A Bumpy(Wavy) Ride

Hi everyone,

Starting up my blog again, why?
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 11^th, 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 9^th, 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 21^st, 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.

Can't Forget the Face plants/ Belly Flops/ or Somersaults!