A few people noticed the footnote I added to the Late Bloomers post, mentioning my parents’ idea of a relaxing Hawaiian vacation.
I wasn’t making it up:
Mom, getting hooked into her zip line. Please note that despite the white-knuckled, double grip she has on the strap, this woman is smiling.** She’d tell you it was a fear rictus, but I know that one, and this isn’t it.
I’m sure Dad is grinning like a maniac in this one (he’s on the left), but it’s tough to see it from this distance:
Dad: The only thing is, I hurt my arm.
Me: Oh, no. Did you wrench it on the zip-line?”
Dad: No, we were visiting the volcano later and I tripped.
Me: You fell off a volcano?
Dad: No, I fell on a volcano. That’s why it hurts.
I will mention again that Dad will be 79 on his next birthday, and Mom will be 73. I have approximately 35 years to figure out how to be this amazing.
Since they have no intention of slowing,*** or have any practical idea of what that means, I’d better start kicking it down.
____
*Crap! I still haven’t finished those socks I was going to give her for Christmas!
**Please also note that Dad waited until she was all buckled in to take this photo.
Earful of Cider 
Your parents sound amazing. I hope I can be that type of parent!
They are, but I’ll admit it’s a little unnerving to hear about these things after the fact!
This is awesome!
P.S. I would love to follow your blog if you could add Google Friend Connect. I’ve seen wordpress blogs that have it.
Thank you, sir! 🙂
I’ll see what I can do . . . I’m still a figuring out all the bells and whistles around here.
I want to be like them now, no less when I’m their age!
Awesome…
See, it must be in the genes!
My parents had all of Buffy before I knew what it was. I must be destined to grow up a giant nerd… wait… ^_^
Awww. I hope so!
Mom had a vast collection of Star Trek novels in my nursery for those long nights with me, so ditto for genetic nerdery! XD
My mom is about ten times more adventurous than I am. She’s a bit younger than your parents, but I could definitely see her on a zip line at 79. Me, not so much. Unless, like you, I can grow into it.
I might be able to do a zip line in a year or two. But I’m gonna need a couple of decades to go bungee jumping in new Zealand, like Dad did a while back.
This is a great reminder that parenthood isn’t a gateway to a sedentary existence. Thank you for sharing this with us. Hope is alive!
Exactly! Except for that one week of total collapse after the last one leaves home, I’m planning to accelerate.
Wow, your parents are REALLY cool. I want to be like them when I grow up! No. I vow to be like them when I grow up. Saving zip-lining for my 70th birthday.