Choose Your Playmates Wisely
Friday, July 16, 2010 at 8:08 AM "While riding in a convertible bug I update my friends via iPhone that I will be eating sushi and choosing the varieties off a conveyor in seattle yes I am livin the life!" SB 7.15.10
I am in the midst of a grand adventure. My young charge, SB, (the 14 year old son of my husband's first cousin) and I are taking on Seattle like never before. Imagine combining the enthusiasm of a boy born in this fabulous city and transplanted to Bozeman, Montana with the delight and competitive nature of a grown woman who loves to play. Toss in the fact that he thinks I'm the coolest thing since sliced bread and I have four days to prove him right. What you get is a whirlwind of laughter, cheesy tours and pretty much nonstop activity.
We've been planning this trip for nearly two years. The excitement and disappointments have risen and dropped as plans were made, delayed & ultimately tickets purchased. When we chatted on the phone a few nights before his arrival and he gave me a list of things to do while adding a few of my own, I had to ask myself, "Am I up for the task?" It's a good thing I've been in physical training and consider myself in tiptop shape - little did I know this week would be the ultimate test of my stamina!
While I'd love to describe the extensive attributes of my young friend in great detail, let it suffice that he is a smart, engaging, kind of goofy, well-read, articulate, fun-loving kid. I hope he grows up to be the same! He's easy to be around, does not whine, tells you what he thinks, but also defers when I say, "Enough." (Now... his own mother might laugh at this description for she may not receive the full compliance I have, but I'm sure she will be proud to hear this as well she should be!)
Our adventures are numerous and I'd love to elaborate, but for the moment I will simply say "Life is grand." Today offers a bit slower pace - I'm taking my buddy to yoga (a first for him), we'll probably stop off for Starbuck's, maybe grab a little lunch, visit American Eagle, hop a bus down to Seattle Center where we will visit the Pacific Science Center before our 5:00 p.m. reservation for the IMAX theatre... and that's a slower day. I have to say, it felt a bit of a victory last night when he blinked his heavy eyes first and headed for bed before I.
It's been a long time since I've played with this level of intensity... I'm not sure which one of us is having the better time. SB keeps expressing his gratitude for the adventures and attention, but this girl is immensely grateful too! I love playing and find great satisfaction with my own antics most of the time, but this is a whole new level. Like I said, Life is Grand.
I hope you can take the opportunity to play today. Who would you choose for your playmate?
Reader Comments (10)
This sounds lovely.
What a wonderful time to be together.
Sounds great fun. I like to be a tourist at home occasionally, but usually at a much more sedate pace than the one you are setting!
WAY FUN!!!!
Potter
hope - lovely, for sure! we've also had fabulous weather which makes my heart sing!
maureen - they are memories to be recorded for a lifetime.
les - not totally sure who's setting the pace here, but today we started with yoga and a trip to the French bakery down the street. very nice!
potter - can't wait for us to have our own play date soon. i'm hankering for a trip to the zoo, but my young charge did that another time, so no interest for this trip.
Yes Lucy, it sounds exhausting but fun! My playmate these days is my five year old grandson. I pick him up in the afternoon from prescool and we head of to swim at the lake, climb monkey bars, look for catepillars in trees and starfish in the ocean. We both sleep well at night!
...and that sushi on a conveyer belt sounds familiar...did we rendevous around that sushi train??
the mum is very proud, and very fortunate to have a cousin like you!!!
l
Fantastic, you're obviously a very non-odd couple.
Sounds terrific. My playmates of the day were sweaty, mostly young at the YMCA balancing and lifting on our BOSU balls - they're a tough crowd to compete with or should I say - play with. Mainly I keep my eye on the young instructor and think o.k. I CAN do that:) But I'm plenty beat at the end and always feeling more energy than when I entered!! Younger playmates are fabulous (that's why I like hanging out with you!) - enjoy yours!
xoxoxo
Sounds like a lot of fun, lucy! A perfect soul-playmate :-)
I would love some day to do something similar with one of my grandsons. You are giving a great reason to want to keep in shape!
Thanks!