Why I Looked to the Sky

A nice thunder-bumper moved through the county last night. While I was standing at the window watching as the rain gutter overflowed, I took note that I should do something about that, like perhaps clean the gutters out later. About that time, I heard a loud crack and watched as the top half of slash pine came crashing to the ground at the treeline near the woodshop. It came within about 2 feet of crunching one of the dogs into the ground. With unfettered nerves, the little dog decided that would be it's new play-thing until such time as it was removed from it's territory.

Come this morning I decided it was time to move the dog's new pine-top toy back into the woods. I'm sure it'll make a nice diamondback rattler habitat soon enough. Anyway, the section was about 20 foot long, and fairly heavy, so while I was moving it I was really putting a lot of weight into it. I decided after I got it most of the way to where I'd lay it to rest that if I gave it just one more tug it'd be in place. So there I lunge backwards with everything I've got, and the next thing I know I'm looking up at the sky thinking "that sure is a purty sky this morning, but why am I looking straight up at it?". At that moment I realized that the branch I was using for a handle had sheered off at the trunk with no forewarning whatsoever, promptly landing me flat on my back before I knew what happened.

Normally stuff like that never bothered me, but it's been years since I've taken a fall of any sort. I guess being in my early thirties and not in as good of shape as I used to be, that my body is revolting. My back feels like it's been hit with a 10 pound sledge swung by a 300 pound lumberjack. I can't wait till tomorrow morning, after it's had a chance to really set in. I'm just glad I didn't land on a stump or any other objects protruding from the ground. I have a feeling I got real lucky this time, but irregardless, that's why I looked to the sky.