Finding my Inner Child

I do enjoy going down a nice water slide if it isn't too fast.  I guess it is the inner child in me.  Here is a picture of me at Disney's River Country which is now gone, but we went there in 1983.

This month, we stayed at Disney's Vero Beach Vacation Club to see if we’d like to become DVC members.  I bought a few DVC points through the resale market to test it out and those are for Sarasota Springs; next to Disney Springs.  But it’s been a goal of mine to stay at each of the Disney Resorts and I was wanting a “beach stay.”  We had already been to Disney’s Hilton Head Beach Resort, so Vero Beach was next on my list.

It was a lot of fun and the weather was fantastic.  At Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, they have a 2-3 story water slide that was exciting.  After I climbed the many stairs to the top, a little girl about 8 years old was in line in front of me.  She stopped, turned around and told me I could go ahead of her.  I think she was having an issue with the boy in front of her.  I thanked her and feeling a little frightened, I didn't really want to go earlier than anyone, but I thought it was such a kind act.  I said, "thank you so much, this is my first time."  Well...that started a whole lesson of how to go faster and tips on knowing when it is your turn (watch for the green light.)  It was so funny because she talked to me like I was a little baby!  I loved it.  The ride down the slide was fantastic, just fast enough to give me a thrill but not so fast that I was thrust underwater (I don’t like to put my face in the water.)  I am now starting to examine the water slide at Sarasota Springs and can’t wait for that visit. 

During this Vero Beach trip, I also enjoyed sitting in the hot tub the most since the weather had turned cooler for a few days.  But the thing that I was really looking forward to was the walk on the beach.  The beach was such a big part of my childhood.  On hot days, when my dad would get home from a grueling day, we’d all pile into the car and off to the beach to cool off.  My mom would pack our dinner and after we arrived, my dad would take a nap while she cooked it.  My brother and I would head for the ocean and ride wave after wave until it almost got dark.  Then we’d go to the restrooms to shower and get in our PJs.  We were always starved for dinner and there was often a treat of toasting marshmallows afterwards.  We’d then fall asleep on the big blanket while my parents surf fished.

So going to Vero Beach was an attempt on my part to capture some of that beach experience; but unfortunately, the S’mores around the campfire didn’t start until 8pm – which is past my bedtime.  There are also little “no-see-um” bugs that come out at night, so we stayed safe in our room after sunset.  Earlier in the day, we found out that after Keith's stroke four years ago, he can't walk in the sand.  Most of his brain balance replacement is through his feet feeling the ground and the shifting sand makes his brain get confused and he can't balance very well.  I’m afraid of rip tides and the red flag was out – so I only went into the water up to my knees.  Add that fear to my fear of jellyfish and sharks meant that my beach days are over.  It is sad to give up something so wonderful from your childhood, but I realized how much I do like going down waterslides and being in the hot tub on a cool day.  Our development has a hot tub that is usually empty, so with the fall days cooling off, I think that will be my new joy and every so often, we’ll stay at one of the Disney Resorts to take a waterside ride and make my inner child happy.  

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