June 14th, 2016
It was hotter, higher and harder than I thought it would be. Gives a whole new meaning to hot headedness. OFF the urn register or more commonly called the bucket list. I had not realized I had a list of this sort. I just thought it was a good idea.
I put my eye glitter on, star t shirt, and awayyyyyyyyyy we went. Why not?? Seize the moment and all the platitudes set forth on social media.
There no place to put it, so there was not a lot of water, and only one break, to get it, when we landed for a bottle or two. The requirement, was to have purchased a ticket for water as it was difficult nay impossible to carry, before you started on the birthday in the top of trees celebrations. There were 9 in total, 3 children of boot campers. Two adult campers got lost before we started saying they were coming, and then they went to another place to start the festivities.
We had to watch safety videos and sign our lives away. I had left messages for people who did not understand the ‘gravity” of the situation, “if I did not call them by 5 come and get Lucy messages.” I was up in the air for more than I figured I would be. I have never been accused of being that before. Usually everyone knows where I stand. That was the problem, standing on wires, and planks, and platforms, and up close with leaves and the TOPS of trees.
We had window washing equipment to bound up our loins and keep on the safe and very very narrow. There were latches and ladders, and ropes and pulleys, all were colored coded, and strictly obligatory. There were young men, cute university students, one in physics at the University of Ottawa, to catch us while we were on the demo (or that could been pizza they ordered for lunch) They disappeared below as we went on top of the world as we knew it. Ones focus narrows as well as you peer at where your foot goes next. Only two “on the ropes“, and three on the platforms. AWAAAAAAAAAAyyyyyyyy we went.
Jolted from one place to another, wending my way, learching, hanging on, nimble is not the word I would use. The kids, were dexterous and sure-footed. Life and experience teaches you sentiency. Up in the air so blue, lined up, (only three on a platform, two on the wire) jamming the works, as some were slower, older and more generously proportioned, than others, that would be Moi. Hands were red, from gripping guy wires overhead, sweaty from exertion, grimy but not too many profanities, some screaming, I have to say. Set off, wasn’t scared or sore, apart from my triceps‘. They ached soon after hitting terra firma. NEXT sea kayaking. But not soon. “Whoever I am, or whatever I am doing, some kind of excellence is within my reach. John W. Gardner, Moi and Miss Lucy P