A Saturday Adventure

Despite the fact that weekends are supposed to be for resting and relaxing (at least that's the impression I was once under), it seems that when I look at my calendar these days, Saturday is just as full as your average Tuesday.  Sure, the things that happen on Saturdays tend to be a little more on the fun side, but they are still "plans" that require us to keep an eye on our watches throughout the day. 

But every now and then, I crack open my calendar (got it free next to the cash register at the Hallmark store) and Josh boots up his Palm Pilot (decidedly not free), and we discover that no one expects us to be anywhere that day.  Those days are few and far between, to be sure, but this past Saturday just happened to be one of them.  Ah, sweet freedom!

But what to do?  It's not like we're just going to sit around the house all day, or do something productive like rake the leaves (again).  The obvious answer?  Road trip!  Personally, I have very fond memories of the Saturdays when my parents (Gram and DeeDaddy) would pack us all up in the Melody Singers van* and set out for horizons unknown . . . well, to us kiddos anyway.   One of our favorite destinations was the Mississippi River, where we would proceed to toss rocks into the swift currents to our  little hearts' content. 

Now that I am a resident of a city that actually sits on that same great river, it didn't seem like that particular destination would do for our afternoon of adventure.  However, sometime when the weather was warmer, I had read an article about good kid-friendly destinations within a short drive, and it stuck in my brain that there was a very cool park in Covington, TN. 

"How far is Covington, Josh?"

"Oh, it's only about 30 minutes away."

"Great!  Let's go check out that park I read about."

"Cark?!"

"Sounds like Walty's in . . . let's hit the road."

So, after almost an hour of driving, a detour to Sonic for tater tots and a milkshake, and one stop at a gas station to ask directions to the park, we finally arrived at our destination just before dusk.

And what a park it was.

Full of swings . . .

and slides . . .

tightropes . . .

and ladders . . .

and lots of little nooks . . .

and crannies.

Walty had a very good time indeed.  And truth be told, Mommy . . .

and Daddy . . .

probably had just as good (if not better) of a time as Walt.

And the best part of all?  We had the whole place to ourselves.  Seems that most people don't think that late afternoon on a chilly December day is the ideal time to hit the park.  Well, the Spickler family says, who needs sweat and mosquitos and a bunch of rowdy big kids hogging the slide when you can slap on a hat and some gloves (well, some of us wore gloves -- one of us adamantly refused) and have free reign of the whole playground? 

And because pink cheeks and a cute hats make for great pictures of everyone (and because my wireless internet connection is actually speedy for once), here are a few more shots for your viewing pleasure.

See, I do sometimes put my birthday present to good use!

*The Melody Singers van was the gigantic (we're talking room for eight passengers with PLENTY of space for luggage or sleeping children in the back) red and white vehicle my parents purchased from a church singing group when we were kids.  When they bought it, the words, "Melody Singers" were emblazoned across both sides, and their intention was to have that painted out ASAP after purchase.  Well, we all know how intentions go.  After receiving one too many calls asking our family to give a performance at some church's summer revival, they finally got around to it.  And none too soon, because the Partridge Family we were not.