It was a weekend of ups and downs.

I got to spend time with a lot of my favorite people, which was awesome. We did a 5K yesterday to benefit pulmonary fibrosis research and then picnicked after with a giant group of awesome people that I am not related to but who always act like I am. After was a trip to Sarris, which I didn’t fully enjoy because of carsickness. But I had a few bites of Chris’ deep-dish apple pie with caramel sauce, and it was spectacular.

Beth accidentally took off with my hat, and then I could only find Chris’ bandana.

And quality time was spent with my two closest friends from high school (who, oddly, I didn’t actually attend high school with. Mostly). Sadly, there is no photographic evidence of this. But here is one of me with the Pirate parrot and my hunchback.

This morning, I made breakfast for my lady, and we ate outside. It was nice.

Then back to WV for more fun times. What fun times, you ask? Zip lining. Or, for me, climbing a giant tower, chickening out, and climbing back down said tower. I never did a Walk of Shame in college — or after, for that matter, because I’m super pure — but, man, it sure felt like that.

Very long Walk of Shame.

Fun fact — I am terrified of heights. But I wanted to try. So I got up the tower, on the block, they strapped me in, and…I just couldn’t do it. Honestly, I think I may have started panicking when I took that first step on the tower. I couldn’t have been out of breath that soon! And yet, it felt like basketball practice in 5th grade with some pre-wheezing.

I keep telling myself that it’s okay, that I’m allowed to fail, that it’s great that I tried. But I’m very competitive, and all I can feel is that I failed. It was both embarrassing and frustrating. And maddening and sad. And it even made me lose my appetite for an hour.

What if this is just the first thing? What if I lose my nerve for other things and chicken out? Or…what if this was just one thing and it’s okay that I didn’t do it. In my head, I know it’s probably the latter. But it’s difficult getting there.

Bright side — it was half price, so my failure was cheap. Another day saved by a coupon.

Then more picnicking, which was nice. And a fun car ride there.

I mean, I’m good at a lot of stuff, and it’s probably a good thing for my ego to fail. Remember that psychic I saw? He told me that my dad — or, you know, whoever he was talking about — said I needed to try and fail at more things. DONE!

And then I had to say goodbye to Beth, who goes back to Texas Tuesday. It’s sad because she is great. Lucky for Texas. Sad for the tri-state area.

And then when we got home, the avocados we bought weren’t ripe, which was also pretty sad.

So, ups and downs.

To end on a high note, here’s a funny story. Someone congratulated me on getting married, which was sweet. Then she turned to the gay lady next to me and congratulated her. Unfortunately, that gay lady wasn’t Chris but my friend Jennifer…who also happens to be my ex. Because I am smooth, I shook my head, jerked my thumb at Chris, and tactfully said, “Nope. This one.”

Chris is a lucky lady.