Summer Adventures with Kate & JR (4 page)

Blue Skies, Gentle Wind, Wet Sand

JR and Kate were looking forward to the family vacation. Two weeks each summer, their parents took time off from their jobs. Kate and JR had been saving their allowance all year for the beach trip. JR wanted to buy a kite. Kate dreamed of building a giant sand castle. She needed sand castle molds.

The first week went by fast. The family went to the zoo and visited both sets of grandparents.

Kate and JR helped their mother bake special cookies for the beach trip. Dad got out the beach chairs, sand pails, and floats. By Saturday afternoon, the suitcases were ready to go. Dad packed the car so that they could leave early on Sunday morning.

On the way to the beach, JR asked, “Mom, do I have enough money to buy my kite?”

“I believe you do, JR. We will count it when we get to the beach.”

“What about me?” Kate asked excitedly. “Will I have enough to buy the sand castle molds?”

“I'm sure you will, and maybe you will both be able to buy a larger sand pail and shovels.”

“Are you going to buy something special, Mom?” Kate asked.

“A new summer straw hat,” Mom replied.

“How about you, Dad?” JR asked.

“Well, I'm saving mine for a rainy day.”

“I hope that rainy day does not come this week,” Kate said.

Just as they were leaving their town behind, JR teased, “Are we there yet, Dad?”

“In about two hours,” Dad replied.

“Two hours!” Kate squealed. “I can't wait.”

The beach house was two blocks from the ocean. But that would not be a problem. Dad had packed the red wagon for hauling all the items they would need from the house to the beach.

“We are here!” Dad said as he drove up to the beach house.

After the car was unpacked, the family walked to the beach to gather shells along the shore and put their toes in the foamy water. Tomorrow they would go to the store and make their purchases and go to the beach. The forecast was for blue skies, gentle breezes, and plenty of wet sand.

The next day at the store, JR chose a red, white, and blue box kite. “I'm going to buy a new pail and large shovel, too,” JR told Kate as he showed her the kite.

“Are you going to help me build a sand castle?”

“Maybe, as long as you let me put snakes in the moat,” JR teased.

Kate made a face at JR and picked out the sand castle molds, large pail, and shovel she planned to purchase.

“How do I look?” Mom asked, sporting her new straw hat.

“Great!” Kate and JR echoed.

Dad came up with empty hands. As he had said earlier, he was saving his money for a rainy day. They headed for the checkout. JR and Kate took turns paying for their purchases. It was time to go to the beach.

At the beach, Dad spread out the beach blanket. He placed two chairs on the blanket and drove the umbrella pole into the sand. Mom helped JR and Kate with sunscreen. Kate selected the site for her sand castle, while Dad and JR assembled the kite. All the time, Mom was taking a lot of photos of the family's first official day at the beach.

“Make sure when you are running with your kite that you don't stumble into my sand castle,” Kate warned JR.

“You know it would be an accident,” JR teased back.

Kate went about filling her pail with the wet, warm sand as she dug the moat around the area she would build the castle. After this was complete, she started filling the mold with the sand, packing it tight with the palm of her hand. She carefully flipped the mold into the place inside the moat.

JR and Dad finished attaching the string to the kite. “It's ready for flight, JR. Let's get going. The breeze is perfect!” JR and Dad began jogging down the beach with the kite climbing higher and higher as JR released the string. Mom took several photos of JR flying the kite and Kate building her sand castle.

As the family sat down for lunch, Dad said, “Something about the beach sure does make you hungry.” Kate and JR did not answer. They were too busy eating and watching the seagulls come closer and beg for crumbs of food.

After a brief nap, JR and Kate were ready to go into the ocean. Dad and Mom went, too. Holding hands, the family enjoyed jumping the waves. The water was salty, and it splashed into their mouths when they were laughing. JR and Kate did not mind. They were having too much fun playing with the beach ball and jumping the waves.

“Tomorrow, let's bring the floats!” JR shouted.

Each day, the family enjoyed their time at the beach. JR liked to chase the tiny crabs as they emerged from their hiding spots deep in the sand and scampered along the seashore. Kate enjoyed building a different sand castle each day and hunted for the perfect shells to decorate the outside.

One day, JR helped Kate build a sand castle. With both of them working, the sand castle grew and grew until it was taller than JR. They decorated the sides with the shells. Taking a stick, JR drew windows and doors. Kate added the finishing touch to the top: brightly colored flags of pink, orange, aqua, green, and blue ribbon attached to wooden skewers. But there were no snakes in the moat.

Friday came and Dad announced, “My rainy day is here!”

“Oh, no!” Kate cried as she raced to the window to take a peek.

“It's not raining, Dad,” JR said.

“No, it's not raining, kids,” Mom replied. “Dad's just teasing. He has a surprise for you.”

