A Day in the Life: Adventure #3

Ladder, paint brush, and a tired dog.

My what a week, the adventures do not end. This adventure really involved conquering a fear. I hate heights. They scare the shit out of me. Others around me don't seem to have the same issues. Two immediate examples come to mind:

1. Cleaning the roof on Hood Canal with my mother. My mother is running around with a broom sweeping leaves off the roof as if she were standing on solid, flat ground. I am sitting down cringing in the center of the roof gingerly pushing leaves as far down as a broom stick will allow.

2. At the Grand Canyon my friend and I climbed out to a really big flat rock. My friend had no problem walking to the edge and taking pictures. Me, I could only crawl out then lie down with my head near the edge and the rest of my body solidly planted on the ground. And still I was worried about how I might suddenly fly off.

I seem to have no problem envisioning myself falling large distances to my death.

So this weekend I needed to paint up near the roof. I borrowed a ladder and very carefully hoisted myself time and time again up to the roof line to paint (three coats, both the walls and the trim, six sets total. Though in the middle set I made the rather unorthadox/ill advised decision to go up with two loaded paint brushes, trim and walls, to save time. This only resulted in yellow on the trim once and a big huge splotch of paint on the window once.) And now, with one set left, I am practically an expert. I can now go up to the second to last step without holding onto the walls of my house!!! And without that hit of adrenaline kicking in every time. AND, I didn't die (not yet anyhow). I couldn't take pictures to describe my fear, a video of my getting to the top of the ladder the first few times might have been entertaining. You'll just have to imagine and revel in my conquest.

The animals, of course, were a big help!