The List – Overcoming fear of Heights and active participation activity

       This particular fear in my life is very limiting.  I want to get over it.  I want to play up high, travel up high, jump and shout up high.  So, my plan is to start moving on up. I am going to share some of my current successes and failures and then make a list of what I am going to do.  As I do each step I will post my experiences.  My hope is to encourage others to be courageous as well.  I hear its ok to be scared, just do it anyway. I hear you can’t be brave unless your scared because how much courage does it take to do something that you’re not scared of? It doesn’t take much. Taking a risk and stepping out of the safe box is the adventure I am about to encounter.  Come with me make comments share your adventure with me. 

     What inspired this journey was a road trip I took to Atlanta.  I went to see my daughter who was at a convention in downtown Atlanta.  She wanted to go to the mall which meant a trip on the Marta.  The Marta is the subway.  I had never been on a subway and feeling rather adventurous that day said sure let’s go.  We walked down the road and then stepped on to the escalator to descend to the subway. 

      My daughter said,”It’s a little steep Mom, go ahead and stand behind me.  Don’t look down. ” Well of course I looked down and oh my God, I could not see the bottom it was an endless abyss taking us down to the fiery depths near hell.  So I buried my head in her back. 

      After what seemed a very long time I said, ” Are we there yet?”

      She said.” Almost

      I looked down and said,” You are so lying!”

      She laughed until I grabbed her around the neck  and she blurted out, ” If you climb on me I will drop you on purpose.”

      I said, ” I’m not going to climb on you just tell me when this ride is over.” 

      And eventually it was over and I stepped out on to level ground.  I rode the Marta which was another adventure went to the mall and returned.  The way back I knew what to expect and I was going up from down and it was better. 

       Later while hanging out with some of my Facebook buddies they told me it was one of the steepest escalators in the southern United States.  Then I realized the reality of what I had accomplished, and it was good. So my friend Michael inspired me to make a list, a bucket list of sorts of high-flying type activities to reach to the top of the mountain, or highest of highs. So here it is the bucket list and the adventures that will ensue. Come along for the ride if you dare to laugh and cry with me along the way. Share your thoughts and experiences.  I can’t wait to start.

The list

• ride an elevator floor, 1,2,3,…..as high as I can find to go. (do it again in a glass elevator and look out)
• Watch shows at Bass Hall balcony on floor, 1,2,3,….. I have already failed miserably on the balcony on floor 4.
• Sit in the top section of the AA center in Dallas.
• Have Dinner in the Reunion Tower restaurant 
• drive over extremely high bridges doing the speed limit
• drive up the s
• Fly in an airplane
• Climb to the top of a rock climbing wall
• Climb on a path to the top of a high mountain
• ride a ride or two that go up high at Six Flags
• go to places that are renowned for being high: Statue of liberty, Monument in DC, Look out mountain …

Give me more ideas.  I want to do something every week.

Looking forward to being interactive with this

Summer Cool Strawpeachy Smoothie Recipe

Strawpeachy Smoothie its awesome! Yummy Smoothie drink that tastes great and is good for you too.

1 cup of frozen Strawberries

1 cup of frozen Peaches

1 banana

1 Strawberry Banana Dannon Danimal

1/4 cup of granulated sugar (optional)

1/2 cup ice

Throw it all in a blender mix till smooth but thick. Should make two 16 oz. smoothies or one great big smoothie for a cool summer afternoon treat.

Accepting No for an Answer

“Grandma can I pet sit my friends dog for the summer.  They are going to Ireland. ”

“I don’t know.  Does the dog have its shots, no fleas, is it potty trained?  Will it get along with our dogs and cat? I can’t have any problems for a couple of months with a dog.”

I think it’s all fine, can they bring their dog scooter over and see? They are going to pay me a hundred dollars.”

Ok, but tell them I am leaning toward the answer no.”

Smiling Sally skipped off to get her phone and call her friend Megan.  This fiasco is probably going to cost me more than a hundred dollars. “

Sally returned smiling and singing. “They are on their waaaayy. They are on their waaaaayyy. Yippee I aaaaayyyy.”

What?  Now?  Well call them back and tell them it’s not a good time.” I shouted as if Sally were across the house instead of right there in front of me. 

“They have to come now.  They leave in the morning.”

“They leave in the morning, what will they do if I say no?”

” I don’t know.” Sally scowled back at me. “I bet your gonna say yes.”

“Well, don’t count on it.” I said. 

Twenty minutes later Megan, her Dad and her dog scooter stood at my door.  They bounded over me into the house when I opened the door.  Scooter sniffed around for a minute and then lifted his leg and pee sprayed on my coffee table.  Then my dog Max followed suit. I am sure he thought this was his territory and nobody could to put their mark on it.  I yelled and Sally led them out to the backyard. 

I said,” I am sorry but I can’t have him pee in my house. 

Megan replied,” Oh, he just needs to get used to it here.  He will be fine. 

He seemed to get along with the other animals and he was cute.  He was clean and they swore his shots were current.  Megan agreed to return tonight if things did not work out in a couple of hours.  They left.

Scooter came back in the house and pooped on the carpet.  I looked at Sally and said,” Call Megan and tell her I said no.”

Sally said” Megan said it would be fine, he will do better and look they have puppy pads for accidents we can put down by the door.”

I turned and gave me full attention to Sally, “Did you say they brought puppy pads? He is not potty trained or they would not bring puppy pads. Call them now and tell them I said no.  They need to turn around and come back to get him.” 

Sally punched in the number on her cell phone,” Megan my grandma says no.  Scooter pooped on the carpet and she is done.  She wants you to come get him– you have to come– grandma Megan says she doesn’t have anywhere else to leave scooter.”

