Another Ava Adventure

On a modern playground out by the Bayou no see-saws, no merry-go-rounds to be seen- Too dangerous, I'm guessing as we head to the swings and I push her to the tops of the trees I sing. And sing: "Yellow Bird... High Up In Banana Treeeeee" ( I never pretend to sing in key but belt it all the same) She loves it, swings higher, asks me to sing again and again. Then it's on to the jungle gym and slides, slides, slides. Today, the structure is a hot air balloon and we run like mad bandits, pushing silver buttons and letting air out. "What's our altitude?" I yell "400" she answers back in a panic I push the silver screw on my right and let some air out "We need 180!", I say, "Tell me when we reach 180!" When we finally avert that disaster, she looks out of the spy glass and low and behold, we are about to hit a tree. A palm tree no less, and those things hurt! We both quick steer to the right - in unison. Then, unexpectedly, our battery runs out. I didn't know hot air balloons ran on batteries, but she assures me they do - and she happens to have another in her back pocket. We finally find smooth sailing and have a chance to look out. Pristine blue sky. Sun taking every edge off the Bayou's breeze. Apple green grass and trees with limbs bending every which way- not trimmed, not sculpted, just allowed to grow wild and perfect for climbing. It's with heavy hearts that we land our balloon to come back to reality. For a while, she tells me that the whole contraption is out of our hands and can't land back down on earth - We're heading North North North! Cold country! But, after the five extra minutes we spend in the air, she agrees to go. "I love you", she says. "I love you too", I answer, "Thanks for playing with me". She smiles and we leave with plans to conquer the big climbing tree on our next adventure.