You’d think once you were connected to a person through blood or marriage that it would mean something, right. You’re family. You’re bonded. You’re interlinked. You wouldn’t necessarily get shafted. Especially during the holidays, right? With all that ho-ho-ho and Merry Christmas and Season’s Greetings oozing out of people.
Not true.
At any age, and in my case, with any relationship it still happens. Hard to believe that someone of my George Costanza caliber would get the shaft. But yeah it’s true.
And I guess the normal reaction would be disappointment, anger, or disbelief at the WTF just happened moment. I mean you’re tied and bonded to this person right? So during this Christmas vacation when everyone is free and available to hang out why wouldn’t you assume that when someone has plans to go to the snow, to a parade, to an amusement park, to a light festival or to something involving fun, you’d think the ‘wanna come?’ was implied. You’re interlinked, right? You’re family right? Am I right? Am I right?
Dude … I was so wrong.
‘Twas the night before The Shaft and as they were making their plans I thought to myself … yeah I need to pick the clothes out the night before and wake up early the next morning to pack the kids their snack. I even charged the camera battery.
But as I awoke in the morning all I heard was the front screen door slamming shut. I looked around no one was home. Just me and the kids … still in our PJs.
Burn.
We could’ve wallowed all day with Nickelodeon, but instead I made plans for our own urban adventure … no snow, no parade, no amusement park, no light festival. Just us … Guat Party of Three enjoying a crisp Southern California winter day at 61 degrees with the sun shining.
Destination?
The famous pits.
Ready to check out some fossils.
The biggest fossils we encountered.
Checking out evolution. My son thought these were pretty cool, his sister however was only interested in the Ritz Crackers in her hand.
My son enjoyed his paleontologist moment.
Checking out the real deal … where my son tapped on the glass, smiled, and then decided to loudly introduce himself, and say “I like your fossils.”
A re-enactment of the past … to which my son replied … “wow he was very hungry mom,” to which my daughter replied “Raaaaaawr.”
After all those fossils and deathly carnage scenes, we decided to check out the outdoor exhibits.
It was a good day for Operation We Got Shafted Better Get Out of The House and Do Something Awesome Plan B.
We found “dinosaur” footprints and decided to investigate.
My daughter got a little crazy, so her big brother stepped in to save the day.
We finally made it to the famous Pit 91 and Project 23, where we found out that the tar was not hot, that Pit 91 was 15-feet deep, and that no dinosaur bones were found in these pits, mostly dire wolves.
After all that walking and all those discoveries it was time to go back home.
However on our way back to the car we took a detour to the art museum next door.
My kids decided to be “hands-on” experts with the outdoor exhibit. I decided to join in.
After our art detour, we decided to finally head home. But not before we did some rolling down grassy hills. Something that’s been on my son’s “sandbox bucket list” for a while. An awesome ending to our Plan B Urban Adventure.
Being shafted still sucked, but after this day … not as bad.
The Wish Factor 