Hi everyone,
Starting up my
blog again, why?
I'm back from roughing it up in the middle of nowhere
I'm back from roughing it up in the middle of nowhere
-
the "middle of nowhere" being at my isolated cottage
-
"roughing it up" meaning no internet
I hope you
all had a great summer. Before I left for two months, I was determined to
succeed in reaching my goals; one of them being Slalom Skiing (on water).
July 11th, first day: I dragged the skis out of the shed, brought
them over to the waterside, rubbed canola oil on my feet, and easily slipped
them on. The water was chilly, a characteristic of West Hawk Lake, which made
me concentrate more on my take-off. Arms straight, legs bent at 90 degrees,
rope in-between skis, lean back, and let the boat pull you up; these were my
directions. I had skied before, so it took me just a few times to get my skiing
legs back in order from last year, and be on my way. While I was up I could see
my brother motioning me to go out of the boat’s wake, me being a determined
daredevil took the risk. Suddenly... I was down bobbing like a buoy in the
water.
It took me most of July to acquire all the techniques of water
skiing (both skis). By this time I was feeling pretty comfortable with getting
out of the water, going out of the wake, and producing great landings by the
dockside.
August 9th, twenty-ninth day: The water was calm, the
boat traffic of the weekend was gone, and I had worked up enough courage to try
my hand at one ski. The entourage (family) had come down to watch and take
pictures of me. I came around the island on my two skis, mom slowed the boat’s
speed, and I kicked my right foot out of the ski and took a FACE PLANT!! I
cannot begin to count on both my fingers and toes how many times I fell that
day and the following week.
August 21st, forty-first day: Everything was in order, I
got up went around the island and began to drop the ski, this did not turn out
well I fell along with another three times. It was on the fifth try that I told
myself, “you can do it, you can do it”. My mom slowed down, I dropped
the ski, placed my right foot on the back of the left ski and heard the loudest
cheers from the end of my dock. I skied like this for thirty seconds, not a big
feat but I achieved my goal.
Throughout my experience of learning how to slalom ski I took many
bails, and in turn received muscles that I believe felt like a ninety years
old. I got bruising from the hard falls and a lowered sense of enthusiasm. However,
I got through this; I watched the slalom skiers ski by my dock on the weekend
which only proved to me that I could actually do it. I was determined;
next year would not be an option for me, it was this year or never. Obstacles
did come up, but my determination helped me to get through them and achieve my
goal, slalom skiing. Next summer I will get up for a longer period of
time, and will do roster tails, because I have the ability to do
anything if I put my mind to it.