IT’s DOABLE!
Last week I
was in North Carolina helping my daughter by watching the three NC
Crankettes. I had a good time
reacquainting myself with these three.
We made pancakes in the morning, played games, watched “Sponge Bob
Squarepants” (my personal favorite) and went to a local pool .
One bonus of
any NC visit is I get to see my Editor/Sister-in-law, Judy. This year the visit included my scientist
genius nephew, Jimmy (yes, I still call him Jimmy) his scientist genius wife,
Melissa, my PHD niece Alison, 35 first cousins-once-removed and a six month old
Yellow Lab “Captain” named in honor of my Brother Jim.
Dinner was
beer-can chicken skillfully grilled by my nephew.
 |
| The "Three Amigo's" |
My niece
told this one as an example of youthful exuberance and ambition. She relates it to her students from time to
time when they think her expectations are too high. I hope I do it justice:
My brother
and his family were all skiers, especially when the kids were young. They were all good skiers. Good, not great. My niece, Alison, recalls watching her two brothers,
Jimmy and David, at the top of an extremely long steep hill. The hill was not just steep but was covered with
huge moguls (not rich old men, but severe bumps and dips in the hill.) The hill was very icy which is typical when
steep and bumps are involved as the good snow gets pushed off to the side
leaving crusty packed icy snow.
Both boys
eyed the slope with trepidation when Jimmy suddenly just pushed off and
attempted the run. Heading straight down
the icy slope, Jimmy navigated about half of the bumps with skill and dexterity
when he caught an edge, flipped to his side, fell and tumbled about 100 yards
down the hill ass over teacup until he finally slid to a stop. Jimmy did not move for what seemed like a
minute, and then he slowly pulled himself up, dusted off the snow, and adjusted his
hat. Looking back up the hill, bruised
but still intact, Jimmy cupped his hands and yelled to David,
“IT’s DOABLE!"
David, of
course, followed!
For a touching story demonstrating "It's Doable," visit this link from Suldog:
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com/2013/06/sgt-damons-art.html
For a touching story demonstrating "It's Doable," visit this link from Suldog:
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com/2013/06/sgt-damons-art.html
Is this the same "Jimmy" who went on to be a Carnival Cruise Lines Captain?
ReplyDeleteS
I've tried a lot of things that people told me were "doable"--many of them WEREN'T!!
ReplyDeleteOh, I love, love, LOVE that story! That's exactly the can-do attitude we all want our kids and grandkids to have. (Even if we have to squeeze our eyes shut and pray while they're doing some of those things...)
ReplyDeleteLove the spirit. I think most Jimmies have similar attitudes. I know I did, before time and tide started eroding me.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I am still Jimmy to my uncle. It's cool.
It hardly sounded "doable" to me, but I've never been on skis. Maybe I should try it out. I've never broken a bone and it's high time I took a risk.
ReplyDeletei love this! never tried skiing, though.
ReplyDeleteSorry to miss you Joe. We got there late that night. The quote is correct, though the story is wrong. We were fairly great skiers for that time period (mid-80s), not just good. And it was me, not Jimmy, actually attempting a helicopter (a 360 degree twist) off a particularly large boulder. I landed backwards, which is indeed a bad outcome - though the depth of the powder made it a goggle packing, snow eating wreck rather than a painful one. Despite the absolute muff of the trick, I was convinced it could and should be done (though perhaps not by me). So "It's doable" was born... Alison wasn't there, but my Dad was, and he loved to tell the story, which is likely why she likes to tell the story. She has the details wrong, though not the point.
ReplyDeleteGreat. Now I'll have nightmares about my yard chickens sitting on beer cans, naked.
ReplyDeleteI love skiing but haven't yet worked up to the black diamond or double black diamond runs yet... They are doable, just not by me. I know this.
ReplyDeleteGreat story.
Trying to get back into the land of blogging and such, and this was perfect. I am beginning to love family stories more and more, my own and others.
ReplyDeleteBeer can chicken is awesome!