The Boys of Summer

Yesterday we found a way to cool off: The splashpad. These so-called "spraygrounds" are a new phenomenon here, this year. (All photos enlarge, just click on them.)

This one is located where formerly stood the last wading pool in the city. The only pool with a maximum depth of 36 inches. Perfect for little kids. And mommies who can't swim. I was disappointed when I saw them plowing it under.

However, the wading pool had its undesirable traits: No Shade. Anywhere. Difficult to look forward to spending daytime hours in the hot sun with the wee ones, even in the water. Do you know how well kids enjoy reapplying sunblock? Thaaat's right.

There was an ugly little concrete building where you could risk germ exposure and change clothes in a tiny and stuffy room. For some reason, they always had people sign in for the wading pool. There were a couple life guards. One would hide out inside at the sign-in desk. One time a friend of mine was approached by one of these young twits and actually told she couldn't breastfeed her baby there. Being an advanced branch of society, each state of the US is having to enact some sort of law "making it legal" to breastfeed in public. Or not illegal. Such nonsense!! (But that's a whole 'nother topic, for another time.) The news obviously hadn't gotten out to all the city employees that summer. I suppose with the splash pads the city won't need to employ as many life guards. So everybody wins.

Here comes a messenger! He's inviting me to join them, telling me how he got splashed. You can tell which children are mine - the guys most pale. Oooo, I just remembered I can say it is partly from the zinc oxide in the sunblock, yeah, that's right. Not only from hiding indoors from the heat. I did go in the water--after taking "just a few more" photos. Well, I took some in the water, too. Sorry, no photos of me this time (though you would be thanking me this time!). Heh.

I really enjoyed being there. We arrived just after 4 pm and stayed for about an hour. As you can see, there were fountains that sprayed really high, and some parents were carrying their smaller and more timid children into the water. It was lovely, like standing in the rain.

I was a bit concerned about the creepy guy to the right with the camera. You can see him in the last 3 photos. He was taking pictures of the children at the "sprayground"! Who did he belong to? I did sort him out--you can see his child in one of the pics. Whew! Wouldn't want some stranger getting photos of my children.

Here I took my life the camera's life into my hands to snap this one. I really wanted to show more the motion of the wheel. It's obviously spinning in the water. It is obvious, isn't it?

Is this going against the forces of nature?

I mean, is it natural for water to spiral in a circular fashion into a square drain? I was fascinated by the different patterns made by the droplets as the water flowed lightly, then with more strength as the water splashed from the various spots on the pad.

After about an hour, the concrete surface took its toll on its first victim. A scrape on the palm ensured much misery, and questions as to why, oh why do they make the ground surface of these places with rough concrete? Actually, that's a good question. See the pattern painted on the ground? The painted places are actually rougher than the plain concrete.

We retreated to the minivan to return to our street clothes. Yes, the one reason I like driving a minivan: you can change clothes in it, relatively out of sight of the general public. Oh, wait, that's the second reason--the first is being able to transport 5-6 people (usually children) safely in one vehicle.

Back home, after a break hiding out in the thrift store, searching for treasure.