'It's all happening at the zoo'

It certainly seems like it, judging by the crowds there. Last days of summer before school starts I guess! We went there because after hours of endlessly planning our weekend and discussing places to go, we somehow landed up at the zoo.

Seems to happen every weekend - not going to zoo I mean, but endlessly planning and doing something completely different in the end. For a month now, we've been planning to go to a lakeside beach before the summer is over and things turn cold. Possible places included Lake Minnewanka (Banff) and Gull Lake (North of Red Deer) among other things. Somehow we've just never managed to get there yet. And the leaves are already turning yellow in some places!

Take for example what happened last weekend:

Me: We've to go somewhere today! Somewhere!
Hubby: How about swimming at Cardel Place?
Me (scoffing): You want to waste a fine summer day in an indoor pool?
Hubby: Okay, where do you want to go?
Me: I don't know. You decide!
Hubby: How about Gull Lake? I've heard it's really nice.
Me: What? Thats 2 hours from here! Let me find a place closer to home.
So I browse for an hour or two interspersed with feeding kuttipa and things like that. There may also have been a game or two of Bubblewords that happened in this time.

Me: So, looks like there is a lake in Strathmore called Eagle Lake and also a lake in Chestermere. Both look kind of closer than Gull lake.
Hubby: Did you read any reviews?
Me: Sort of. Someone somewhere has recommended it on 'Yahoo Answers'.
Hubby: Let me check them out.
So he browses for a while looking at reviews and playing the occasional game of Bubblewords. This takes somewhere between 15 minutes and half an hour.

Hubby: Both lakes have gotten bad reviews.
Me: Well, there are always going to be people who have something bad to say about everything!
Hubby: Yeah, but why drive to a dirty lake?
Me: Eagle Lake's website says there have been no recorded cases of swimmer's itch. Isn't that enough? And look, apparently there are all kinds of exotic birds that come there.
Hubby: Birds? I thought you wanted a lakeside beach...
Me: Well....I just want to go somewhere...
By now Kuttipa is making impatient noises the kind that means he will become cranky and sleepy in a while. We also realize that its around 3:00pm which means there are only a couple of hours to work with before his evening dinner and bedtime routine begin (more on that in another post). So we decide to go to the zoo and hastily pack up - snacks and a sippy cup for Kuttipa, water for us. We get in the car and head towards the zoo.

Me: Do you really want to go to the zoo?
Hubby: What now? We're almost there! Why do you keep changing your mind?
Me: I think it might be nicer to take a walk in the Inglewood sanctuary. Do you remember the place? It was along the river and so pleasant.
Hubby: Okay, whatever you say! (Kind of grumpy at my vacillations though)
Moments later, we arrive at a park. Its NOT Inglewood sanctuary. Clearly we took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up there. But there are tall trees and green grass and lots of people on picnic benches grilling burgers and the river glistens somewhere close by. It all seems very pleasant, very inviting...

Me:(reading sign aloud) Pearce Estates Park.
Hubby: We're not in Inglewood. Are you very particular on going there?
Me: I guess we could walk around a little and see how this place is.


And so we had a very good walk at Pearce Estate Park. The pathways were nice enough for a stroller. We saw huge pelicans at the weir. The weather was good. Turned out to be a very happy accident! The end. :-)