Cinderella weekend finale: kayaking

Well, I haven't turned into a pumpkin yet, but I feel like I just experienced a Cinderella weekend with my daughter.

We wasted hardly a minute: walked to a parade, ate Blue Moon burgers in Fremont, shopped at Trader Joe's, attended a baseball game at Safeco Field, sat in Row No. 12 right behind the Mariners' dugout, and brought home free Ken Griffey T-shirts. Annie caught a free "Ichiro" shirt.

Bill saw us on TV several times. He figured out that he'd see us every time a left-handed batter stepped to the plate.

I did get tummy upset from my hotdog smothered in sauerkraut, but it still tasted divine.

We topped off the weekend with my maiden voyage in a rented double-seater kayak on Lake Union.

I told the attendant at the kayak place that I should try it all over again cuz nothing chaotic happened: no tipovers, no water all over the place--except outside the boat. And, the water was so still and peaceful as we paddled around the lake.

Kayaking, I discovered, is a lot easier to learn than pontooning. Only disappointment is that, with no miserable moments, my story is pretty uneventful except for all the pretty sights we saw.

For those who may be disappointed that I found no trouble, I can report that I found mustard---twice---once when I bent over too close to my hotdog and smeared it all over my Ken Griffey t-shirt and again on the way home when some dribbled from that hamburger half saved from lunch.

So, some things never change, but this was definitely a unique and wonderful weekend.

I'm back home and work awaits, but it's nice to have a head filled with lots of good moments spent in Seattle.