DADDY-DAUGHTER DAY

So today was the latest Daddy-Daughter Day, the last day of summer vacation, the last day before third grade for Hannah. Sad, sad day. Going back to school generally sucks as I remember. And even though the last three weeks have been more about laying around doing not much of anything than actually doing something fun or productive, summer is over for Hannah. And I agree with her; It sucks. But today I took a holiday and she and I went to King's Island, if you're not from around my tri-state area, and it doesn't sound familiar to you, think Disney World, a little smaller, but a fun day nevertheless. We rode rides, we had Dippin' Dots, we fed the ducks, we threw coins into the fountains. At the end of the day she went through the little water park in kiddie land, and rode home afterward, soaked to the bone, with no towel. Oh well. I was remembering the way it felt to be in the back of my mom's station wagon as a kid, wet, sunburned, and freezing on a 90 degree day, as the air conditioner blew cold air on my skinny shoulders. And we ate junk food in the car on the way home. After changing her clothes and brushing her now almost white-from-the-sun mane, we were off to the Dollar Saver Cinema, to see Aliens in the Attic. Tuesday nights are $1.75 per ticket. I paid $3.50 for the tickets for the two of us, smuggled in a coke for her in my jacket, and bought a six dollar popcorn and some M&M's. You can't beat that. It wasn't that cheap when I was her age at the Court Theater in Hamilton. So between the amusement park and McDonald's, the movie, and the Euro Bungee (five bucks) she did after the movie, I spent $35 today. You can't beat that. And she was telling me it was the best day of her life, and singing "It's the best day everrrr" from Spongebob (if you don't know it, don't worry about it). She's asleep in her bed right now, hair still a little wet from the shower. She's not thinking about school, not thinking about homework, and not thinking about life. Tonight she thought about fun. Thats the way it should be for kids during the summer. It's all about fun.