THE FLYING VON TRAPPS
We named ourselves The Von Trapps this weekend, but it wasn't because we were climbing mountains (literally) and singing about our favorite things. It was because were climbing mountains (figuratively) and actually DOING one of our new favorite things: Trapping. Yes, this is what the pros call the art of trapeze and now we clearly rank ourselves as such! Keeping with our Sound of Music theme here is my best attempt of recalling OUR FAVORITE THINGS of this ridiculously fun day!
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens....wait, let me start over!
We always seem to be thrown into the fire with little or no instruction. I am not sure if we look like we are professionals or if it is just that our adventure instructors are looking for a good laugh that day. This is what we were told before the climb of terror: Push your hips forward, Get the Rhythm, and above all else remember that "I gotcha!" Yes, Doctor Mike we know YOU have us, but why did you have to mess up our trapping mojo and switch places with Skinny Trapper midway through. Two of him does not even weigh as much as one of us!
DR. MIKE AND HIS WAYS
Clearly all of us may have been a little smitten with Dr. Mike. But none as much as dear Maryhelen. She has purchased more lessons so that she may be "caught" by him a few more times. I think it would be a good idea to honor Sam by bringing him some camo tights next time. Not that we didn't love the flower power tights he wore for us! When Patty decided it would be a better idea to just stand on the bridge and not grab the bar with her other hand it was he that convinced her that "she had this..." When he was teaching us the technique for catching I may have accidentally pulled him in instead of pushing him out. He responded with a "hellllooo." Yes, Mike, you had us at Hello.
I think Kelly and I both win the prize of terror face. It may have been that we went 1st and 2nd after MH and we really had no idea what we were in for and quickly realized it is a lot more frightening climbing the ladder and sticking your toes off the edge to jump than we thought. Patty said there was a point when she was standing on the bridge that she thought, "Patty you are so stupid. Why did you plan this adventure? This was the worst idea EVER." Thank goodness the fear turned to addiction as we were warned and Patty was the hero of the day.
Patty and Dr. Mike pre-therapy session
THE TRAPEZE NAZI
There was a ying to Mike's yang with us that day. The Trapeze Nazi enjoyed wearing sunglasses inside which Stacy felt the need to point out. And I was thinking, Stacy, please do not wake this beast. He is angry enough. He stood at the base of the net calling out our instructions. It completely went against our nature to not call out words of praise to each other, but we were loudly informed that someone could get seriously hurt if they didn't hear his calls so could we kindly SHUT UP! Well, ok. When I came down after my first run to get my pep talk from him this is what I was greeted with, "You know what, Kat? You know what your problem is? Your problem is that you just don't believe in yourself the way I believe in you. And seriously, OPEN YOUR EYES when you are up there!" Kelly's eyes when he would talk to her said it all. I was waiting for a smack down. The other girls got similar "pep talks" and I tried desperately on the way home to justify his poor attitude on a possible "good cop, bad cop" training method, but Suzy wasn't having it and honestly, I couldn't get behind my theory either. Sadly, we did not take any pics of the Trapeze Nazi.
THE CHICKEN LADDER
The funniest thing was watching each of us approach the ladder and take a sniff of our pits. Geez, really I can't imagine that stank is coming from each of us. Stacy finally let us know that the ropes we used to climb the ladder smelled like sweaty chicken. Thank goodness it wasn't us, right? The ladder had us laughing more than once...MH was so excited she started trucking up the ladder full speed ahead without being strapped in. One scream from the Trapeze Nazi and she made her way back down. We also had the "tuggers". Everyone was so excited to get back up that there were two occasions when Tracy and Suzy didn't realize that Stacy and Patty were still attached to the ladder ropes and they almost pulled them 100 feet to the ground. I say 100 feet. I have no idea how high we were...it felt like we were on top of the world.
Tracy went a little overboard with the chalk. Enough said. Evidence below.
Stacy saw a lovely photo of a trapeze artist being sprayed with what looked like water (it was actually his own sweat) and in her own deadpan way asked the receptionist if they offered a water trapeze class. The receptionist didn't get it. It cracked me up. She also was first to notice that once those corset belts were fastened and seriously folks, they were so tight you couldn't breathe, we all looked to be about 6 months pregnant. Stacy has a gift for one liners.
Witty Stacy
WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' NET
For the few hours we get to spend with each other each month a sense of calm always washes over all of us.
I heard Suzy say that while we are together nothing else enters her mind. I agree! The to-do lists are magically checked off, the stresses of everyday life disappear and all that is present is JOY. I know all of us have our own insecurities, but when I am with these girls I really feel like anything is possible. Our conversations are centered around breaking down walls, screaming with pride when one of us conquers a fear, and stories about our children and husbands (who by the way are saints for backing us up on this craziness). There is never enough room for self-doubt or negativity. So maybe we need a stinkin' net when we are trapping, but with this group of girls you always know what you will get: Laughter, kindness, encouragment and when you think you can't let go they will always be there to catch you.
One last thing:
If for some reason I do not receive my paycheck this week I will know that Tina has joined the circus. And I fear that if I called MH's house I would get Sam on the line and in his Sam voice he would say, "I don't know where Maryhelen is....Tina came over and told her to grab her TSNY tank top, which she happened to be wearing at the time, and they just took off. And it was so wierd, but Tina kept referring to her as HelenMary."
May I introduce to you the 2010 Graduates of TSNY
Kelly
Kat
Maryhelen
Stacy
Suzy
Patty
Thank you so much Patty. What a day!!!
