My husband and I had a thing for the giraffes at the zoo. We went to the zoo with his mother once, not long after we were married. The giraffes were being silly, without knowing it, and we got a good laugh out of it. I can’t give details….let’s just say, they weren’t pole dancing. Ever since that day, I’ve liked visiting the giraffes at every zoo we go too. The zoo in Florida was really nice. The platform you were able to look at the giraffes from was at their head level. You had the option of buying extremely overpriced ‘special rye looking crackers’ or just letting them gnaw on your hand. There were sentinels everywhere to ensure you didn’t bring your own crackers or try to feed them your gum or cotton candy. Nobody likes a giraffe on a sugar high…they are totally out of control. (or so I’ve made up)

Giraffes are cool for lots of reasons. Their coloring is really cool, as is their long neck and soft, sarcastic looking eyes. They can’t help but look down on us wee humans and think we are amusing.

Although I have always liked giraffes, I’ve never actually felt like I was related to one until today. I started the day in a really good mood. The tiny scab covering the last bit of my healing knee came off in the wash and I could finally see what looks like a closed knee hole. (Shout for joy!!!) I was so excited, I decided to wear ‘real’ shoes to go to the temple with Brian today. I wore one of my favorite pairs of wedgie heels, cuz they went with my outfit like a dream, and …hello, they are dang cute! I didn’t choose them because they are easy to walk in, cuz they aren’t the easiest, but I was only going to be wearing them for the walk in and the walk out so….they would totally do.

The temple was wonderful. I love being in there. It was even more special because it was Brian’s first time and I was sitting next to my mom. All around good day. After our session, I zoomed out (cuz women are WAY faster getting out of the temple then men are…..) and went over to Seagull book. I have to space out my visits to that store cuz I get sucked waaay far into the sale racks. I saved a TON of money today! (you know what that really means….) I texted Brian as I was leaving the temple so he would know where I was. We had planned to get lunch after we were done. I was a bit surprised when I was able to finish a shopping trip without hearing back from him. I got back in my car and headed back over to  watch at the front door of the temple. After a few minutes, he texted me asking where I was. Nobody had told him there was a back door, and that men are WAY slower than women at getting dressed. (now he knows)

We went to lunch at Haven burgers and then parted ways. I was about to leave when I noticed there was a little flower shop in the same plaza as Haven. I decided to go back in and buy some flowers. Why not? I was in a happy mood and I wanted flowers darn it! I went in and had a nice chat with the man running the store for his wife. He was adorable…and pretty darn good at wrapping daisies. I was feeling pretty good as I left the shop with my cheerful daisies in my hand. I got half way across the parking lot before the previously unknown relationship to giraffes came upon me in full force. My legs suddenly became twice as long and gangly and then proceeded to get tangled in each other. I swear I thought I had sprouted two more legs for all the tangling I was feeling. As I started my decent to the asphalt, I can’t be sure, but I think the words “NOT THE KNEE!!!” escaped my lips at a louder than ‘indoor voice’ level. In that split second before hitting the ground, I saw my knee splitting open and my mind flying right out through the hole it made. I was sure I would lose my mind if my knee was cut back open.

I was somehow, by sheer will, able to keep both my knees from hitting the ground, as well as not damaging any other parts of my body. I really think I hovered for a moment before landing softly on my fingertips and toes, like a scared cat…but with a slightly less arched back.

As I climbed back onto my shoes and made my way across the remaining parking lot to my car, I realized that ‘just because I can, doesn’t mean I should’. totally applied to my shoe choice for the day. Yeah, my knee bends good and I don’t have an open window to my knee cap anymore, but that doesn’t mean I’m ready to climb back on the saddle of my high heels. I think I better take it slow and learn to walk again.

As a side note, I fell again when I ran up the stairs after I got home (different shoes) . Two more lessons learned from my second close call of the day. One, I’m not ready to run up stairs yet, and two….I really need to go shoe shopping…..cause I said so.

photo source :  http://tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com/2009/01/sleeping-giraffes.html