Legoland Birthday Magic

In this episode, Legoland Birthday Magic . . .
By: Patrick Ball and Gemini

Good morning! A grand notion, a fanciful spree!

Let's twist up a tale for all folks to see!

From Carlsbad, California, the clouds they did gleam,

On LEGOLAND wonders, a birthday dream!

Young LUCA, the lad turned precisely six years,

With JULIAN, his brother, dispelling all fears!

A baggie he clutched, with small figures inside,

For trading and swapping, with a joyful stride!

But then! A new twist, a high-energy spree!

Forget little figures, let the youngsters run free!

In overcast skies, the LEGO bricks gleam,

But birthday boy LUCA was living a dream!

Not just Luca, oh no! Two pals joined the fray,

Young JULIAN, seven, to brighten the day!

And their curly-haired buddy, aged eight, with a giggle so grand,

Plus, one little lady skipping close at hand!

No slow strolls or glances, no careful, soft tread,

This crew was a whirlwind, right out of their head!

Like Zappers on race tracks, they zoomed and they flew,

A blur of bright colors, for all folks to view!

They dashed past dragons, the boats on the tide,

With leaps and with bounds, nowhere left to hide!

A wrestling here, tumbling there, full of glee,

Like trying to catch chickens, for all eyes to see!

Their parents watched, with a smile and a sigh,

As their youngsters zipped past, was that super-fly!

“Keep close!” called Mama, “Don’t wander too far!”

But their speed and their wiggles were up to par!

Young Luca led charges, with laughter so bright,

Through LEGO-made forests, in glorious light!

They climbed up towers, then slid down so fast,

This birthday adventure was built to outlast!

One moment, a glimpse, a Mini-figure trade,

A quick little swap, and they resume the parade!

But then – WHOOSH! – they were off, in a blink and a stare,

The trading forgotten, they hadn’t a care!

It wasn’t the figures, the treasures so small,

But the running and chasing, that thrilled one and all!

The giggles and shouts, what a musical sound,

Pure energy bursting, all over the ground!

From DUPLO delights, to the lands mighty grand,

This boisterous brigade swept over the land!

No time for slow browsing, no time to peek,

They were living full throttle, it felt like a week!

So if you saw kiddos, a colorful streak,

A-zooming and zipping, like lightning so sleek!

That was Luca’s crew, on his birthday, so grand,

A whirlwind of wonder, in LEGO-made land!

For youth is a wonder, you must know,

With energy bursting, wherever they go!

A birthday remembered, in leaps and in play,

“Oh, to be young!” folks would happily say!

Happy Birthday, Luca!

I'm Patrick Ball. Stay curious and ask questions. I'll see you in the next episode.

Comments

Don Hanley said…

A beautiful poem and now find a bunch of pictures and publish a Susie-like book!

June 12, 2025 at 9:29 AM

The Compass of Cuba: Mom

🎄 Preview of this week's On the Fly blog: A Holiday Tribute to Mom. As the holidays hustle with pixels and beeps, the world scrolls along in a smartphone-y sleep. I log off for a moment—just one little minute— To breathe in the past and to sit myself in it. My mind doesn’t wander to faraway places, Or trips full of tickets and new airport faces. Instead, it drifts backward, as memories do, to Cuba, Illinois, where the best moments grew. To a home full of warmth, in the wintry Midwest, Where my mother—dear “Marcie”—put love to the test. With a smile that could melt the most frigid of dawns, and hugs that hung on you like shivering fawns. She came from La Rochelle in France, brave and bright, Across oceans and war shadows, into new light. A town full of strangers soon felt like her own, And her courage built up the foundation of home. “Oh yes, we know Marcie!” the locals would say— “It's Doc Ball’s French lady! She brightens the day!” She cleaned, and she cooked, and sh...

Feeling Human Again

In this episode, The Unexpected Thankfulness of Feeling Human Again I’ll be honest with you: My triumphant return from France was not the glamorous homecoming I had imagined. No graceful glide back into routine. No cinematic jet-setter moment where I lift my suitcase off the carousel and wink at life like we’re old pals. Instead? I came home and immediately launched into a two-week performance piece titled The Great American Couch Collapse. My days blurred together in a haze of soup, hot tea, tissues, and desperate negotiations with the universe for just one nostril—one!—to function properly. The living room sofa became my emotional support furniture. And any creative idea that dared tiptoe into my congested brain was gently shown the exit with a firm but courteous, “Not today, friend. Try again later.” When life hits the pause button like that—when you’re exhausted, sick, and mentally unplugged—how do you find your spark again? Somehow, today, I felt it. A tiny shift. A clearing of th...

Believing Is Seeing

🎄 In this episode, Believing Is Seeing . . . It's December, we bustle, we wrap, and we dash. We sort life into boxes— myths here, to-dos in a stash. We whisper of Santa (adult code: “Not Real”), but hold on one minute—let’s rethink this whole deal. For the stories we cherish, the movies we stream, hold more truth in their sparkle than we grown-ups may deem. So hop in this sleigh and hold on real tight— We’re chasing down Santa by the glow of his light! Scott Calvin once landed in the North Pole’s cold air, with elves, cocoa, and snow everywhere. He squinted and frowned—“This just cannot be so!” (Like thinking tangled lights will detangle if we blow .) Then Judy the Elf gave a cocoa so steaming, and said something simple . . . yet surprisingly gleaming: Seeing’s not believing—no, that’s not the key. "Believing is seeing!" Just trust, and you’ll see!” Kids don’t need a map or a satellite screen to know Santa’s workshop is her...

Stamps and Snow

In this episode, Stamps and Snow . . . You don’t usually walk into the local Post Office expecting a time warp . . . but here we are. All we wanted were stamps for this year's Christmas cards— yes, the old-fashioned paper ones that require licking, sticking, and hoping the Postal Service is feeling ambitious this week. But holiday errands have a talent for slowing you down, almost like the universe whispering, “Relax. You’re not getting out of this line any faster anyway.” So we waited. And while we waited, we talked (Are you surprised?). Because the Post Office is one of the few places where people still look up from their phones long enough to talk . . . Maybe it's because they're holding packages. It’s the modern town square: part civic duty, part free entertainment, part sociology experiment. The discussion began with holiday specials streaming on Netflix, Paramount+, and other services during this time of year. One gentleman who has lived in Vista since 1958 told us,...

On The Fly

Search This Blog