this week is spring break and it's been nonstop crazy filled. today the weather started to cooperate. my mom and i wanted to get to verona park this week so we could include aiden but mostly to finally see the bench.

briefly, 2 christmas' ago my brother, cousins and myself had a bench dedicated to my grandparents. this was my brother's and my gift to my mom, and my cousins' to my uncles, respectively. three generations have a lot of memories at a beautiful park my mom and her 2 brothers grew up down the street from and it is a super special thing. the park, the memories, the bench.



there it is. isn't it nice? it's a sweet bench. could fit like 3 more kids than the 3 i already have. 4 adults easily. it has some pretty trees around it and a view of the entire lake, the boat house, the bridge, and a bit of the playground that you promise them they'll get to. unlike most benches, it's on the other side of the walkway, putting your back to people, making it a more intimate bench. it's no doubt become a popular bench as we saw people resting there every time we looked over to check on it. we found ourselves catching glimpses from every angle as we walked the entire lake.




right when we came upon it who came upon us but my mother's childhood neighbor. still residing in town but sold their house only 2 years ago he still walks the park every week.

every now and then, i see my mom's mom in my mom. i like when i do.

aiden has been caught up to date on this park's family history. he knows of all the fishing done there. i am sure he saw the most people he has ever seen fishing today. shortly after we we got to the lake he also saw a bobber floating. it's line must have gotten tied up in the branches recently. my boy fished it out of the water, saw it still had a hook, found a branch and asked for my knot and bait assistance. he could have fished all day.



all around the park he dropped his line in and out. we told him how pop doesn't always catch something every time either.

below, a bad picture but nostalgic, these Y shaped sticks. i learned to look for them when i was his age. sometimes you had more than 1 fishing pole with you so they were a necessity. sometimes you had just one and they became a necessity still, being able to rest your pole on it while waiting for a bite. four of these not in use were lined up and greeted me when we first got to the park. i know they're there year round probably but it can make you feel like they were put there for you if you want them to.

after there was just no more of putting off colin's nap, 2 hrs past, we were forced to leave.

at home, aiden, brady and i ditched colin with brett and went fishing at our lake. A caught his first of the season. i'm thinking we may keep a log of our caught fish this summer. something tells me there may be quite a few fish stories.