Monday, June 16, 2008

Up, Up and Away

I celebrated WWKIP day by completely forgetting about it, due to other things going on. Like getting my father in a helicopter for the first time in his life.

It was my mum's idea initially, and I totally and shamelessly took it over. I researched it, booked it, and even ended up driving us all to the - what - heliport? That sounds like a real word, right? And things turned out in such a way that the whole thing ended up a complete surprise revealed only at the moment we pulled into the parking lot in Niagara Falls.

Niagara Helicopter

When we got there, we were informed that the weather was a bit cloudy, so we'd be delayed. It was barely enough time for a quick ice cream break, then my dad was getting in the helicopter.
Ice Cream while waiting to fly

Father's Day Ride 10

Then he was in the air, looking down on the falls and the whirlpool and the river.
View from Helicopter

Niagara from helicopter

Niagara Whirlpool from helicopter

The flight was only nine minutes, but my father loved it and can't wait to go again. During those nine minutes, I KIP'd, unwittingly keeping the spirit of the day. Then the helicopter was back, and my dad couldn't stop smiling.

Father's Day Ride 15

This was followed by some time in Niagara on the Lake, where I knit in a pub, then on a bench. Then a visit to Fort George, where I knit on a picnic table. And then, because no family visit is complete without some sort of medical emergency, a visit to the urgent care centre, where I knit in an examination area, and then the imaging waiting room. We discovered that my father had cracked a bone in his toe when he bumped it on my air conditioner the previous evening. (He's doing okay - there's nothing to be done but wait for healing.)

Happy belated WWKIP and Father's days!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I surprised my husband one year for his birthday with a helicopter ride over Philadelphia! I couldn't think of what to get him and that popped into my head! Our 'copter had NO doors on it though. It was very scary, but totally exciting! HE LOVED IT!

Glad your dad did too!

beth (big geek)