A Busy Weekend

I'm backed up on reviews again -- I've got three things half-written for here, and another one not even started, plus three more not even half-written for ComicMix, and three more not started -- because I had the kind of weekend that kept me away from the computer. (I usually get in some solid hours on a Sunday to bash these things into shape.)

Yesterday was both my sons' Cub Scout Pack's annual Soapbox Derby and the day we were supposed to go away to Great Wolf Lodge in lieu of a birthday party for my older son, Thing 1. (It was his choice; he wanted to go to GWL instead of the kid party, so that's what we did.) We were secretly hoping it would rain heavily early, so the Soapbox would be pushed back to its rain date and we could head out early, but that didn't happen.

So the Soapbox -- in which the scouts race in various dad-built cars with very crude steering down a hill towards the local First Aid Squad Building -- went on. The Wife was in charge of the refreshments stand, but mostly ended up wrangling cars for the races, and I went from a "catcher" (down at the end of the course, to help the cars stop) to a "loader" (dragging cars over to the starting area, getting the kids in and secured, and shoving them up the starting ramps). It was a fun day, with more physical activity than I'm used to, and all the boys had a good time. And as soon as it was done, we were off.

I might have mentioned Great Wolf before -- it's essentially an indoor waterpark with a hotel wrapped around it. The room rates are steep, but the rooms are very nice and large, you get free admission to the waterpark, and they don't mind outside food as much as they say they do (as long as you are discreet). So we had a cooler full of stuff in the room, and a large "towel bag" with lots of food under the towels, which helped us avoid spending a fortune on food there.

Officially, you can check in at 4, and check-out the next day is at 11. But the water park is open 9-9, and you can often get into your room early. Even if you get there before your room is ready, they'll hold bags and you can go to the water park. Similar, on check-out day, all you need to do is take your stuff from your room to your car. So a one-night stay could be two full days in the water park, if you want to and plan it right.

(We didn't plan it right, because of the Soapbox Derby, but the original scheme was to get there Sunday at about noon and leave Monday at 3 or 4 -- as it was, we got there at 5 on Sunday and left at 6 on Monday.)

And then the rain we'd hoped for yesterday hit today, in buckets, as we were driving home. So we got home later than expected, exhausted and waterlogged. So that's why there's nothing substantial here for the last couple of days...maybe later in the week?