Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Nostalgic dreams

Taken in Florida in 2007
Last night I dreamed that I needed to find a way to get some skydiving gear so that I could join my friends to play in freefall once again. I remember trying to figure out how I could get some nice cheap but functional gear, since I wouldn't be using it all that long. This picture shows the gear I used for some record attempts at Lake Wales, Florida, in a days-long SOS camp (Skydivers Over Sixty). Yes, I was well over sixty, and that was ten years ago.

You can see it was windy (see my hair?), and I wasn't all that happy about going up to try for the record in that wind. We were just fine, though; nobody landed in the gator swamp, and I was careful to land well away from other skydivers (there were more than forty of us on each jump). I sold that black jumpsuit long ago, but I kept the rest of my skydiving gear. And I had two more jumpsuits that I loved very much, both purple.
Linny, Christy, me, Tyson, Dave
Here is a more recent picture, from August 2014, and the people I liked to play in the sky with at Skydive Snohomish. I sold my gear to a sweet young thing the following June, and I haven't made a jump since. But with the memories of more than 4,000 of them, I guess it's not unusual for me to dream about some of those wonderful times.
Me in front, SG behind
This is one of my favorite pictures of the two of us under canopy together, after having made a skydive together and getting ready to land at the Skydive Snohomish airport. This is the last place I skydived during my long career as a skydiver. It will always be part of me.

I was determined today not to write about the weather or my injuries, and last night's dream carried me toward the nostalgia of years past. They are good recollections. And it's true that bringing back these memories has raised my spirits and put a smile on my face.
:-)

18 comments:

  1. And your beautiful memories and images have put a smile on my face too. Megathanks.

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  2. Such great memories, Jan. Love that last photo!

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  3. You look fabulous in purple, DJan! 4,000??? OH MY GOSH! That is awesome!

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  4. Okay, I have these dreams. I didn't know they were nostalgic!

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  5. On a nasty day like today, anything that will put a smile on your face is a good thing.

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  6. A pretty exciting part of your life to be nostalgic about!

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  7. That is a beauuuutiful photo of you under the canopy.
    Marvelous shot!
    I'm so thankful you were able to enjoy skydiving. I know that you loved it very much.

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  8. What wonderful adventures that you have had...the kind that dreams are made of!

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  9. Wonderful to wake up from dreams that brought you great joy!! :)

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  10. How well I remember those posts. You always amazed me with your ability to take on the challenge. You still do, what with your strenuous hikes.

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  11. Memories of good times! Aren't they wonderful?

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  12. Loved the shot of you and SG. Isn't it nice that we can revisit earlier times in our lives that brought us joy with our eyes closed. The dream shows you miss it and too bad you didn't get to jump. Not sure I'd want inexpensive gear for that sport though:))

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  13. Love your skydiving photos! Great memories I'm sure.

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  14. You have had a very interesting life. More power to you.

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  15. ...and what a dream this was!! Even in color...for us anyway...and the purple jump suit. MY color of all colors.

    Love the shot of the two of you sky-high.

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  16. What a wonderful photo of you two lovebirds together! Some nights I dream I can fly and when I cannot I run like the wind. Good dreams...I hope you are feeling better:)

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