A challenge was thrown down, even before I knew I was the one being challenged.
Steven of Steven Funballoons said that we knew so many people in the fair business that I should try and do a part of several of the shows just for the fun of it, and since I am all about having fun and being in the center of attention, I accepted.
Skip Banks challenged me to get into one of his balloons, and I got myself all decked out for the latex trip of my lifetime. What he didn't tell me was I was going directly after his show and with his crowd! But he played a song and I was not deterred, I went into the balloon as I had seen him do a hundred times before. I got inside and held the balloon closed with my hands. I was not expecting to be able to lose the crowd and have a space all to myself, the fair melted away, and it was just me and the balloon, bouncing to and fro. I could feel the pressure of the air inside with me and nothing more, in a moments time, I felt completely alone. Then I burst out of the opening and it was a rebirth. The fair was alive with the music, smells, and sounds again. It was so much fun and such a surreal experience.
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Rob and Miss Jane found out about my challenge and I got to have the bottle walking challenge of my lifetime. Miss Jane stood up four neon green bottles for me to stand on and walk, and I tentatively got up and balanced long enough to have a picture prove that I was there, although that was by far the hardest thing I have tried with balancing before, it sure made me want to try a unicycle though, oddly enough.
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Steven gave me a box of balloons and proceeded to teach me how to twist horses, dogs, and giraffes out of those long balloons, my challenge was to twist them without cringing or popping them. I survived the not popping them part, but the cringing part, not so much. *smiles* I loved giving them to the children at the special event we were a part of, and I would twist a thousand more if given the chance. I still don't know how to blow them up yet, that is my next challenge. Thank goodness for a balloon pump.
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Bill Coleman also challenged me with stilt walking, I tried the too tall for me stilts, and then a much shorter set of stilts, and I would walk miles as long as he was there holding onto the stilts behind me. Feet flat, stand straight, chin up, lift, lift, lift. LOL sounds great in my head, but when he let go, my ability to stay upright never extended past 5 steps. Bill was a patient teacher. I decided that being on the ground was a little easier, so glad I tried, but short I shall stay.
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James Reid, professional juggler, offered to give me a lesson with the bean bag balls (I lovingly call my Juggly balls) and he showed me how to make arches with my right hand and then left, two balls to start with, making my brain do right then left, and left then right. I added in a third ball and tried to juggle for a while, I really LOVE juggling my Juggly Balls. I am going to keep doing this challenge at home, this is right up my alley!
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The last challenge I was given was to be a clown helper with Lanky the Clown and I accepted. I helped with the family games, became the game photographer and gave away prizes and hung out with the kids trying to catch bacon in pans and spitting beans. That is a lot harder than it sounds mind you, and I am still in awe of the distance some of those people got on their prized beans. I loved the paper airplane challenge and watching the families working together. Awesome!
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What do you think my next challenge should be?
