What gets me out of bed in the morning? My bladder, mostly, although this morning there is the additional reason of taking delivery of the corrugated roofing iron for the "little house" I am building behind the big house.
They promised delivery "sometime today" which could be anytime from 7 o'clock in the morning to 5 o'clock in the afternoon. With nothing else that can be done until the roof is on and the "little house" is weather-proof", I reverted to my usual survival tactic, reading, and picked up a little red book "The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel".
Here is an entry I found on page 20:
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How to control a runaway camel
1. Hang on to the reins - but do not pull them back hard in an attempt to stop the camel. A camel's head, unlike that of a wayward horse, cannot always be pulled to the side to slow it down. Camels are usually harnessed with a head halter or nose reins, and pulling on the nose reins can tear the camel's nose - or break the reins. 2. If the camel has sturdy reins and a head halter, pull the reins to one side to make the camel run in a circle. Do not fight the camel; pull the reins in the direction the camel attempts to turn its head. The camel may change direction several times during the incident - let it do so. 3. If the camel has no reins, just hang on tight. Use the reins for balance, and grip with your legs. If there is a saddle, hold on to the horn. 4.Hold on until the camel stops. Whether the camel is running in circles or in a straight path, it will not run very far. The camel will sit down when it grows tired. 5. When the camel sits, jump off. Hold on to the reins to keep it from running off. |
This would have been useful knowledge before I went to Saudi Arabia, but right now all I want to know is when the roofing iron will arrive.
By the time I got to page 70: How to jump from rooftop to rooftop - 5. Run at full speed toward the edge. Jump with your arms outstretched, ready to grab the ledge if you undershoot your mark - it had arrived.
