July 5th - 13-13

Too much going on over the past few days to offer up much detail on any of it. Thursday, we to the Columbus Zoo. There were animals. We looked at them. Took some pictures. Nothing out of the ordinary for a day at the zoo. Spent the night at an Embassy Suites in Columbus, which is always worth it because you get that free breakfast. There, I got to watch some parents yell at their daughter because they didn't like her choice of tables. Whole family couldn't sit together where she was. Had to split into two tables. Three boys on their own, mom and dad with the daughter they continued to yell at for pretty much the whole meal. Events like this are my reality television. People watch most reality programs because they want to know they're not as fucked up as Beverly Hills housewives or Gene Simmons. I watch other parents yell at their kids for dumb shit like where they chose to sit at the free breakfast and think maybe I'm a pretty good dad after all.

Friday morning was supposed to be COSI, but COSI was closed. Closed on July 3rd, open on July 4th. Thanks, COSI. Looking forward to going down there on Christmas day, since you'll obviously be closed on Christmas Eve. Never ones to admit defeat, we took the kids to the Olentangey River Caverns. I like caves more in theory than in execution. When I think of a cave, I think of vast caverns I can crawl through and explore and who knows what's in there, right? Instead, they take us down a well-lit stairwell and tell us, "If you'll notice this hole in the floor, it drops another fifteen feet to a passageway that leads down another 600 feet below the surface and all the way out to the river and would be super cool to explore but we're not going to let you do that. Rather, you can walk around in a circle in this room for a while then it's back upstairs for you. Thanks for your $12."



Friday night was the Balloon Glow, which was the same as every Balloon Glow before it, leading to more questions as to why I go every year. I'm guessing it's because it's free. And if I'm going to sit around all night, it may as well be in a big field behind the Dale-Roy School with a bunch of balloons all lit up.

Saturday night was cookout at the Pattersons (and some nephew's birthday), then fireworks. Again, exactly what you'd expect. Screaming children. Crowded. Good food. It's all fine by me. I watched plenty of episodes of The Twilight Zone.

Sunday, which is the only day factoring into the play due to halftime, was uneventful. Back at home. Did the smallest amount of yard work possible and otherwise just played with the kids. So, as far as vacation weekends go, it was pretty mundane. But I enjoyed myself throughout, and that's good enough for a touchback on the kickoff.

Life's ball: 1st and 10 on their own 20.