It was the perfect day to play golf. It was the perfect day to meet friends out for a leisurely brunch but neither happened that day. Instead, what did happen was a perfect day. While Wally and I both thought the day would be different and spent apart, we ended up ignoring our anger and having a day that I won't soon forget.
Spring had finally sprung -- temperatures had warmed with the sun shinning bright. What to do? Wally and I still feeling the sting from a fight the previous day were both in the "I don't know mode." I think we both realized at the same time that spring days like this don't come by very often in April that we needed to forget about what could have been and focus on the day.
We decided to head down the shore to Point Pleasant, along with about everyone else in the state that had the same bright idea. While there were plenty of cars on the road, we kept a steady pace and got to our destination in little over an hour. When we pulled into town, we knew that we would never find parking but with a little searching and willingness to walk we found FREE parking (a rare feat on the Jersey Shore). The day couldn't get any better, right? Wrong! In fact, it just got better and better.
Heading straight to the boardwalk, Wally and I both decided it was time to allow Ben to enjoy his first amusement ride alone. Up until this point, it was Ben and/or Mom/Dad riding shotgun with Ben in pink elephants and convoy trucks. This time Ben would ride alone. His first ride? Why friendly little Nemo -- who doesn't look so friendly when it is your only child's first "alone" ride. But Ben was cool, much cooler than his Mom and Dad.
Ben enjoyed more rides alone but did ride the pink elephants with Mom -- it was too high for a two year old by himself (at least by these parent's standards). Not only did we eat some fattening boardwalk food (pizza and fries) but we also only ate for $7 -- yes, a slight miscalculation may have been made on the counter girls part but who was Wally to correct her math. After a delicious and cheap lunch, we headed to the beach where Ben threw shells in the ocean and dodged oncoming waves that were reaching the shore.
Finally, it was time to head home but not without winning a prize. We tried our luck at ring toss where a guy was walking away with an electric guitar -- we walked away with an empty bucket. Next, I decided to try and beat a few water gun balloon racers. And beat them I did! Broken wrist and all. While they were only five and four, I still won and Ben left with a miniature doberman pincher. During the ride home, Ben, Wally and I tried out a few names on the new dog. Lots were rejected and we ended up with doggie. However, what we really ended up with, as I looked at the back at my sleeping son and happy husband, was a not the day we expected but better.
