New Year's Eve saw me venturing out of the house, past the verandah, and onto the front lawn to properly observe the illicit fireworks being set off around my suburb and the spectacular light show provided by Mother Nature in the form of a great big electrical storm. I am phobic about thunderstorms so this was really quite brave of me, but it must be admitted that when it really kicked in I (a) squeaked and (b) retreated to the verandah.
Being Brave Part II
My cousin, who lives in a house that backs on to the Yarra River, invited the boys and me round for lunch and a kayak today.
I could hear my last year's self thinking that I could just sit on the jetty and watch my cousin take the boys for a paddle (someone needs to mind the boys, I don't know what I'm doing, I don't really need to do it)...
...but I reminded myself about my New Year's Resolution. I didn't want to come home and think I wish I'd had a go. So after insisting that both boys wore their life-jackets because I was leaving them to play on the jetty without adult supervision (Please be CAREFUL!)...
...I hopped in and kayaked off with my cousin behind me. Not once, but twice; we all had 2 turns. The second time I found a rhythm and could feel my abs and arms starting to work, but I'm still too wussy to want to do it alone. (It's a steering thing.) We even picked some wild blackberries from the river's edge.
Climber told me when I returned that he'd taken some photos but they seem to have mostly been of either just water or there was quite a good one of a pair of strangers going past in a rowboat.
Brava! Now, if you could just bottle some of that for me and I could use it on the 10yo lad who (quite literally) huddled hysterically and with ear plugs under his doona that night...
ReplyDeleteI'm very impressed. I am terrified of boats. Actually, not so much terrified. It's like boats are my arch nemesis or something. Anyway. Go you. I love thunderstorms but as you don't venturing put in one is very brave too.
ReplyDeleteNice work, I can't wait to see what you are up to by September considering how you are going already. It is funny how much a difference just not listening to that silly little voice telling you what not to do - I think with company is better anyway
ReplyDeleteYou're not just being brave... you're making memories.
ReplyDeleteGood on you!! Shame about the photos Climber took!
ReplyDeleteOur Leo is terrified of thunderstorms, & will even let strangers cuddle him! Not his usual mode at all.
hurrah for deciding to say yes. Well done and may the year continue in the sme vein.
ReplyDeleteYou are big and strong - Like King Kong . and very brave and not so hairy as king kong at all...
ReplyDeleteThose photos of the boys, and the power lines ? and the dark sky are beautiful. I think you should frame them - they are wild !
Steering a canoe can be hard, but practice makes perfect! And you really should practice how to get out of a capsized canoe anyway... :P
ReplyDeleteThose photos of the boys with the crazy sky in the background are incredible!
Are you feeling pleased with yourself? I would be if I were you! I'm trying to talk to myself like I'm 2 'just try it, and if you don't like it, you don't have to do it again.' 'Just get out of bed and have breakfast and THEN we'll decide.'
That sounds like a fantastic start to the year - though retreating back to the verandah in that storm just seems like good sense to me.
ReplyDeleteI love the thought of you squeaking a little and retreating to the verandah.
ReplyDeleteI need to be brave this year too - mostly for good reasons - and like knowing that you will be keeping me company on that path..