1 Lie, 5 Truths

Well that was fun. Running around visiting friends sites and guessing about their lies. And it was also fun to see friends pop up over here and guess about mine too.

So — 1 Lie, 5 Truths — I bet you want to scan down and see if you were right or not. I get it. I will probably want to do the same…

Here it goes.

1).  My first near death experience–that I remember–involved a horse. TRUE.

Growing up I was a hunter-jumper. If you aren’t from the horsey world here is a 5 second down and dirty. Hunt–as in for the “fox”–not to fear animal rights activists — not a real fox. Jump — as in the fences we barreled over.

Now, imagine an enormous field with lots of jumps.

Back then, no idea what anyone does today, the rider (me) and the horse (Sandpiper) were tasked with jumping all the fences in the order that my trainer designated. We were to do this without making errors and at a canter. FYI. The horse in the picture is not Sandpiper. Her name is Trade Wind, but she deserves a post of her own.

I loved to jump.

And as shocking as it sounds today, I had little to no fear way back when I was 13.

My trainer at that time was an Englishman. His name was John. He was actually a pretty great guy, which in my experience, was kind of a nice change from the mean types.

Anyway. Imagine me. On Sandpiper. Flying like the wind… jump after jump executed beautifully. And then.

And then along came a jump made from boulders, a phone pole and cavalettis. Unfortunately for me there was a lot of long grass growing from between the boulders.

Grass. Did you know that horses like to eat grass?

Well I did, but it never occurred to me that one would see tall grass in the middle of an obstacle course and think–LUNCH. Well Sandpiper thought exactly that. He put on the brakes. Put his head down. While I–in my full jumping position–flew over his neck and the jump without him.

I’m not done.

Then, he took the jump. Guess who had already landed on her back on the other side? Yup. Yours truly. And he — all 1,100 pounds of him — came over the jump and somehow his hoof grazed my neck. It was scratched, even bruised a little bit. If he had landed even a hair more to the left he would have broken my neck.

And what did my trainer do? Well after he grabbed hold of the horse and shall we say, had a few words with him, he made me get back up on Sandpiper and take the jump.

2).  My Grandfather was born 100 years before me. TRUE

My mother’s father was born in 1863. Legend has it that when he was a baby he was kissed on the forehead by none other than Abraham Lincoln. Not bad, huh?

So my Grandpa was 30 years older than my Grandma.

Yup. I know. The math — well maybe not the math, but the years, among other things  — makes a girl cringe a little, doesn’t it?

But the story goes my Grandpa’s first wife died from cancer. My Grandma was his secretary, he was a high falutin’ attorney. Not only was he an attorney, he was also a Congressman — twice elected –in New York State.  They met in the early 1920’s, were married, then had my mother and her sister. According to my mother, my grandma was the love of my grandpa’s life.

As you may have guessed, my Grandpa died long before I came along 100 years later in 1963.

3).  Strong smells make me gag. TRUE

Lots of things make me gag. Smells. Watching someone eat something nasty. Being forced to drink something nasty…hello dreaded evil, I haven’t forgotten about you…yet.

4).  I think long hair on men is sexy. FALSE

No. Just no. This pains Jimmy. He may have had a mullet when I met him, but that was NOT –Jimmy if you are reading this? I repeat NOT — what attracted me to him. At all.

Yeah. I am not a fan of long hair. On men. Or my sweet husband.

5).  I worked in a wallet factory in Lyman, NH. TRUE

Oh boy. I wish it wasn’t true. Apart from the one friend I made there, that was the worst job I have ever had. I ran a glue machine. It sucked. But what sucked worse was the foreman. He was one of those control freaks. He actually didn’t allow us to talk. Really? Because no one can run a piece of leather through a glue machine and talk at the same time? Well Katie and I talked anyway. And we ended up being friends. She had great kids. I really adored (and still adore) her daughter. So I suppose it was all worth it.

6).  I love to gamble. TRUE

HA! I actually do think it is so much fun. Don’t get me wrong this isn’t some addiction thing, but I do love going to Las Vegas. I enjoy the shows, the restaurants and the slot machines.

One year I actually won $3,000. on a dollar slot machine.

It was late in the evening. Who knows, it was probably morning. For sure it was morning. We were in Vegas for my brother-in-laws 40th. SO ten years ago. We were staying at the Paris Hotel and I was the only woman left awake in the group.

The guys were off playing Black Jack and I was sinking dollar coins into the machine that was parked right next to the restaurant there.

I was alternating between, $1.00 bets and $2.00 bets. The machines are funny like that, they entice you to double down. Of course when it hit I had bet the $1.00, but that’s OK!!! A Hit is a HIT!!!

BOOM! The light goes on, a little noise comes from the machine too, then a very official person races over and frisks you for your license and SS #. Then you get your money.

I am normally pretty quiet. But not when I win. I am a loud winner. Ask my kids, my husband, or the other patrons at the Paris that night.

As soon as that light went off I screamed! The waiters all ran over to see what I had won. Each of them said, LEAVE! TAKE YOUR MONEY! GO HOME!

And we did.

I still remember, it was November 14th, by the time we got back to the room it was 7AM on the east coast. I called my dad and wished him a happy birthday. He was so thrilled about the big jackpot. I can still hear him say…

Isn’t that just NIFTY! Imagine that, $3,000.! Lucky, lucky you!”

 

And I am lucky. But I am lucky for a lot of things that have nothing to do with winning a $3,000.00 jackpot in Vegas and everything to do with the amazing people I have, and had, in my life.

Thanks for playing, many of you guessed the right answer!