Two Weekends, Not Worth Repeating!

Memorial Day weekend, Mikel and I were alone at Lake Merwin because our bath house across the street from us was closed and locked "until further notice". It seems the drain field for the shower and sink water collapsed so there was no drainage. So...we had to cancel our traditional camp out with all our kids and grand kids because all those extra people would be too much of a problem in our one little trailer bathroom for a long weekend....sigh.... The camp did bring in one Port-o-potty but it really couldn't take the place of the 6 toilets that were behind locked doors.

Now, don't get me wrong...being at LMCH, alone with my sweetheart was not a bad thing! No way! We had a wonderful time! The bad thing happened when we went to the hot tub to relax. We went for the "adult swim" session- from 10:00 to 11:00 PM. At 10:55, I got out of the hot tub and heading into the shower in the women's dressing room. I was in the shower when I heard a man and woman's voice...really close by. I thought they must be by the door talking so I finished my shower, wrapped my big towel around me and stuck my head out to make sure the coast was clear. The man's voice was now "falsetto"...which I found rather strange. As I headed into my dressing stall, I noticed that one other shower was in use...and the falsetto voice was coming from that shower! A female kept trying to quiet the "falsetto voice, and kept popping her head out to see where I was. It felt very strange, knowing that there was a strange naked man just a curtain away! I finally said "he does not belong here and I want him to leave now!" The female jumped out of the shower and, talking to the male, said: "I'm just going to head to my aunts house without you," and then proceeded to inform me that "if it's any of your #@%^@ business, we didn't know anyone else was in here, and we weren't *^#$# bothering anyone." ...(REALLY!...well I was bothered!...and it was obvious there was someone in here with the shower going and a towel hung on the wall!....REALLY?)

Oh...I was upset! Not only was a male in the female shower, but I had some little twit swearing at me! So...I wrapped my big towel around me again and headed out the door to tell the attendant that there was a man in the woman's showers! That attendant called the other attendant who was more experienced, who called Security. I went back in to get my clothes on but before I could close my curtain, the male turned off the water and threw open his curtain...and stood before me very proudly..with nothing but a smirk on his face. I was shocked and speechless! All sorts of things were going through my mind...things I could or should say....like "Oh, I'm sorry, I thought there was a man in here!" or "Are you kidding me? I have a 3 year old grandson who..."
....you get the picture...
I closed my curtain to throw my clothes on when the attendants came in. The male must have thrown his pants on because, fortunately, the attendants were not greeted the same way I was! He then fled into the men's dressing room. I gathered my wits about me enough to yell out at the attendants to get his block and site number (our addresses up at LMCH). I then asked the female who was still dressing what her site and block number was. Her response...."I don't have an %$^#& site and block number." ...to which I replied that without a site and block number, she did not belong here!" She then said "if it's any of your %#^$% business, I am a guest here." My response..."not any more if you break the rules!" She then walked out to the awaiting security guards. I was dressed so I followed her out as security was trying to get her name, etc. which she refused to give them. I told them what she said about not having a %#%&&@ site. Her response was, "really lady, like I would swear at you!" By this time, I was just downright MAD and wanted out of there before the male came out of the dressing room so Mikel and I headed out to our car, as the female began downloading her profanities on the security guards. Her "really lady, like I would swear at you" became the big joke for everyone, I'm sure!

To make a long story short...they refused to give their names or block and site number, and the assistant camp manager made the decision that these 20 something adults were just pulling a teenage prank. (Our assistant camp manager is single, late 20's, really shy, and does not like to handle unpleasant things) SO....I am trying to get over my MAD and move past it!...kinda sorta...cause I'm still kicking myself for leaving before insisting that the sheriff be called for the indecent exposure! It still goes through my mind....what if the young pool attendants had been the ones to walk in...what if my daughters had been there...what if some other young adult woman had been there...what if...what if...what if... I really HATE the what ifs!

The rest of the week went pretty smoothly until this Sat. night. Michelle and I had a garage sale Friday and Sat. which was not very successful! The weather was maybe a little to GREAT because there sure weren't a lot of people out garage sale-ing! Anyhow, Sat. Kyle was running the 5K race before the Star Light Rose parade, so we decided to go to the parade to see him run, and enjoy the parade with the kids. We found our spot, and were all settled in. The runners ran by...I missed Kyle because he was so much faster then I expected (he ran the 3 miles in 32 minutes!...AWESOME!) not to mention, I had someone's back side in my face waiting to cross the street when there was a break between runners. (Note to self...if we go next year...DO NOT SIT NEAR THE CORNER WHERE THE CROSS WALK IS! I was hit more times then I can count by bicycles, strollers, big bags!...not to mention, arms, the feet of kids being carried...shall I go on?)

With the city streets blocked off for the runners and parade, all the kids played in the streets and ran races themselves. Little did we expect, that some of our kids would run races....and not stop to come back! Little Gordon ran up the hill...and kept running and running so Casey had to chase him. At the same time, Eddie and his cousin ran down the hill. His cousin turned around to come back...but Eddie kept going... and going...and going...till he ended up lost! When we realized that he was missing, we had no idea how long he had actually been gone. A bunch of the adults with our group took off walking in every direction looking for him as Michelle informed the police who were very present. Casey and I walked down the hill for the one block before the parade route turned the corner. Then we walked about 3 blocks further in that direction til we decided that, surely, he wouldn't have gone that far! We turned around to head back and stopped to talk with the police officers patrolling there. They already had the report that Eddie was being returned to his parents, so we headed back. We got back as Michelle was talking to the police again, and found that the little boy in the green shirt with the airplane hat was not Eddie. So we headed out again. I went the one block up hill, over the freeway overpass, to the next corner on the parade route, searching the crowd for Eddie's little face, and imagining him being terrified, while praying..."Heavenly Father, you gave me this precious child as a birthday present 4 years ago! Please bring him back to us!" I was so close to tears the entire time but I knew that if I began crying, I would not be able to see, so I held it together and continued walking and walking....
When I got back to our seating area, we heard that Kyle's two nieces had found Eddie and were on their way back with him. They had walked down the same direction as Casey and I had gone originally (and several other adults we later found out) but we all stopped, thinking he would not have gone that far...only to find out that he had gone at least another block or block and a half further! Eddie realized he was lost so he found a police man and told him he couldn't find his mommy. The police kept him safe and bought him cotton candy. It seems there was another little lost boy also on or around the Max line (our mass transit train) so he took top priority, which we fully understood...only to realize that Eddie crossed those same train tracks to get where he ended up! Kyle's nieces carried Eddie back to Michelle who met them at the corner down from us. I walked down that direction also so after Michelle put Ed down to carry Gordon back through the crowd, I picked Eddie up to carry him. I needed to know that he was safe.
We were able to enjoy the parade when it began, while keeping a close eye on all our precious little ones who liked to get up and move about. I am all for investing in the Kid LoJack devices for all of them! I think that would be money well spent!

This Nana can't afford to lose any more years off my life! I lost enough years when my 5 took turns wandering off years ago! Hopefully, my adult kids forgive me know for always dressing then alike whenever we went places together. I knew that in a stressful situation, I wouldn't be able to remember what each child wore, so I dressed them alike so I could easily show police, etc. what my child was wearing...which I had to do several times!
It worked!...and I don't think any of my kids psyches were damaged because of it!