Tweetsie

Hmmm, that's an odd title for a post. It's also an odd title for an amusement park in the Blue Ridge Mountains, but it exists nonetheless. Tweetsie is "famous" (famous as in I've never heard of it before this weekend) for the Tweetsie Railroad. It's a 3 mile train ride through the mountains on this old timey coal burning train, complete with Cowboys and Indians . It was the only ride Ella got to do the whole time we were there, and she took advantage of this opportunity by being scared shitless every time the Tweetsie whistle blew. It blew quite often, unfortunately. I got pretty quick on the draw at cupping my hands over her ears to block out the LOUDEST FUCKING WHISTLE EVER, but alas, it didn't seem to help. She spent the 45 minutes of train riding fun alternating between being startled into red faced wild eyed screaming, and then panting her way back to being just calm enough for the whistle to blow again. Of course, we were right in the very front of the first train car because Sayde has a superiority complex. If I had a matchbox car in my purse, as I usually do, I would have whipped it at this grouchy lady who was giving me the stink eye as I bounced Ella as fast as my knees could go. Instead, I just smiled at her, and to my delight that really seemed to piss her off.
I'll have to post the pictures later because Lennie brought his old film camera as a backup.

It wasn't all bad though. We enjoyed Dr. Peppercorn, a teenage magician with 6 daily shows at Tweetsie's. He pulled a couple of kids from the audience to be his assistants for his various card tricks. Connor frantically waved his hand every time Dr. Peppercorn needed a volunteer. At one point, he turned to me in desperation and pleaded, "Mommy, when is it going to be my turn?" The chances of him getting a turn weren't very good since he's only 3 (well, almost 4), so I just said, "Let's see", which is Momish for "No f'ing way". But, Dr. Peppercorn must have descended from Heaven that day because he did pick Connor on the very next trick. Connor scrambled up to the stage, told everyone that his name was Connor and that he was from North Carolina, and then held his card on the table just like he was instructed to do. Then, my proudest Mommy moment ever occurred. Dr. Peppercorn asked Connor what the magic word is, and Connor said Please. I could have died right there. I wish the bitch from the train was there to see that.
Connor, you make a Mommy proud. Ella....oh Ella. You're good for kissing, but not for train riding.