Wednesday, June 6, 2012

The Lazy River...or is it?

My all-time favorite thing at the aquatic center in the next town over is the Lazy River.  Mostly because no one invades my personal space like in the big pool (since when does my foot look like a dive ring anyway?) or the sprayground (you know, with the fountains and big tippy bucket and one jillion small children with their parents).  The Lazy River gives each person her own personal bubble in the shape of an innertube.  The other reason is that there is no work involved (hence the name).  Park your bottom inside the middle, shove off and there you go. 

However, having two second graders with you (one of whom is not your own) is a game-changer for my trusty cooloff with little effort activity.  The Lazy River becomes (insert ominous music here)...the CRAZY RIVER!  Yesterday, my monkeys invited a friend each to the water park.  The Cub and his friend were pretty easy (there was the overall willy-nillyness of two boys who want nothing more in life than to be independent, but nothing major).  The Clover and her friend and the river were another story entirely.  First, there was the, "We'll just push off before she can so we'll be by ourselves."  Then there was the "I will perform gymnastic feats upon my tube." 

But what made it the crazy river?  Getting out.  The reason no effort is involved in floating, is the current.  Said current can't be bested by two young girls whose heads are barely above the water.  So when it is time to switch locations, it's up to the adult to get out of her own tube, while holding onto the other two and pull them out of the current (because if one lets go...the girl will have to go around the loop...again.).  That's what I did and also why my arms hurt today.