Good Idea, Bad Idea

Ok, anyone remember the "Good Idea, Bad Idea" segments from the 90s cartoon Animaniacs? A narrator would would show a skeleton guy demonstrating a "good idea." Then, they'd shown the same scene with the skeleton guy again...only this time, it would result in being blown up or having an anvil dropped on his head.

I had that kind of a day.

Good Idea: Sleeping in a little bit more than usual on a Saturday, but still getting out early enough to make the Farm Market and drop the bag of Miss Ellie's shoes at the thrift shop. The weather was gorgeous for the second Saturday in a row. It was sunny, mid-80s, and not humid at all, not out of line for the time of year. I managed to dodge the crowds and dogs and buy blueberries, nectarines, dandelion leaves, blackberries, an ear of corn, and all kinds of peppers.

Good Idea: It was decent enough outside for me to make cookies when I came home for the first time in ages. I made my favorite Oatmeal Chocolate Chip recipe, and they came out quite nicely.

Bad Idea: I was going to take the 1:40 to Clementon Park and Splash World. I'd debated on and off whether or not to go to Clementon Park, a small local amusement park, this week. Even with the $10 off coupon I picked up from the Bagel Shop last month, I still don't have a lot of money. Since it was such a nice day, I finally said "why not?" Alas, I left too late to catch the 1:40. While this did mean I could go back and get the coupon (which I'd left at home in my haste to leave), it also meant I would be taking the 2:25...which was almost 20 minutes late and very full.

Good Idea: Clementon Park isn't a bad place. It's very small, with only one large roller coaster (the Hellcat), one decent water flume (King Neptune's Revenge), one small coaster (Ring of Fire), and all the usual things you find in an amusement park - games, a carousel, swings, kids' rides, a very small arcade. That means it's easy to navigate in a few hours...

Bad Idea: ...Granted those hours aren't on a Saturday afternoon. Thankfully, the lines weren't too long, but it was very, very busy. Hot, too. There's no shade whatsoever at Clementon Park. Even most of the lines are outside. The water I bought cost me $3. That wouldn't be so bad if it was Wildwood or Disney World, but at a park that's not even a quarter of the size of the small Great Escape, that's highway robbery. (Especially since there's a CVS across the street that sells water for 99 cents!)

Bad Idea (for me): Clementon Park is a family park. Major emphasis on family. I couldn't ride the Ferris Wheel. Not because of my weight or height, but because they wouldn't take people who were alone. That's ridiculous. I rode the Giant Ferris Wheel in Wildwood all the time by myself.

Good Idea: I had more luck with other rides. The Carousel is lovely; it may be the original from when the park opened in 1907. (Clementon Park is actually one of the oldest amusement parks in the world.) The swings were a bit precarious. I felt like my seat tipped too much! The Egyptian themed design was cool, though. And I did manage to get on King Neptune's Revenge. Two big, cheerful ladies who were standing in front of me happily insisted I join them. I'm glad they did. I sat in back, and they were in front. They kept falling into me, insuring me that I would remain in the vehicle at all time with no problems. (And damaging my eardrums in the process.) It was short and pretty slow for what you get. I don't know what everyone in the line was fussing about. All those Camden people obviously never rode the Log Flume at Morey's Pier.

Bad Idea: I spent more money than I should have at the games. I don't have much to spare. Especially since I called work this afternoon and discovered I'm not working again until Monday at 10:30 and have three days off. While one more day of vacation is nice, it also means my hours are lousy again.

Really Bad Idea: I decided to take the 5:32 home, hoping to be in Oaklyn in time for dinner. The bus was late again. The 5:32 didn't show up until 10 of 6, by which time there was a huge, noisy crowd waiting. The bus was very full all the way back to Oaklyn. People chattered noisily, jumped back and forth between seats, held loud conversations on their cell phones and over people's heads, and just basically behaved like uncivilized pains in the rear.

I really felt sorry for the poor teenage lifeguard who had been waiting for a bus for over an hour. Apparently, the 4:46 never showed at all. She was going on a long car trip to Arizona with her family and wasn't thrilled about being stuck in the car in general or now having to rush getting ready to go. Plus, she was certain that her family wouldn't wait for her if she was late. I even let her borrow my cell phone to call her mother. I hope she made it, poor kid.

I did finally get in around quarter of 7, by which time, I never wanted to see that awful bus again. The driver was slower than five turtles, and everyone wanted to get off at every darn stop on the entire route. A bus ride that should have been a little over a half-hour ended up being almost and hour!

Good Idea: Learning some lessons about doing amusement parks, even tiny local ones. First of all, never, ever go on a weekend, especially a Saturday. If you must go on a Saturday, go in the morning or late evening, when the bus is likely to be a lot less full and there's less traffic. If you have very young kids or are single like me, go online and find what rides will be appropriate for their ages or for someone traveling alone.