Your poor toes! Ouch!

I didn't see Flying Turtles listed as one of the "attractive nuisances." I'm afraid you're not likely to recover much $ out of this, unless of course, you drove it into an open pit or an abandoned refrigerator. So, it was either this or 42 huh? Maybe y'all ought to consider serving alcohol at the next one. ;-)

I think the court might rule that the feet in question were already disfigured, so it might be a tough case. :)

I actually did know about violin sizes - but that might be because I play viola. (Which also comes in various sizes).

Sounds like fun was had by all!

First, I can't help asking... can you hang off tree limbs with those things? Type? Those have got to be the longest male toes I have ever seen (outside of the primate compound at the zoo).

Second (and finally), serves you right. You've got a perfectly good recumbent you could have been riding.

Sounds like you had a great reunion, aside from getting your toes mashed. Most excellent.

First thanks to Beth & Foo for making sure I was not the one having to break the news to Eric about the less than aesthetically (sp???) appealing feet. Somewhere (possibly on your link) I noticed several key words...kids...150 lbs? Was that meant physically or do you just need to feel like a kid ;>) Hope you heal fast!

Hey, thanks for all the sympathy and encouragement, guys...I'll be sure to send you your share of the settlement proceeds...NOT!

I opened the blog and saw the foot and wondered, "What's this sandal/foot deal going on with Eric and Gwynne?"

And then I read on...

Oh, man, these comments are the greatest - made all the more so relevant since I had already followed the link to the turtle website.

The comments I would have made have been heretofore addressed...so I will just sit here and enjoy my Monday giggle.

Thanks!

Come to think of it, I haven't seen the youngsters at my school on the herd/flock/gaggle of flying turtles we have (for use in PE) in a long time. Perhaps they've been toe-tally put to roost!

If you'd played your guitar for folks instead of riding children's toys...

I wondered about "that kind of reunion."

Janie, after seeing Eric's foot picture, I began to worry that we might next expect an onslaught of foot fetish people, the Bravo movie groupies mostly gone now. And "Susiebadoozie" started it. ;-)

Eric, I also wondered what Becky meant by "that kind" of reunion. Obviously, she meant "this kind," the kind where adults ride flying turtles and cause severe injury to their toes. I'm putting in a request that our next reunion be "that kind."

If you'd played your guitar for folks instead of riding children's toys...

One, the injuries would have been different but equally severe, and (B) what "children's toys"? The Flying Turtle is a sophisticated personal transportation unit requiring finesse and skill to operate.

I was doomed from the start.

Gwynne, I'm pretty sure that if you want "that kind," you should put in an order for beer. At least you'll have an excuse afterwards.

With beer, we'd probably end up with "that kind" and "this kind." At our last reunion, we built gingerbread houses. At least nobody got hurt. ;-)

Gingerbread houses?

That's pretty cool. I'm afraid we'd have eaten all the construction materials before we even got started, though.

The 2" X 5" CAUTION sticker clearly visible on the Flying Turtle (for those who are seated properly aboard, this would be between the knees) states: Use with adult supervision only. Never ride on hills. Always ride seated with feet on handlebars. Shoes must be worn at all times. Not to be used institutionally or as a commercial amusement ride.
Might I add that Eric was the oldest adult outside during the flying of the turtles. He began his descent from high atop the driveway. (Our oldest was the first to successfully attempt that distance at age 7.) If Eric's feet had remained on the handlebars, we wouldn't be having this discussion. Shoes are not flip-flops. (Everyone knows that if you are about to crash and burn, just head for the grass.) However, some might classify our place as an institution and money was collected from each reunionite, I'll give him that. I might also add that our flying turtles cost $75 apiece ($6.00 more than the one in this web link.) Eric was simply riding a superior machine that he was inadequately prepared for. Okay, Eric, NEXT year you can bring your guitar.

Reading y'all's comments, I'm having another visual pix of Eric crashing on the "Flying Turtle".

And it looks a lot like that old guy on the trike in "Laugh-In". Except:

(1) The old trike guy is waaaaay shorter
(2) And has lots more hair
(3) And though the old trike guy was ungainly upon wrecking, he probably did it somewhat more gracefully than did Eric, due to the fact that the old trike guy was somewhat height-challenged. I can picture Eric in a time-wtretched wreck that would only be exacerbated by his height (not to mention the length of his toes :))
(4) Okay, I think I'd better stop now. Though work woos me out of town frequently, my family and animals do reside in the same thriving metropolis as Eric.

time-stretched....I mean....

In an attempt to be more thoughtful in planning the "outing" for the Waco 2007 reunion, I have come up with a suggestion: a tour of the Puremco Domino Factory--located on the outskirts of town. (I am not kidding.) Before I proceed any further in the planning, can anyone think of any reason why this field trip would not be educational and, more importantly, safe. To me, it sounds like a dream trip for our 42-playin' kinfolks.

...a tour of the Puremco Domino Factory?

There's no risk of getting sucked up into tubes or anything here (a la Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory), is there? I'd say if there are caution stickers, waivers or releases of any kind involved, Eric ought to stay home with the kiddos. ;-)

Becky, judging by this comment threat, I'd also say that the ride did end up generating some amusement. I also think that you hit upon the big problem: lack of adult supervision.

I'd also remind you that Sonny is MUCH older than me, and she was out there, too.

As for the domino factory field trip, doesn't that involve a lot of molten plastic? And what about the sharp objects they use to make the domino holes? Just sayin'...

Take him!! Take him!!! Then we can see pics of his toes with dots on them! The big toes will have the 6's and so on!!

Oh, that's just cruel!

Almost as cruel as the jealousy of stubby-toed men everywhere...

snort!

Blogged traffic?

I couldn't help but notice that at this posting there are no less than 21 comments related to Eric's injury from improper use of a child's toy. Sort of like rubbernecking past a car wreck. You know that you shouldn't look, but you can't help it because you are forced to slow down anyway. You quickly say prayers for the victim(s), thank God that it wasn't you and ask for His watchful hand over your own journey. I suppose that's what some of my fellow reunionites were doing last Saturday. The rest were on the back porch drinking iced tea and eating leftovers.

Oops, I was so busy rubbernecking that I almost forgot to pray for the "victim" (although it's hard to assign "victim" status to someone who has such blatant disregard for warning signs). ;-)

Sort of like rubbernecking past a car wreck.

I think that's pretty much a perfect capsulization of both the quality of posts here and why visitors keep coming back.

The rest were on the back porch drinking iced tea and eating leftovers.

That's what happens when you get too old to play! ;-)