Turkey Dinners & Pole-Vaulting

Saturday Albert, James and I went to the water fall that James, Nelly, the kids and I hiked to back a couple weeks ago. It was a little faster getting in this time because we had two motorbikes. James rode one and Albert and I rode the other one. After we rode as far as we could we had to park the bikes and then hike the last kilometer or so. I was going to park the bike a little in the bushes so that it wouldn't be as much of a temptation to someone to take. As I was riding in to the bush I didn't realize that it had thorns, I mean big thorns about an inch long and lots of them. Three of them caught me right across the face. The hiking part went a little fast as well not having little kids on our shoulders. We had a nice time we left at about 8 in the morning and when we got there the water was very refreshing, AKA cold.

A little water fall along the way while getting to the bigger one.

James and Albert admiring the cliff.

Here Albert is taking the big plunge (I think this is the first video I have ever put on here, I hope it works)

We swam and jumped for about 40 minutes and then took a little ride up another mountain to this little village out in the middle of no where and we found another water fall but this time we were at the top and not the bottom of it. We couldn't stay and enjoy it for very long because we had to get back to the house.

Looking out off the top of the falls.

Looking down at the falls, there is not much water at this time of year because it hasn't rain in quite a while.

We had been invited to Don and Berna's place in Tepic for a Turkey dinner and we never turn down an invitation like that. I have just hit it right, I have been here for two months and got in on three turkey dinners while being here. One at the Wahl's for American Thanksgiving, Nelly made one here last Tuesday I think for a belated Christmas dinner I think and then this one and No I am not Turkeyed out yet. We had a good time at Don and Berna's, they also had the Wahls and the Cains over for dinner as well.

The wonderful feast.

After some of us had eaten way too much Nelly, Albert and I took all the kids down the street to a park to try to burn off some turkey. We played around and try to knock oranges down out of the tree and then found some giant grapefruits. On our way back I found this long quite straight tree branch. I had this "great" idea that I would try to pole-vault. My first attempt I forgot that I was supposed to swing both my legs on the same side of the pull and also there was a low tree branch that the top of my pole-vaulting branch caught on and broke off. You might think I had learned my lesson after one bad attempt but unfortunately not. I figured now since the end broke off the branch would be lighter and I should be able to do it better the second time. I went back and lined up for round two. I did learn something from my first attempt both legs need to go on the same side of the pole when I swing through the air. I ran and jumped I was doing great I had both legs going on the right side of the pole I was getting quite high the spectators said but I forgot one very important thing. I was supposed land on my feet, in trying to get both feet on the same side of the pole I swung them up so I high that there was no way for them to come down before my elbow and lip. I am sure a video would have made this all much clearer but I think you get the picture my landing wasn't very pretty. I split my lip open a bit and scratch up my elbow. I am thinking that I will reconsider my future in pole vaulting. I look a little bet up now with my scratched face and slip lip and scraped elbow, but other then all that I think I am alright.

If you are not sure what pole vaulting is here as a little info about it and a picture that show how is should be done. Pole-vaulting was not one of the original Olympic sports in ancient Greece. Some think that the sport was derived from the Dutch habit of dyke-jumping, although one of the earliest pole-vaulting stands was built in Germany in 1791. The objective is, obviously, to get the athlete's centre of mass over the highest bar possible. However, today's pole-vaulters use a quite different technique to that used 100 years ago, when athletes went over the bar with their feet pointing downwards. Athletes now do a complex gymnastic manoeuvre, turning upside down as the jump takes place.

So I guess I was doing the right thing in getting my feet up high, just not in bring them down. It also shows what a pole should be made of, a little different then a branch I guess.

Tonight James and Nelly left for Guadalajara, till Monday night. Albert and I volunteered to keep the boys while they are gone. We just got back from meeting and then I went and picked up tacos for supper. When I got back Albert let me know that Andrew smelled like he needed a diaper change. So one diaper change down and who knows how many to go. I also have to make the milk and feed the little goat that lives in the back yard because it wouldn't nurse. I think we are going to have a good time together, the goat and I, no just kidding we will all be fine.

Well Albert is up putting the boys to bed and I think he and I will be following them shortly there after. Good night all.