Vernal Gems

    Every now and then life provides us with impromptu twinkles of glee, a glimpse of amusement to lighten the day, a rare stir of disbelief that requires a quick pinch to make sure what we are actually seeing at that sudden instant is real life. Most of these spontaneous pleasures usually occur when one is at Walmart, - yes, you really did just see a man walking around in pink bunny slippers or when visiting Arches National Park and see German men wearing short, short shorts! or, a personal favorite, when your no skills soccer playing 4 year old actually scores a goal for their team, instead of the opposing side! These brief serendipitous moments have been helping us get to know our new town. Uncle Vern is full of surprises, and I call these highly entertaining, all be it, somewhat bewildering moments Vernal Gems.

    We found our first little Vernal Gem tonight while at the park.  It was a pretty nice evening and the park was a happening place.  While chasing the kids around I looked up and found a man walking along the sidewalk around the park, he had a cane with him but wasn't using it to help him walk, and he was talking to himself, or so I thought. You know that feeling when you just think something about what your seeing is just a bit different? I had it about this guy.  I kept watching him and as he got closer I saw what a treasure he was.  This guy was out enjoying an evening at the park with his pets, a cockatoo and a parrot! a true pirate was in our midst. Ok, probably not a pirate but an oddity none the less.  I hurried and whipped out my phone to snap a picture, I wanted someone else to see this with me and validate my confused amusement.

    

       I still am wondering if this is a normal Vernal occurrence, but at this young stage in our relationship with Uncle Vern, it was an unusual one for me. Even if they are regular parts of our new town I hope I never let these limited curious moments pass by me, cause really, not everyone gets to say they met a pirate on a friday night at the park.  

    I'm glad I got a picture so people wouldn't think I was turning into crazed small town bumpkin, Good thing Walter was by my side, but the magic of the moment was a bit lost on him.