Let's see, it was a week ago Monday, I believe...the 23rd. While we were eating lunch, Ben, Jonny, and Brandon got the brilliant idea to go boating after lunch. "Boating? In what?" "Oh, don't worry," the eager boys assured Mom and Dad, "Brandon can ride in the big black plastic sled, and Ben and Jonny will ride in the big black plastic sheep tank!" You see, our whole slough is a humongous pond of icy-cold water. Mom was not too optimistic about the idea, so she and I tried to scare the boys, Ben and Jonny especially, with stories about people drowning and getting hypothermia. But, unfortunately for Mom, Dad didn't seem as worried. "As long as they don't go past the bridge, they'll be fine," he assured her. Since Dad 
seemed fine with it, I decided it would be lots of fun, too. After a bit of persuading, Mom finally gave in, but with one exception: "You have to wear life-jackets!", she told them. When I told her, "Ya, we will!" the boys said "we!", and soon made it clear that they didn't want me with. No fair.We gave them walkie-talkies, and bade them farewell. It was hysterical watching them. Brandon, in the plastic sled, rocked dangerously, while me and Mom laughed and laughed up at the house, but he soon got the hang of it, and was drifting along pleasantly, with the aid of two sticks, Ben and Jonny on his tail.
Trust me, I was not very happy that they got to do such a fun, adventurous, dangerous thing, and I didn't. So I was determined to think of some way to go along. Mom and Dad couldn't think of anything, but I did. "Dad! How about one of those big plastic bins out in the garage!" He calmly assured me that it would sink. However, he agreed to let me try it. So on went the rubber boots, the life jacket, the rain coat, (it was raining) and the overalls, as I prepared to go gliding down Big Slough River. After searching for a bin, I was ready to go. Finding a stick, I carefully set the "boat" in the water, then stepped into it. Nope, that wouldn't work, it was stuck. So I moved it into deeper water, then tried again! YIKES! Talk about tipsy! I was rocking dangerously, and after about one minute of swaying from side to side, over she went! I was thoroughly disgusted by this time, as my right leg got soaked to the skin, and my right boot filled with water. Boy, was I glad Mom wasn't watching! "This is NOT gonna work." I told myself, and trudged dejectedly up to the house, very unhappy that the boys got to go boating, and I didn't. No fair! As soon as I stepped into the house, Mom said, "Are you giving up already?" That settled it! I marched back out! "I can't just give up!" I told myself firmly. Finding two sturdy sticks, I got into the bin and tried again. After a while, I got the hang of it, and confidently rowed out to the deeper parts. It seemed like as soon as I got deep, the boat started wobbling. Uh-oh! Then, it capsized. And I mean CAPSIZED!!!!!! Everything went under except my head. I was drenched, and only too glad to go up to the house, as falling into water on a cold March day in the rain is not extremely warm or pleasant.
The boys had a wonderful time, and claimed to boat in 5 feet of water. I'll just have to think of something else to use...any suggestions?
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