I have a fear of heights.
So, why then am I going to put myself through torment in five hours time?
Because as my wife says “Being a parent is not about you Frankie, it’s about them.” She also sometimes calls it ‘building memories for them’.
This won’t be our first trip to Croke Park, Ireland’s national football stadium, and fingers crossed it won’t be our last! Our county team, Donegal, have reached the quarter final.
On previous visits to the stadium we were seated nice and low. But this time the only seats left were the highest, steepest gradient. My kids do not know about my fear of heights and I don’t intend to pass it on because “it’s not about me.” Heights shhmites!
There will be plenty to keep my mind off the height with the match taking place below. We (we are all in this together) are going to absolutely make County Armagh wish they had never taken an interest in football. We will destroy them. As they say in the States “we will hand them their asses.” In New York..”We will moyda the bums.” In Germany…”Vee vill kill zem.” In Mexico..
Okay I have to go. They are calling.
Bring it!
“Don..e..gal” clap clap clap “Don..e..gal” clap clap clap.
Thank you for reading
Frankie… It is time! There will be mud!
Lovely photo, Frankie. Enjoy! I share your fear of heights… xx
Thank you Ali xx
A fear of heights? Me too I can’t even stand on the top rung of the stool which is one of the reasons I need a window cleaner. Never mind! Enjoy the day and see the people in front of you? If worse comes to worse they’ll make a grand cushion,
Armagh aint gotta chance…..
🙂 Made it through. Me and the team, both.
You are adorable.
At the risk of adding to your phobia – it’s the going up that’s bad, it’s the coming down. The first time I attended a Broadway-type production in Toronto was with my grade school class. Of course we were assigned seats in the nosebleed section as they call it. Vertical, narrow steps, I was terrified. It was dark!
of course, I meant to say, “it’s NOT the going up that’s bad…”
I made it through! The team too, just barely.
Awesomeness Frankie. Haha! Go Donegal! I feel your pain. I am exactly the same. Could always go up the ladder, but somehow it grew ten feet taller as I turned to go back down. At home we call that the nosebleed section of the stadium. Been there. Done that. Your kids are lucky. Just keep your eyes on the ball. And when you leave just let your feet do the work and watch the back in front if you. Have fun!! Yay football!
Made it! I am starting to think maybe every person in the nosebleed section shares the same fear but holds it together for the sake of family and football.
Ps..we won, just barely.
A win! The icing on the wobbly cake. Glad you made back to terra firma. That was definitely worth a few gray hairs…congrats on all counts. I don’t do public events anymore but a different phobia is the culprit. Crowds. Given the generally ‘eedjut’ way people behave these days I have a fear of crowds going wild and crushing me and my loved ones. Heights? What heights?
I remember you mentioning that ‘crowd phobia’ once. I can understand. “..icing on the wobbly cake” 🙂
😀
Up the Dubs!
hahaha ye are playing great…for now.
Don..e..gal! Don..e..gal!
Left Armagh looking for the ball!
Hey your kids look so much like my nieces it’s crazy.
REDHEADS! REDHEADS! REDHEADS!
Or do you guys say ginger instead of red?
Thank you Claire Marie. We say both 🙂
Your latest post “Masters of war” blew me away. I couldn’t even find the words to comment.
Well, just what you said right here means a lot.
What a great photo!! I hope you wore your parachute belt when you took your seat. 🙂 At least you had a break from the wasps for a few hours. 😉
My goodness, you are the most cliche’ Irish family I have ever seen!! Ha, ha ha. Beautiful curly red head girls!!!! You must have your hands full Frankie!!
Yes Jackie, a home full of little women, it’s enough to drive any man crazy. 🙂
First things first, great name for your blog. Now, I share your fear of heights, and I once worked on the mast of ships. Very few people know of my fear, and at times it’s more severe than others. Nevertheless, there are tricks I use to distract myself from concentrating on the heights, like blasting the Foo Fighters and screaming along. But I like your wife’s advice, it’s not about us. Thanks for the great post.
Cheers Jim. The thought of climbing the mast of a tall ship is making me weak just to think about it.
I don’t think the Foo Fighters could save me 🙂