The sun is still relentless in Ohio and I've become very weary of climbing onto the hot seats of the Jeep. However, we have found a cooler place to stay for the night. This morning we packed our things up at the B&B, deciding to forgo the second night's stay, and instead checked into a hotel. I am decidedly not a B&B person. Call me high maintenance if you must, but I like being able to come and go from a hotel without making small talk, I like the air conditioner on full blast, the simple no-frills rooms, and I especially like that hotel owners don't comment on your personal lives. The owner of the B&B kept commenting on how young my father looked and saying that we looked more like a couple than father and daughter. I really wish people would keep that thought in their heads when they have it.
After we found a hotel, we stopped at a Wal-Mart so my dad could buy swim trunks. I can't even count the amount of times we have gone kayaking, tubing and canoeing together and yet the man does not own swim trunks. When we got to the store he headed directly to some khaki cargo shorts and I had to steer him away to the actual waterproof shorts. After we had found ones that he didn't think were "too short" and had stocked up on sunscreen and Gatorade, we got in the car and drove to nearby Port Clinton.
From Port Clinton we took a Jet Express ferry. The Jet Express was much faster than a normal ferry and got up to speeds of 30-35 mph, so the wind was a nice relief from the heat and the view of Lake Eerie was gorgeous. The ferry took us to Put-In Bay, this little island with lots of resorts and touristy restaurants. Everywhere you turn there is a golf cart cruising down the road, as many people leave their cars in Port Clinton and take a ferry like we did.
We spent the afternoon on the island and rented a jet ski. My sister would probably have a fit if she knew the fastest we went was about 35 mph. She's a speed demon and likes to top the machines out as fast as they can go, whereas I've become a little nervous ever since last summer when I flew off of a jet ski, hit my head and was convinced I had a concussion. Then again, I'm often convinced I have some tragic ailment; last week I diagnosed myself with appendicitis three times.
Our night ended with dinner at
Olive Garden, where shockingly my dad ate more than a side salad. I realize he's vegetarian, but I'm always shocked at how much more I eat than him in a given day. It's really not a pleasant experience now that I can't blame growth spurts. After dinner we went shopping and my dad bought a button-down and a casual blazer, asking me if his wife would "think I'm casual now". I couldn't stop laughing because this is a man who irons his jeans. When people ask me why I wear dresses and skirts everyday to class, I should just start bringing in my dad as a reference.
