Death defying feats

I am not a risk taker. I like my very peaceful, quiet existence. I have no desire to sky dive, bungie jump, ride a motorcycle... My idea of living dangerously is doing Suduko in pen. Do you get what I am trying to say? I am a chicken! Today my daughter talked me into doing not one, but two, things that were way outside my comfort zone. The first step outside my idea of normal was two-fold. It started with me actually putting on a swimming suit for our afternoon trip down to the water. I quickly topped it with a t-shirt and a pair of shorts, but none the less, this was a big step. At the beach, I dropped the shorts and marched bravely into the surf. Really, I ran so that no one would see me in a bathing suit. I got up to my waist before I totally freaked out and saw my life pass before my eyes. I don't know why water scares me so much, but it does. Needless to say, I turned around and marched right back to my towel. Lucky for you, no one took any pictures.
The second risk occured on the way to the water. The beach is just down our steps, around the corner and through a parking lot. There is a steep hill on the far side of the lot that the surfers use to access the beach. Those of us with any sense at all go left, about a block, to the ramp or right, about a block, to the stairs. Well, being a teenager, my daughter decided that we should go down the hill since it would be so much faster and require less walking. I said "Go ahead, I'm going to the ramp." Down she went. I watched her and decided that it didn't look as hard as I thought it would be. Down I went. My heart was in my throat as I climbed and slid and slipped and tripped and made it all the way to the bottom without killing myself. I am not very good at looking straight down and not thinking I am going to fall on my face. After our time in the sun we headed back up the same way. For some reason, when I can't see the drop I am a lot braver. Anyway, like I said, I enjoy my quiet, peaceful life. I have taken enough risks to last me quite awhile.