A Recipe For Tossing Cookies

I went to Idlewild Park on Memorial Day with the family. Grandpap went with us. Did I mention it was hot? Well, here is a recipe for disaster at an amusement park. First, it was around 90 today and very humid. You could sweat just by standing in the sun. Second, being a runner, you'd think I'd realize I was getting dehydrated - but I didn't. I drank a Diet Coke and an iced tea before we left around 9:00 AM. I also went to the bathroom around that time. To explain just how hot it was....I drank another iced tea with lunch, an Icee later, 2 bottles of water and an ice cream cone...and I didn't go to the bathroom again until 5:45 PM. That's almost 9 hours from someone who usually goes 5-6 times during 9 hours at work! So, I ate an ice cream cone around 3:00 and my daughter immediately wanted someone to take her on The Spider ride. Well, in my old age (cough, cough) I still love thrill rides, but not things that just go in circles at high speeds. My dad doesn't either and my wife just recovered from waiting in line for the Ferris Wheel so I said I would go. Bad idea. The sun was beating down on this ride and I was already sweating pretty good - plus - remember - I just ate ice cream. The ride started up and it took me all of 7 seconds to realize I was in trouble. I really thought I was either going to pass out or Ralph. I started sweating worse than Rosie O'Donnel when the buffet is about to close. I warned my daughter I might throw-up and she inched away from me and reminded me to make sure I do it over the side. Isn't she cute? Anyway - I survived - but was warned I was as white as Bryant Gumbel and had sweat pouring off me and my shirt was soaked. I sat down in the shade and grandpap got me another bottle of water which I held on my head before drinking it down. Needless to say, I was walking like Katherine Hepburn during an earthquake until we returned to the car and I blasted the AC directly on me for the next 45 minutes. When we got home I ate some peanuts and drank Gatorade and I felt fine within an hour of returning home. Good enough to wash my car actually so I'm convinced it was due to dehydration......or age.....but at least I kept my perfect record alive of not throwing up in public. Unless you count the back porch of the house I lived in while at school in front of 2-3 very close friends.