First Installment!

Well, here we are into my first post! I wanted to wait until I had some spectacular idea of what to write on my initial posting. I wanted to look back at this, my first blog and admire how well written and thought out it was. But I realized I could be waiting a long time and people are getting impatient as we've given our blog URL to anyone that would listen and even to some that wouldn't! Some people thought our first post should be on the day we pull out of Bella Vista heading to Georgia. Others thought we should start right away and report on what's happening with us now. So for those that are in the latter group, read on. Those in the former group, stop reading NOW! Come back on September 29th, the day we plan to pull out!



For those that may not know, and there aren't many of you, Bob has three more days to work! I am amazed how quickly this has come up. Of course, that's only my opinion. Bob would tell you that its taken forever to get here! He delayed the start of his retirement by many years, partially due to finances and partially due to his concern over me. As I am soooooo much younger than him, he wanted to make sure I would be taken care of in my later years since statistically he will be departing this world before me. And for that, I publicly want to acknowledge my gratitude and appreciation for his loving and caring ways and for being Bob!



Now with all that out of the way, I will proceed to fill you in on yesterday. I went skydiving!!!! I did a tandem jump Sunday afternoon at the Siloam Springs Airport drop zone. And it was a hundred times better than I ever imagined. My fear went away as soon as I boarded the plane and showed back up 15 minutes later when the instructor opened the door of this tiny, tiny plane. My first fleeting thought was wow, its way cooler up here. (temp on the ground was 103) Then I noticed how strong the wind was coming thru that open door. And my third thought was oh my, the sky is incredibly blue! My fear dissolved when I placed my right foot on the step I shared with my instructor Christian, AKA Swede. I was ready and actually impatient to get out of that plane.

We had 34 seconds of free fall with the videotographer Todd about two feet in front of me filming
from his helmet cam. And here is where words fail me. The complete and utter rush I experienced during those 34 seconds is something indescribable. There are no words I can come up with to do it justice. So suffice it to say, if anyone has the inclination to do this, I highly recommend it. It is not overrated.