A Slice of Life … with Andi Joseph: Fun with 6-year-old niece turns thoughts to nephew who wasn’t there

Published in the September 20 – October 3, 2017 issue of Gilroy Life

My 6-year-old niece, Brooklynn, visited recently for a very specific reason: Gilroy Gardens. I’d been there before, as a journalist to cover the grand opening of the water park. But I’ve been wanting to take her to the local park since she was 4.

I’m glad it never worked out before, because she’s now at a great age to enjoy the park and for us to make a few memories.

The night before, she peppered me with questions like, “Do we have to go on scary rides?” and “Are we gonna play in the water?” I assured her that we wouldn’t go on scary rides if she didn’t want to because Auntie Andi doesn’t like them either, and yes, we’d bring her bathing suit so that we could play in the water, too.

Several times before bed, she clapped her hands and happily shouted, “I’m so excited!”

Oh, to be 6 again. Her enthusiasm began to rub off on me and I found myself anxiously awaiting the following day.

When we entered, she walked a few steps ahead of me along the wooden bridge. As I snapped a couple of photos of her from behind, I felt a bit melancholy. My thoughts turned to her brother; my nephew would have been there with us had he not died unexpectedly in 2013.

I took her hand and we approached the large carousel, which was a must for my horse-loving niece. I was content to stand next to her, but she insisted I climb in a saddle and ride alongside.

Next up was Strawberry Sundae, which unfortunately made her sensitive stomach a bit nauseous — and in turn, made her leery of rides. It took some convincing to get her on others, but we enjoyed the Artichoke Dip, Rainbow Garden boat ride and more.

She loved driving on South County Backroads, and I was happy to be a passenger. My personal favorite was the Panoramic Wheel — I’d never been on a Ferris wheel before — and B loved it too.

We walked through the Monarch Garden — but didn’t see a single butterfly — and wandered through the gorgeous Bonfante Falls, soaking our hair and clothes on a hot day.

Before we were actually done with rides, I realized it was already getting late and if we wanted to enjoy Water Oasis, we’d better get to it. She wanted to go on more rides, but when given the choice, said she’d rather spend some time in the water park.

Water Oasis was packed, but that didn’t deter her. After getting slathered — again — with sunscreen, she happily bounded into the pool area. I kept an eye on her from the sidelines and couldn’t help but smile at how easily children mingle with each other.

She played with new-found friends for quite some time, until the lifeguards began to quickly usher everyone out of the area. Someone had pooped in the pool, causing an unexpected closure.

It was nearing closing time at this point, so we called it a day. Walking out to the parking lot, her little hand in mine, I again thought of my nephew Ryland, who should have been with us. Brooklynn fell fast asleep in the back seat on the drive home, and it gave me a moment to appreciate the time we shared.

My one disappointment was the hours the park was open that day: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Unfortunately, that’s just not enough time for an excited little girl from out-of-the-area to enjoy all Gilroy Gardens has to offer.

But I guess that just means we’ll have to plan another visit soon.Andrea “Andi” Joseph worked in newspapers for 18 years before transitioning to her current career as a website content writer and marketer. She lives south of Gilroy with her two dogs, Bailey and Cricket. Email her at [email protected].