Chapter Three, Big Toe, in which a wimp equates watching with doing

For me "living on the edge" means starting a movie at 9:30 pm instead of going to bed. Or painting my nails something other than pink or red. OK, I'll admit it, I'm a wimp. A non-daring, rules following, creature of safe habits. And since I retain a high level of influence in our family's domestic decisions, our family follows behind me on the path to wimpy living.

So when members of our family display daring tendencies it always surprises me. "What?!? You're not a wimp?! We are supposed to be wimps!! Who's child/spouse are you anyway?"

Such a scene unfolded one day in Utah whilst boating with my family. Bra, my brother in law, noticed a rocky ledge at the west end of the lake and inquired about it. In my typical know-it-all way I explained, "That's Big Toe. Sometimes crazy, drunk people jump off of it. But only in years that the water is high. Like this year."

Then Brother Brig piped up, "I've jumped off of it and I wasn't drunk."

You can bet your bottom dollar that within the minute our boat was speeding west towards Big Toe. Brother Brig cut the motor and we watched a few people make the jump. The boat rocked a little as Bra dove off the bow and swam towards Big Toe. Then the boat rocked again and I heard another splash. In the water was Spouse, my Spouse!, swimming towards Big Toe.

Spouse and Bra used the rope dangling from the rock to assist their vertical climb up the cliff then they walked to the jumping point to have a look. Bra took a running start and jumped first. A clean straight legged entrance. 10! Then Spouse sauntered to the edge and cooly stepped off. And just to show who was boss of the cliff he clicked his heels two times in mid-air before plunging into the water.

Honestly, it was fun to watch him jump. I felt just as thrilled and exhilarated watching him jump as I would have doing it myself. So I guess, I too, did a little living on the edge, right? I mean, right?!?

Here they are, the daring cliff jumpers, peering over the edge. Bra is the red one. Spouse is the white one.

Heel click one.


Heel click two.


And....

Splash!

This one (#2) has a permanent exemption from our "family of wimps" status. He's been trying to drive something since he was two.

She's the king (queen) of the world!!

Aaah. wimp + daredevil = true love.

This is Bra and his family (my littlest sister and daughter). You'll remember that Bra is the creator of "Crustless Bread", which incidentally (ahem) can now be purchased on iTunes! Or Amazon!