Spring break day one

Today was our first official day of spring break.  The big 'kids' still have their day programs but the schools are out.  Seven of us then went bowling with friends.  It was a great time with only a few tears which is a million times better than some of our other excursions.

Bowling in this city and maybe all I don't know is not the most accessible pastime.  There is usually a giant staircase to navigate with nary an elevator in sight.  I thought it was doable though for us to still go and I would carry H down the stairs,  Phoenix could with support go down on her own steam and then I would carry the chairs down.  Imagine my excitement then to see a chair lift at the top of a three tiered staircase.  The added bonus was that the security guard that has to run it was all ready there so we had no wait.

Phoenix thought the chair lift was almost as fun as Disneyland.  She grinned and laughed the whole way up and down.

H did not find the ride nearly as exciting as his sister did.

Gratefully the bowling alleys have special rated the games so that instead of paying per hour you pay per game.  This is brilliant when you consider the games move much slower and an hour would be gone in no time.  The other bonus is FREE SHOES!  Who doesn't like free shoes?!  Sure they have been worn by thousands of other people and have their own unique odour but we will take the perks where we can get them!

 I would like it duly noted that the boys outfit is colour coordinated to his shoes which happened to have lime green stitching.  Unplanned but always welcomed by my need for things to matchy match.

Even though we had to fight accessibility issues at every turn ie getting the wheelchairs into the lane area, no special ball ramp designed for players in chairs etc it was a great time.  Best of all I think is that we finally found Donovan's 'sport'.  He doesn't enjoy anything specifically other than going to movies and shopping (he loves new clothes) so discovering his liking and talent for bowling is something we can maybe run with.

This is what Sheldon Cooper would look like when he bowled

H thought the day's activity was a pretty good one too.  He liked the feel of the ball and that almost everyone wanted a turn at bowling with him.

Phoenix has a riot no matter where she is and today was no exception.  She tolerated the in and out of her chair with patience which was great as Phoenix wandering a bowling alley would not end up  good for anyone.

Of course Dog had to have a turn too!  Puleease!

This was the first time that Malia has ever been bowling.  The activity is questionable for her as with her lack of vision once the ball left her hands she didn't know what was happening.  I had hoped that I could convince the alley staff to allow me to take Malia down on the carpeted area between lanes in order to show her the pins etc but there was no budging them.  Again, accessibility is not the game's middle name.  Between me and my friend we tried to find glow in the dark bowling but that seems only to occur on weekends.  I thought at least then the kid might stand a shot at seeing some of what was happening.  I gave my best play by play as to what was going on with her ball which she seemed ok with.  The child is definitely competitive.  Knocking down one pin was not her idea by an stretch of the imagination of being a good bowler.

ok so I'm NOT an action photographer!

 The teens did pretty good at bowling too however I don't mind bragging that I did kick both their butts!  Yes the bumpers were up but that is completely beside the point.  It was a completely even playing field.  I won't mention that Malia and H were each only about twenty points behind me.  I couldn't beat them by too much....  That would be discouraging.  And mean.  For the teens however I did a victory dance and song that I wrote on the spot.  It went something like "I wo.on.  I wo. on.  I kicked your bu.utt.  I kicked your bu.utt.  They lacked any response in aid of my ceasing my dance so we could leave.

Good times.