Lynn's Notes:

Every summer, a travelling midway came to town. When Aaron and Kate were little, I took them down to the waterfront for the rides, the arcades, and the ambience. It was fun to watch them bump around on the small rollercoaster, accompany them on the "Tilt-a-Whirl," and to walk around the food stalls. It was an excuse to eat hot dogs, corn on a stick, and cotton candy. It was an opportunity to throw darts at balloons, listen to carousel music, and play Bingo at a picnic table under a big, wide tent. Neither of my children was ever sick, despite guts full of junk food and head-spinning rides. When they were old enough to go alone, I would drop them off at the park and pick them up when they were tired and flat out of cash. It was a teenage rite of passage -- best savoured alone. The midway still comes to town every summer. The sights and the sounds are the same as they always were, but I just drive by...I'm waiting for the next generation to come of age so I have an excuse to go again!