Dad announced, “We are going to the amusement park today.”

“Oh, boy!” shouted JR and Kate.

The amusement park was located next to the beach, not too far from where the family was staying. The rides were painted in bright, bold colors. There was a big merry-go-round, a Ferris wheel, and a giant roller coaster that ran around the entire park. The air was filled with the smells of hot dogs and french fries. It would be hard to decide what to do first.

“Let's ride the merry-go-round,” Kate said. “See all the colorful ponies?”

Kate chose a cherry pink pony with a green saddle. The horse's mane was chocolate brown and adorned with a wreath of white daisies and ruby roses.

JR chose a red pony with a dark brown leather saddle. The pony had a thick white mane and a bridle of leather to match the saddle.

As the ride slowly started, Mom took photos. Dad waved to the kids each time they came around.

Next, they chose the large Ferris wheel. “Are you coming, Mom?” Kate asked. She knew her mother was afraid of heights.

“I guess so,” Mom replied with a quiver in her voice.

“I'll sit with you, Mom,” JR volunteered. “I'm brave.”

“That you are, JR,” Mom said with a smile.

The operator of the ride fastened them securely in their seats. As each chair was filled, the ride would move a little closer toward the top, rocking gently back and forth. The ride started. The view from the top was breathtaking; you could see for miles. The ocean was the deepest blue-green, and the sky was light blue with a few fluffy white clouds. With each turn of the wheel, they went a little faster. Soon, everyone was squealing with delight. As the ride came to an end, Mom and JR were the first ones out, and they had big smiles on their faces.

“That was fun,” Mom said. “I could do that again.”

“Maybe a little later. I want to ride the roller coaster before we eat lunch,” Dad replied.

The roller coaster had cars that would hold four people. The family could all ride together—JR up front with Dad, while Kate and Mom settled into the seat behind. Gradually, the roller coaster picked up speed. Peals of laughter and shouts of oohs and ahhs could be heard. The family screamed, not in horror, but in the sheer delight of going faster and faster around the park. It was a great ride.

“I'm hungry,” JR announced as they exited the roller coaster.

“You are always hungry!” Kate exclaimed.

“I could go for a corn dog and some fries, and a big lemonade, too!” Mom said.

“Let's head over to the concession stands. We could use a break from all this fun,” Dad replied.

The family found a picnic table to enjoy their lunch. It was good to sit down with their feet on the ground. As they ate, they watched the crowd of people. There were also clowns, people walking on stilts, and people dressed as cartoon characters. After lunch, the family rode more rides and enjoyed ice cream treats before they went home.

“I really enjoyed your rainy day, Dad,” Kate said.

“Me, too!” JR echoed.

Saturday was the last day at the beach. On Sunday, they would be leaving for the trip back home.

“What are we going to do today?” JR asked at breakfast.

“What would you like to do?” Mom asked.

“I would like to fly my kite and play Frisbee.”

“What about you, Kate?” Dad asked.

“I would like to build one more sand castle. JR, can I fly your kite?” Kate asked.

“You sure can, if I can knock down your sand castle when we leave.”

“I suppose, but only when we are ready to leave. I wish we did not have to go home so soon.”

“We will come back next year, Kate,” Dad said. “It will be something you can look forward to. Just think of all the things you can tell your friends and grandparents about when you get back home.”

“Let's get ready to go,” Mom said.

The sun was bright and warm against their skin. The sky was a royal blue with white puffy clouds. Kate and JR imagined what each cloud looked like as they walked to the beach. Kate thought she saw an elephant sitting on a drum, and JR thought it was a horse standing on its hind legs. The family enjoyed the day. It had been a great week. A vacation to remember, Kate wrote in her journal.

Let's Go Fishing

Ever since he was three years old, JR loved to go fishing in the pond at his grandparents' home. He had never actually caught a fish. He would just sit on the bank along with his father and Grandpa Ron and pretend to catch fish. Each time they pulled a fish out of the water, JR would catch an imaginary fish using his small toy fishing pole. But he didn't have the patience for fishing; something along the bank would catch his eye, and off he would go to investigate.

Today would be different. JR had a brand-new grownup fishing rod with a hook and a red-and-white cork. He was six now and ready to do some serious fishing. JR and his family left early in the morning to spend a long weekend with Grandpa Ron and Grandma Katie. They were his mother's parents and they lived four hours from his home. JR and Kate were both excited about going. They talked about all the things they would do once they got to the farm.

As the car entered the driveway, JR could see the pond glistening in the sun. The tall cattails along the bank moved gently in the breeze. Grandpa Ron's ducks were swimming in the middle of the pond along with four ducklings. Two Canada geese were grazing along the bank and squawked at the car as it went by.

As soon as the car stopped, JR hopped out and waved to his grandparents on the front porch. “Let's go fishing!” he shouted.