the falls

there were a couple significant times this weekend when i thought,

we're mad. i'm marching to my doom.

the first, upon the maid of the mist. the little ship that takes you right up to the misty center of horseshoe falls. i stood against the captain's cabin, as we were some of the last to get on that boat, we could not stand against the rail. and could feel the waters churning beneath the boat. then watching 90% (we came to find out later) of the water that courses through niagara pour down before us with such immense power, i thought,

if this captain slips up, we'll die, for sure.

is it the dramatic part of me that thinks always of my doom? i was glad that it would be a relatively quick death, as the churning waters would grab that boat and suck it under without a problem.

but we survived, as 84 other boats that day did, and returned to the dock. draped in blue ponchos which were little more than blue trashbags with hoods.

when we got off, we climbed up beside american falls and oohed and ahhhed. it was lovely. the rainbows were great. i've always liked rainbows.

when we turned away from the falls, we got in a line to leave (lines everywhere. i guess it is impossible to see a sight like that without flocks of people). there was an indian man in front of us who had on a white tshirt and stonewashed jean shorts. some black sandals. he had a wasp sitting on his slight hips. his wife had on a long green linen shirt that resembled a skirt. she had her hair in a scarf, and black pants.

of course if i see a wasp on anyone, i'm going to try to do something about it. last time i didn't move quick enough, my girl got stung.

so, i reach out, rather instinctively with my journal, and using the very corner, nudge the wasp off the guy. who promptly turns around and gives me a funny look. his wife, too.

my husband said as i was doing it,

maybe you should ask.

but i pressed on, fool that i am.

you see we were about to be crammed into a little elevator, about twenty of us. no comfortable spaces between us, so i knew who that wasp would get if it got someone, me. or my kid.

the wife said,

i wish you would have left it there.

in a tone i couldn't determine if it was annoyance with me (which, it probably was) or concern for the wasp. some people love all God's creatures. and i didn't kill it. i just whisked it away. sent it on its pilgrimage.

i said,

it was a wasp. a bug.

i wasn't sure if they understood. they probably did, but you never know.

i didn't want you to get stung (i didn't want me to get stung was more truthful).

but they turned around and ignored me after that.

we went up to the observation deck, and i am really having a time with heights. i'm not afraid of them. i just don't like them. i would rather not stand on top of a tower looking over a slight metal rail at anything.

so we took the obligatory pictures. you'll be happy to know we had a camera with us.

and i got away from the rail as it was making me feel funny.

i left my people to spend their time gawking at the heights, as they seemed to enjoy it.