Fuzzy Moon

At the end of our vacation week in Charlevoix is what I like to call the "Groundhog Day" portion. Just like that movie when Bill Murray keeps reliving the same day over and over again!  It is the same with the ending of Venetian.   It is the same every year! The kids love it, and I'm sure you can appreciate the fact that Daniel LOVES to do the exact same thing each and every year.  The Groundhog day part starts with the carnival on Thursday.  The good news from that fiasco was that Zachary went back later in the day with his cousins.  Daniel did go back on Friday with his dad for a while to get another chance and "finish" his carnival time.  He was very excited to do this.  I was not pleased that the 20 tickets they had to buy on Friday cost $5 MORE than the wrist bands on Thursday.  Carnivals are expensive! OYE!

Friday is the night of the first fireworks.  Yes I said first.  This is being written by a girl who does not enjoy fireworks or parades.  And this is all we do for two days!  LOL.  I try to keep my chin up, but each year, I'm finding that more difficult to do! I try to be a big girl, I know that it terms of problems, this isn't a very big one!   Friday night they are shot off over Lake Charlevoix.  That was a very very warm evening for northern Michigan and we were able to bring boys swim suits to the beach.  They swam until about 9:00 pm (in Michigan it stays light until 10:00 pm in the summer), so by the time they dried, changed and got settled in, it wasn't too long until the fireworks started.   Most people are surprised that Daniel loves fireworks.  My only thought is that the visual sensation way outweighs the loudness of the experience.  He actually does ok with loudness if he knows to expect it.  It's the surprise loudness that doesn't go very well.  He obviously knows that fireworks will be loud, so it's isn't a problem.  But he loves to yell and cheer for the beauty of the lights exploding in the sky!!

Saturday was the parade. It starts at 11:00 am.  Since this is small town Michigan, it is the same parade every year. Although this year it was a bit shorter.  This was also dampened by rain.  Daniel was tense during it, but had an umbrella and a chair for a front row seat (thanks to his Grandparents who bring chairs down early!)  I came right at 11:00 (delaying as long as possible!) and the rain was just starting, so I was able to grab a few umbrellas.  I took cover with Zachary who part way through looked at me with his big brown eyes and said "are you enjoying this?"  To which I could only answer in all honesty with "not really".  "Me either!" he replied. LOL.  I guess he inherited my anti parade gene?

The interesting thing came later that evening.  We were in the park by Round Lake again, waiting for the finale for Venetian week.  They have a boat parade after dark (so 10:15) the boats are decorated with lights and props and music and parade through the water in front of the park.  This, I must say is a better "parade" than the other!  While we were waiting Daniel looked up at the nearly full moon. It was sort of hazy behind a cloud.  He said "look the moon is kind of fuzzy".  Which he often says in this circumstance.  When we agreed he said.  "when we were watching fireworks in Charlevoix before  when the full moon was fuzzy"   (I knew exactly what he was talking about because he's talked of it before.  I believe it was the first experience he ever had going to fireworks)  Todd asked, "yea, how old were you?"  Daniel answered, "I was three".  Not very shocking, but he is right.  He was three years old.  I remember because we were at a different beach than we usually go to, and Zachary was an infant, which puts Daniel at 3.  It will never cease to amaze me the way he has information filed up there. 

"fuzzy moon" over Round Lake

 I can't even remember the other context, but when he brought up another vacation memory Todd asked "how old were you then?"  To which Daniel answered "I was 10".  And I can only say, I'm SURE he is right.  Some day I hope we can figure out or at least have a better incite into how his mind works!  It never ceases to amaze me!