One of the toughest parts of tubing down the river is flip flop retainment. They tend to come off and float away, and they move faster than you do. But no more! Matt devised this little fix for Laura, and she tubed along with her shoes dangling from her ankles most of the time. I expect to see this rig everywhere this summer--it's the poor girl's gladiator sandal. If only I had thought to tie my sunglasses around my neck.
We had a quick and lovely trip to North Carolina. Tubing was done, and reading, socializing, and sleeping late. Temp was in the mid-70's up there, and the creek water was cold enough to shrink your hiney.
Hank floated in one of those blue tubes, tied to an adult's tube with rope. When I was with him, at one point he got stuck on a rock. Like, good and stuck, with his tube tilted up, and his body sliding out of it. I was reaching out and tugging on his tube and kicking my legs, and then I abandoned that plan and just stretched out and grabbed his arm to haul him on board my tube. He protested because I was pulling on his arm, but I got him safe and us both unstuck. Then I thought, "Tomorrow will be two months since my mastectomy."
So there you have it. Two months out. The information they give you at the surgeon's office should say, "After two months, expect some stiffness in the affected arm, but you should be able to resume climbing into waterfalls and wrangling a forty-pound child safely over a series of river rocks."
I hope y'all are having a fun-filled weekend. xoxo-b
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16 comments:
Love the flip-flop retention devices. I am so happy for your child wrangling abilities, that's a happy day.
We definitely needed those flip flop thingys last year. Very smart.
I wish the surgeon had led with that fact during her post-op briefing.
Great weekend.
Awesome - everyone who owns a tubing establishment should be named JJ. I'm glad you're doing well enough to still pull small children onto your tube and still have the energy to blog about it! My kids' last day of Kindergarten is Thursday. I don't want to move on to 1st grade!
I think I see a patent pending in Matt's future! Flip flop retention devices in fluorescent colors..they
clip on and you can buy litle charms that go on them...like they have for Crocs...yeah..that's it.
2 months seems like a reasonable time to recover the ability to wrestle a wet 40-lb toddler while riding a tube...
I like Marie's idea! That looks like a fun time--but man, that water is butt-cold. You are a stronger woman than I!
So glad you're feeling great! Does it seems like a long time ago that those surgical drains were making you crazy?
And no mention of the smoke alarm incident? (from now on simply referred to as "the incident")
So glad you're having fun - these photos are awesome!! (If I lived closer I'd be a party crasher :) )
That Matt is a brilliant man.
Damn, tubing is fun. I haven't been in YEARs. Not since I moved out of Texas. Back then, my problem wasn't keeping my flipflops on, it was keeping my smokes dry. I remember devising the Ziploc method. I'd put my cigarettes and a lighter in a Ziploc, then stuff them into my cut offs. It worked pretty damned well. We also used to just tie the six pack of beer to a rope and pull it behind the tube, using the creek water to chill the brews. Every time you wanted a beer, you just hauled in the rope and gotcha a cold one. Good times.
I remember how great tubing was and now that I've read Gretchen's comment it may be something I'll need to look into here in Texas.
Marie's idea has merit. I wonder if Matt will have to pay her royalties for using her intellectual property?
Grabbing up Hank like that, my heart did a little flop for you.
"After two months, expect some stiffness in the affected arm, but you should be able to resume climbing into waterfalls and wrangling a forty-pound child safely over a series of river rocks."
Mmmhmm.
"And after two minutes, expect some extreme tenderness of heart," they should add.
It's sure got mine and it's not even me.
But enough about me. I'm so glad to hear you're resuming!
I love the sandal retention device! At first glance, I really did think those were gladiators! Is it too early to say "the next Jimmy Choo"?
You know, I've never really considered tubing (bathing suits, cold water, etc) but Gretchen just made it sound good ...
Congrats on that milestone! Hard to believe, in a good way. Just glad to see how wonderful you're doing. Yay!
Loved the tubing pictures. And the Macgyvering of the sandals. Nice!
In lieu of duct tape and bungie cords, that is. ;-)
Soooo glad you have one more session behind you and are doing so well! God bless Erika!
Love you. XOXO
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