Mostly about a park

So far, my weekend's been exactly what I wanted - full of nothing.  YAY!  I was looking forward to a birthday gathering last night, but by the time 7 o'clock rolled around, I was tired from the grocery shopping we'd done and the idea of worrying about clothes and makeup and whatnot just seemed like too much.  So I sat on my butt and played on the computer some more.

Yesterday was sunny and not too hot and gorgeous - probably one of the nicest days we've had this year.  Finn and I took a long walk through the park right after we got up - one of these days I'm going to take my camera with me when we go over there so I can show you how awesome this park is.  It's green and leafy and full of walking paths - broken concrete paths through the shaded open spaces, gravel paths through the woods, a road blocked to car traffic that goes all the way around the hill and then up to the top, where there's a lookout from which you can see downtown.  This park has memories going back to my early childhood - the year Daddy took us to the top to watch Thunder Over Louisville, the world's largest fireworks display that kicks off the Derby festivities each year; hiking to the top in the dark with David one night during a full moon - he took his shirt off and laid in the middle of the road and said he was working on his moontan; the time I picked up the Girls and we  took the long way to the top, complete with a box cutter and a screwdriver as protection (just in case), and then nearly had a gun pulled on us when we arrived back at our car - the cops must've thought we 4 girls looked pretty dangerous, coming out of the woods at 2 a.m.  (Kat threw the box cutter - she had a government security clearance and was afraid a weapon could make things worse if the cop decided to be a dick and take us to jail for trespassing.)  Steve Burcham introduced my teenage mind to tales of satanic rituals and sacrifices made in the woods, stories of bodies being abandoned along the side of the road to be found by joggers and bikers the next day.

This park is one of those places that is ingrained into me - it's a part of my formative years and memories made there will follow me forever - even if Daddy is the only one who ever went there with me who's still a part of my life.  It was unbelievable when I discovered the house we were looking at buying, the one I loved so much, was right across the street from this magical, mystical place from my past.  And it's so much cooler now!  There's an amphitheater that hosts concerts during the summer - like REO Speedwagon and Sublime - concerts that can be heard from my front porch.  (Or, if I want to hear from even closer, I can walk into the park, stand outside next to the amphitheater, and get the full sound effect - that's my plan for the Sublime concert, FYI.  Is that considered theft?  Please say no.)  On Monday nights, the theater hosts Monday Night Movies - this week it's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.  There are pavilions with picnic tables and grills that can be reserved for $25, or they're available on a first come, first serve basis if they're not reserved.  There's a huge playground complete with splash park that makes me jealous I'm not a little girl anymore - the fun I could've had there!!!  There's a disc golf course that brings in weed smokers disc golfers from all over the region.

Of course, Finn and I only use the park for walking.  Well, I rode my bike around the hill once, but I thought I might die when I finished and while I swore I'd keep doing it until it was easy...well, I've only done it once.  The park is too hilly for bike riding; at least for me - I'll leave it to those guys with really skinny tires and spandex.  It's a great place for walking, though - there are so many trees, and you know what that means, right?  SQUIRRELS!!  They're everywhere, and they're a little more brave in the park than they are even in our yard - Finn almost catches one every time.  (But still hasn't gotten that first one, for which I'm glad, because what in the hell do you do with a squirrel once your dog gets a hold of it?  Can't even fathom.)

I'd like to walk again today, but it's rainy and yucky outside and so I guess I'll spend my day cleaning my yucky house.  Bleh, housework.  Oh well - the sun will be out again soon enough.

Happy Sunday, Friends!