“I said no, tell her I will take scooter to a kennel and charge them.”     

“Megan, Grandma says she will take him to a kennel and charge you.– Grandma she says that’s fine if you can find somewhere that will take that hundred dollars she gave me.”

Sally tell her to come get the dog. A kennel will cost more than a hundred dollars.  You would have to work all summer to pay the rest.  I will not pay anything out of my pocket. It is not my dog”

“Megan, Grandma says it would cost more than a hundred dollars and I would have to work to make that money. – What do you mean that sounds good.  I don’t want to work to pay for your dog for the summer. It doesn’t sound good to me. You need to come get him.  — Grandma she said no, she can’t come get him.”

“Sally you tell them I am getting mad because they are not accepting no for an answer. My student’s at school accept no better than Megan and her family do. I guess I will just take Scooter to the pound.”  Ok maybe the SPCA but I won’t tell them that.

Sally repeated me and after a few minutes of silence on Sally’s end of the phone she said,”okay” and hung up.” They are on their way.”

“Well”, I said, ” it’s about time.  I shouldnt have to be mean and threaten to give their dog away to have my answer respected.  That just went too far.” I wont trust them to listen to me ever again.  I will just say no up front.

Accepting no is a basic skill I teach children daily in classrooms across our school district.  It’s a wonder that this is difficult at times when parents of the children don’t have the skill established at home.  I don’t say no very often.  In fact my friends accuse me of letting my kids and grandkids walk all over me, but I got plenty of practice saying no today.

Quiet

A three day weekend is just enough time to take that deep breath and smile.  In my case  we have a very full house.  My daughter and her children have moved back home for awhile and I have a fourteen year old daughter that is still at home.  Not to mention we have two dogs and a  very large cat, and they are full family members with all the demands and needs of the rest of us.  This weekend it was quiet.  Out of the crowd two children were gone to the country side to rough it in a travel trailer , but I think those that were left behind wanted to rest.  Even the fourteen year old slept in and stared as if in a trance at the television for long periods of time.  Doors were closed and books were read.  We each ran off to our preferred activities and came back with a smile on our faces. The large black dog stretched out on the carpet with half open eyes and the cat hung upside down off the back of the couch.  It would have been a lazy weekend if our activity level was not usually at hyperspeed.  This was a weekend to recover and then revive.  It is a good thing to just be quiet.

The Old Cowboy

      The old man grabbed his chest as the pain spread down his arm.  Oh Lord I knew this day would come.  I want to be with you but...pain interrupted his thoughts, the darkness came rolling in from all sides.  He tried to talk but no sound left his lips. 

The other cowboy jumped down off his horse calling to his friend Jake  Oh Lord, not here, not now so far from help.  Jason ran to his friend who lay unconscious on the ground. Jason called 911, ” I need help I am in a field off county road 2199 my friend is unconscious and I can’t find a heart beat. ”

“Sir are there any markers that will give us direction on how to find you?”

“Just past the Crestwood ranch back away from the road by where all the bales of hay are stacked.  What should I do, what should I do? ”

The dispatcher sent help and talked Jason through the process of using CPR.  Jason shook as his adrenaline pumped through his veins.  Please God don’t let my friend die.  Oh Jesus, Jesus”

Then Jake took a breath and Jason could feel a heart beat.  Jason heard the sirens in the distance, he sat down next to his friend his head in his hands tears pouring down his face, “Thank you Lord, oh thank you, oh my God” he gasped trying to compose himself.

 Jake opened his eyes and coughed.  Jason said, “Hey man help is on the way.  Hang on Jake.  Your gonna make it.”

Jake stood up and ran toward the road as he waved his arms to get the paramedics attention. They have to see me. The ambulance slowed and drove off the road Jason motioned to them as he ran back toward Jake.

The ride to the hospital was long. When they arrived at the emergency room the doctors ran every which way and after hours of prods and pokes Jake was moved to ICU.   

“Man, you scared me, I thought you were done for.”

“Yeah, I thought I was fixing to see Jesus. Jason you saved my life, I don’t know what to say?”

“Nothing man, it was all I could do, but God brought you through. I am so relieved he did.  Like I said I thought you were done for.” 

Jake recovered enough to go back to the ranch.  His girlfriend came to take care of him and Jason did the ranch work while Jake regained his strength. Libby, Jake’s girlfriend never really liked Jason but tolerated him as he helped keep things going on the ranch.  It took about a year but things went back to the normal routine and it was time for Jason to move on.  Jake thanked him and gave Jason a saddle as a token of his appreciation and friendship.  The men hugged and patted each other on the back the way old cowboys do.  Jason got in his truck and pulled out headed for other places with his horse in his trailer behind the truck. 

Months later Jason ran into Jake at a horse training conference in California.  The men were glad to see each other and worked quite few training sessions together.  They were loading up and Jake pulled Jason aside.  “It sure has been good to see you. You should come out and visit us at the ranch sometime.”

I might just do that.”

“Hey Jason when you come do you think you could bring that saddle.  Someone gave it to me and I should not have given it away.  I really need it back.”

Jason, stopped looked at Jake who was waving and smiling as he got in his truck to leave.  What the heck, you jerk, you gave that to me.  Its mine, his thoughts ran on through his mind.  I bet it was Libby she always stirs up a mess.  She always hated me. His thoughts continued as he caught a ride to airport. 

Jason wasnt sure what to do.  He thought, the saddle was a gift.  It’s wrong for Jake to ask for it back.   I earned it. He has no right to it anymore.  oh heck now I don’t even want it he can have it and I am going to tell him what a dirty dog I think he is for asking for it back.

What would you do?

 

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