Speck-tacular
August 5, 2008 – 11:58 amIt’s Seafair in Seattle, which means we have hydroplane racing, Blue Angels overhead, and a whole lot of drunken idiots getting sunburnt and stupid.
Usually Jay and I avoid the madness, except last year when in a fit of stupidity I decided to take CJ to see the Blue Angels from a VERY CENTRAL location. Which turned out to be a complete and total disaster because the poor child was convinced we were being bombed and probably lost a few years off his life due to extreme terror and stress.
Live and learn, right?
So THIS YEAR Jay says to me, “Hey, I know! We should go see the Blue Angels!”
And I look at him with that classic SERIOUSLY ARE YOU AN IDIOT look and say, “SERIOUSLY? ARE YOU AN IDIOT?”
He assures me that CJ is a whole year older and therefore the noise and smoke and death-defying stunts RIGHT OVER OUR VERY HEADS will no longer be scary.
Which could be true.
But then again, probably not.
Jay wants to head straight to the park in the CENTER of the action. But I’ve been there before and there is no way that I’m putting CJ (or me!) through that.
“How about if we choose a more removed location where it’s not so loud,” I suggest.
And so we compromise. We’ll go see the Blue Angels, but at a safe distance.
When we hear that our 16-year old niece, Veronica, has never seen the Blue Angels (!!), we insist that she come along.
“this is UNFORGETTABLE,” I tell her, “a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
We pull into the park and set up on the lawn. “I think this is a good spot,” I say, looking out across the water, “I think we’ll be able to see them pretty well.”
Finally the show begins.
“THERE THEY ARE!” I shout, “THE BLUE ANGELS!”
“WHERE?” CJ and Veronica look up at the sky expectantly.
“THERE! See those specks?!”
They squint into the distance. “Um, no…”
“There! And there!”
Veronica pushes up her sunglasses and uses her hand to shade her eyes. “Oh, Ok. I think I see one.”
“Where?” CJ asks. He soon loses interest and wanders off to throw rocks in the water.
Well, at least he’s not scared.
Although I guess it’s hard to be scared of something you can’t even see.
I hate to have to admit it, but it would probably have been more fun to go sit by a sunny window and watch the particulate matter swirl in the air.
Or to stand on the beach on a windy day and watch as the sand gets kicked up.
WOW! LOOK AT THE SPECKS DOING ALL THESE NEAT TRICKS!
Maybe we’ll try that next year.
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By followthatdog on Aug 5, 2008 | Reply
When I lived in SF, they would fly over the city leaving rattling windows and near deaf citizens in their wake. I hate the Blue Angels as a result. I think the tiny hints of vapor trails are just about right. AND, I vote UFO for the photo. Am I right?
followthatdogs last blog post..Another one bites the dust
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Mrs. F Reply:
August 5th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
I am going to watch that on the water this year! I am anticipating a loud good time. Even though I will be working…
Mrs. Fs last blog post..You Ask, I Answer~Part Two
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By Amy @ Milk Breath & Margaritas on Aug 5, 2008 | Reply
We happened to be in Florida, near Pensacola, where the Blue Angels “live” this summer. Some man in a grocery store gave us a big tip - they practice behind the Museum at the Pensacola Air Base every Mon and Tues morning at 7:30 am. Anyone can go watch.
We stood ON THE TARMAC and watched them do their thing for 45 minutes, two days in a row. On Tues, after the practice, Shark Boy got to meet one of the Blue Angel pilots.
It was so amazing! I have fantastic pictures.
I guess this doesn’t make you feel any better does it? (Sorry –)
Amy @ Milk Breath & Margaritass last blog post..Time Management & Soul Searching
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By Mrs. F on Aug 5, 2008 | Reply
I don’t see the specks! Sorry.
Mrs. Fs last blog post..You Ask, I Answer~Part Two
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By Midwest Mommy on Aug 5, 2008 | Reply
How funny is that!
Totally sounds like something I would compromise with the hubs with and then he would prove me wrong…
Midwest Mommys last blog post..Jumperoo Snooze
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By Ashley on Aug 5, 2008 | Reply
That is so funny, watching the Blue Angel specks! I avoided all the Seafair madness this year, and have never been before, but I will see them for SURE someday!
Ashleys last blog post..My Fabulous Weekend!!!
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By Queen of Shake Shake on Aug 5, 2008 | Reply
I saw the blue angels once and totally forgot about them.
Queen of Shake Shakes last blog post..How Much Is That Fishie In the Window?
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By Shamelessly Sassy on Aug 5, 2008 | Reply
Hi, if you don’t mind me asking, what widget do you use for the kirsty this, tweet this, etc. option?
Shamelessly Sassys last blog post..My Child is a Sleepwalker?
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By Erin on Aug 5, 2008 | Reply
bwuahahahahaha
Erins last blog post..10 Things I have Learned from my Children
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By Domestic Spaz on Aug 5, 2008 | Reply
At least no one got scared. :) Right?
Domestic Spazs last blog post..Blog the Recession!
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By MammaLoves on Aug 5, 2008 | Reply
I can just see your teenage niece rolling her eyes now.
MammaLovess last blog post..Too Much Tea
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By Honey Mommy on Aug 6, 2008 | Reply
Ooh! Pretty specks! I know EXACTLY how you must feel.
This year we decided to go over to some friends’ houses to watch their little fireworks show. We were pretty sure we would be able to see the city’s fireworks too. Well it turns out that they moved the city fireworks so they were only a few blocks from our house. We would have had the best view if we had just stayed home!
Honey Mommys last blog post..Spider in My Towel, Lizard in My Tub
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By Auds at Barking Mad on Aug 7, 2008 | Reply
We live within spitting distance of a Naval air base which hosts an air show every flippin fall in which the Blue Angels perform (as if living in Seattle for ten years and going to SeaFair every year didn’t cure me of it already)…Not only do we get an up close and personal view of the Blue Angels from our DECK…but we are treated to a WEEK of practices of not only the Blue Angels but every single other plane in the show.
Especially the one with the massive after burners…the Eagle. And people wonder why we have permanent hearing damage.
Auds at Barking Mads last blog post..The Summer of Oompa Loompa Hair
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