This post is belated by about ten days.
The day before I left for Vermont, Molly and I went to circus school to learn how to do the flying trapeze. It’s not something I ever would have thought to do, but my sister, in her infinite inspiration, gave me the class for my birthday. I was absolutely terrified. Everyone was young except for me. And athletic. Here is what I did, though.
[flashvideo filename=wp-content/video/trapeze.flv image=wp-content/video/trapeze.jpg /]
It was thrilling. I succeeded in my ultimate goal: to grab onto and fly from that handsome guy’s hands. Not bad for someone who’s 55.
[Oh, okay, Lulu; here you go: Photos courtesy of Lulu and massively fine production by me. Never Die Young by Lori McKenna.]
Lulu was a natural, and drew the attention of all the young men:
She and I were both so stiff for several days afterward that it hurt to get dressed. It hurt to go to bed.
Broken inside? Really? You crazy ninny! I LOVE that you and Molly tried your hands (feet/knees?) at the aerial arts! NOW, does that mean you might look up that circus school/trapeze place outside of Brattleboro? More material for that book/memoir you’re going to pen. Better to be terrified and do it than dismiss it and not join in!
Miz Syd: Sealed by my skin and broken inside: Yeah, that’s me, and you know it, too! My mental health team is the size of a small city. I’m not a martyr, however.
I’d forgotten about the trapeze place you discovered. I just looked online and found it. Who would’ve thunk it: the New England Center for Circus Arts, right down the road from me in Guilford! Even though the experience was scary, maybe I need to try it again. Kind of a coincidence the place is right there, since I doubt there are too many circus schools throughout the country.
Stella’s next to me chewing on a bully stick. Have you ever smelled one of those things?
Re: Trapeze skills and aerialists: As I always suspected, you are a dare-devil at heart. Keep up the momentum–you never really know where it will lead! Hope you’re not driving yourself too batty (think of the huddled masses below I-80) as you narrow in on departure day….did you find a suitable tenant for your home?
Is there something weird (or weirder than usual) going on on your blog page? For some reason, the death-defying post and comments are disappeared, like so many south american citizens….
I LOVE the idea of you and Molly hurling yourselves through space and landing in the capable hands of the man in the flying trapeze!