House thing? Fneh.

As these things usually are, this moment was also brought to you by inattention.

I was carrying an armload of wood to the stove and stooped to stack it on the floor near Rozlyn, who was stacking the fire. She reached for the kindling pile across my path as, instantaneously, a big log fell out of my arms. It was heavy and going towards Rozlyn’s wrist about two feet down.

I snapped into soft focus; dropped the log in my hand; caught the forward end of the falling log within inches of Rozlyn’s wrist; used it to flick the log I had dropped from my hand away from Rozlyn’s hand; and kept hold of the other three logs with the other arm as the hound dog pushed the footstool into my legs.

And all was well.

Loving aikidoka parents: Keep practicing, it pays off.