A: Yes, I did. There's nothing like standing up in the air like that, particularly in the Cascades, where the peaks are far apart. It must be better than flying, which I imagine to be noisy.
Q: Did you enjoy it enough to do it again?
A: I would only climb Mt. Washington again if:
- if I got substantially more experience with climbing gear;
- if I had under my belt at least two rock faces not at the summit of a mountain;
- and if I was accompanied by at least two climbers more experienced than me.
Q: How about a mountain with less exposure?
A. If my husband is feeling well enough, we'll climb Broken Top in the next few weeks. He proposed to me there one Labor Day and we try to climb it around then every year.
Q: Does it change your outlook to put yourself in mortal danger like that?
A: Absolutely. Let me tell you this. When I got back home around 8pm Saturday night, Blake was so happy to see me that he nearly burst from his high chair. So I greeted him and my husband with tremendous hugs, gave my husband the five-minute lowdown on the trip, and then -- before having dinner myself, before changing my dusty clothes, before taking care of myself in any way -- I helped my son wash his hands & face and took him to the potty.
On an ordinary day I might have resented having to care for my child in this selfless way, when I was so completely exhausted myself. Not Saturday night. That night I felt that taking care of my child was a special treat -- that taking care of him is what makes me his mother -- that three years of such minutiae has informed our bond. Our relationship was built on the way we interact during parenting moments like diaper changes, trips to the mailbox, or washing hands.
3 comments:
You make me cry. It *is* a special treat and I am envious.
Remember that I don't always feel this way! Only after near-death experiences : )
No, seriously: I put the kids to bed every night and brush their teeth and read them stories, and while sometimes I'm tired and it's a big fat drag, for the most part I feel that my husband is severely missing out & I try to enjoy myself.
That is really cool. You took the mundane parenting tasks and transcended them. How ambitious of you--the whole trip.
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