Gene Coulon Park

Yesterday was one of those amazingly beautiful spring days with which the Pacific Northwest likes to tease folks. Warm, sunny -- I even ended up with a slight sunburn and the after effect of congestion! So after a morning of errands and noontime rest periods, I loaded the boys in the car and we went to Gene Coulon park, a large beach park in Renton. We met Tom and a friend there and the boys played happily in the playground. Xander, of course, wanted to play on the big kid play equipment. He was less inclined after one child slid down the slide into him. At that point, his father, being very controlled, suggested that we go for a walk around the park.
We began the walk at the beach and there the boys discovered the joys of the tide. Jason was the first. He walked up to the sea and stood watching it. Slowly, bit by bit, he inched forward until the tide was just lapping on his shoes. 'NEAT!' he cried, 'I can stand here and not get my shoes wet!' He would walk forward then back, doing that dance of the sea that generations of children have done. Xander, never to be outdone, tried also but he didn't quite understand the principle behind Jason's actions so he (of course) ended up soaking his shoes. Not that he minded, of course. He is a veteran of the puddle wars and accepts wet shoes with a very high degree of equanimity. Following their sea adventure, the boys ran through the sand -- and Xander, at least, discovered that sand can be tricky stuff and will trip you if you are not careful. Daddy helped him up, though, and he took off after his brother and the Coots, shrieking and hooting for all he was worth. The birds were not all that impressed, I fear. But then, they never are.