It has been FIVE years since this particular event happened. Im in the process of cleaning out my house and a trip to the attic reminded me of this story. Ill share it again ... everyone needs a good laugh (ha). Remember this happened 5 years ago ... Funny but true … my butt still hurts! Okay … it may take you a few moments to read this one but it’s one of those stories you don’t want to put down. My last advice to you before I went to bed last night on my 59th birthday was …’For today only I will have a plan yet remain flexible if needed. I will not be forced into doing something I may have reservations for or in need of more time to determine my best course of action.’ Pretty good stuff huh .. I mean who can write things like this (ha). Well I can and did but did I practice it? Not this time … so grab a cup of coffee or juice and read ‘the rest of the story’. I woke at 6:00 am today after a wonderful birthday (although alone) …many of you wrote and wish me to have a great day and I did. I got a lot of things done around the house that needed to be done… kids were at work, wife was watching grandkids and I had the house to myself. Much can get done if you pull yourself away from the TV, Facebook (ha), and the couch (nap). I mowed two lawns, clean out the storeroom and sold some insurance (part time job - need any?). But today I was going to tackle a job I even dreaded …..cleaning out the attic and you know why if you’ve been in North Texas lately … it’s hot. If it’s 105 outside … what do you think it’s going to be on the inside? Well … although old … I’m not a complete idiot thus the reason for getting up early. I would work until about 9:30a and should be able to weather the heat. Good plan except for one thing … I left my step ladder at my son’s house who lives in Wylie. Ahhhh but what about my extension ladder … yes, yes it would work. As I said … I’m not a complete idiot and realized this might be a little dangerous. I’m following my advice so far … I’m flexible but I must admit I had my reservations … I mean … I was alone … what if something happened … what if I got up there and was overcome by the heat? I thought it was still a good plan … I had water … a light … and it was relatively cool at that time. Okay … extension ladder … eight foot ceiling … slick floor … old man. Not a good combination but I had a plan. I opened the attic door … place a towel on the floor to keep from scarring it … anchored the ladder’s legs and moved it to a slight tilt for more stability. I get on the first few rungs … so far .. so good. I’m at the top … looking inside and contemplating the task at hand but wait … I’m moving …it happened so fast … the next thing I knew was the ladder started sliding on the towel and there was nothing to grab hold of except the ladder. Down I came … hard .. scratched knee with a deep cut from the ladder, landed on my butt (thankfully not my hip) and stared at the ceiling. I say to myself … take it easy Phelps … you just turned 59 and you’re not as young as you use to be. I tried to survey the damage … knee hurt… bleeding … feet were sore and my butt was killing me but everything else seemed okay. I get up thinking maybe God was telling me something … like don’t do it! I figured then it was more me than God because I really wasn’t looking forward to this job so…. I placed the ladder once again against the attic opening above … positioned the towel once more and thought … the angle was too steep … I needed to extend the ladder more and make it a little easier to step up by increasing the angle. Once again … I get up on the first few rungs … jump on it … seemed solid. I had a portable vacuum that I was going to take with me this time because it was real dusty up there. Did I tell you I must have failed Physics … well what I didn’t realize now was with my weight and the higher I went up the ladder, the more it caused the ladder at the bottom to slide away … still on a towel remember … don’t want to scar up the floor. Not again!!! … this time with vacuum in hand … not being able to hold the ladder I begin to fall. My head hits the door casing, again I land on my butt and now I have a cut on my forearm. Once more I’m on the ground with a huge headache and knowing my wife would probably call me to check on me I took my cell phone with me but …. it’s up in the attic and I’m on the floor! Okay back to my advice to you earlier … ‘more time needed to determine my best course of action’ … well it’s apparent that I hadn’t really thought this out. Time was an issue … it’s getting latter and it’s getting hotter and I’m still not in the attic. Okay Phelps .. think! Should I quit? Probably but noooo I was thinking and I remember an exercise mat in my closet that was thick and practically unmoveable on the floor. Why didn’t I think of this earlier? Again … I wasn’t thinking … I was just doing … therein the danger! Well people I will have you know that the job is now completed … no more falls, lots of bruises and scrapes, a sore butt and headache but filled with pride of a job now accomplished or is it? It’s 10:35 … I have the storerooms and garage to clean … let’s see … it doesn’t get really hot until 1:00p. I only have to use a ’small ladder’ and the garage is air conditioned. The outside storerooms will be a greater challenge but I can wait until 8:00p tonight to work. Friends, family, students … I tell you this story to let you know the importance of applying the things you learn. You have great potential … all of you as I … but we need to follow ‘good, sound’ advice and make good choices when we decide to act. I hope this helps you and if you have the time … say a little prayer for an ‘older’ man who is definately wiser from the morning escapades. I don’t believe the ‘Titan’ at Six Flags was any more exciting than my two rides today … One thing more … I didn’t think I was going to die on the Six Flags ride but I did on the two rides I had on my ladder. Peace … OMS The things I get myself into……
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 04:44:54 +0000
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