I mention it's made for little kids and is therefore scaled down to little kid size? But I'm flexible, I could do it. It wasn't that it was difficult or complicated, it's that it made me look and feel ridiculous. Also, did I mention I was wearing a skirt? A mini skirt no less! It was mostly grammas in the room who were very impressed with my physically being able to do this. However, there was one dad to whom I wanted to say, "Dude! Come on, I know this is probably the most entertaining thing you're going to see all day, but don't be a perv and make me uncomfortable! Please look away!"Anyway, all in all I have to say I think I retrieved my kid in the most ladylike manner that the situation would allow. Plus I was wearing leggings so that's one reason to be thankful it's cold outside I suppose.
Okay, so I get it now. I know why we wear the grubby sweats and the workout clothes. It's because we have naughty, sinful children.
