GRACEFUL LIFE WITH ELEGANCE AND POISE

A graceful life begins with good health and proper hydration.

The good health part is keeping mechanically sound enough to do hard things now and then.

For proper hydration for doing those hard things, drink water in between this dandy beer.

($12.00 in the store, $3 for a six pack at Rogue’s Garage Sale. I’ll do the math: this is a fifty cent beer. Best fifty cent beer in the world. Thanks Bill.)

On to the hard labor:

It all begins with a good idea, then moves on from there.

This one was based on an observation in my kid’s backyard.

Me: That fence needs help.

While we talked about the fence we dug a four foot post hole for a 4 X 6 twelve foot beam.

Nothing to do with fencing, but a good warm up dig.

The pole is about twenty-five feet away from the Big Oak Tree. (Hey Mandy)

They are the anchors for a slack line.

Slack line?

A slack line is another level of ‘What’s next?’

I’ve never built a slack line, but I’ve seen YouTube instructions.

Today is slack line day, but for who?

The link shows a process to build one out of existing materials like tow lines rated at 2000 lbs, and the sort of strap truckers use to secure their load on a flat bed trailer.

If you don’t weigh over 2000 lbs this is looking good.

If you have kids in your life, then you have the answer for ‘who is it for?’

It’s for kids, moms and dads, grandparents, and maybe a circus dog.

Sounds like fun so far?

 

The Basics Of A Graceful Life

A solid foundation is essential, but you know that.

If you’re going to lean or pull on anything, and you will, you want it in the ground, way in the ground with a cement overcoat.

And let it set up. After this chore I might get my own bag of cement and do some Roman cement art.

The last time I had the same idea the bag got moist and turned into rock.

Not this time. Two bags for the post and two days later it’s a slack line.

The one on the bottom is the walking part, the top is the hang on for dear life part.

The two inch nylon mesh is tightened to hold people, but which people? You?

First, you want to do it, you need to step up.

You’re an athlete so no problem.

If you’re not an athlete, no problem. Hop on this rig often enough and you will be.

Strength, balance, elegance, poise.

Grace? That one takes time.

This could be dangerous for the unprepared, the over-confident, the foolhardy.

But with persistence anything is possible. (Thank you Lyle.)

Milestone Roadmap For Beginners:

1. Stand with one foot on a 5–15m line.

2. Safely get off the line from your previous milestone.

3. Stand with both feet on a 5–15m line.

4. Take a step

5. Repeat Step 2

6. Take 2 steps

7. Repeat Step 2

 

The Last Time An Idea Set Your Hair On Fire

Can I walk a slack line; should I even try?

It’s there, I’m there.

I hear it calling:

 

Slack Line: Come on over, buddy.

Me: It’s for the kids.

SL: You’re just a big kid. Remember when you dove off a cliff at Lake Havasu? When you dove off the cliff in the waterfall pool of the Oneonta Gorge?

Me: I remember there was water, not the ground.

SL: Come on, you know how to fall. Besides, I’m only two feet off the ground. You can just step off.

Me: You think so?

SL: Absolutely. You’ve got the most important part for success here.

Me: My enthusiasm?

SL: Your counter-weight. You know, your gut.

Me: That’s helpful?

SL: You could use a little more.

Me: Ok, ok. Let’s go.

SL: Was that so bad?

Me: Glad I had the training wheels on.

SL: You learn to stand a new way.

Me: I like a new way of standing. Enough for now?

SL: You go and lift a cold one to a new way of standing.

Me: I’m going to watch the Democratic National Convention.

SL: Better have two.

Me: I will cheer them on, write blog posts about Kamala Harris For The People.

SL: Easy boy, don’t get all political on me.

Me: Listening to the people they bring out on stage makes me feel better about my county.

SL: You are a veteran, after all.

Me: I carried a weapon of war to the rifle range in boot camp.

SL: Did they call you the Maximum Marksman?

Me: They said they’d call me ‘Recycle’ if I couldn’t shoot any better than I did.

SL: You were a bad shot?

Me: What? You want me to slacken your line and leave you on the ground?

SL: Let’s not get too carried away. Hey, look at that sunset.

Me: It’s our mountain doing its mountain thing. Not like Mt. St. Helens in Washington.

SL: Things happen.

Me: The difference between Mt. Hood and St. Helens is like the difference between Trump and Harris.

SL: What’d I say about the political stuff? Stay on balance.

Me: One takes it upon itself to spew all over and kill people with its spew. There other is solid and calm. Death there is usually based on poor judgement.

SL: There you go.

Me: Ok, Slackie.