Watch the Legend do the Jump!

An ode to my husband.

The Three Wild Rangas are blessed with an incredible father. He has worked hard, studied hard, loves us all immensely, knows how to take care of himself and others and continues to do all of these things so that we can have a wonderful life together. We are blessed with a beautiful home, car, and caravan. We enjoy having nice things and going to nice places on holidays. There is nothing that we need that we do not have and I am very grateful to my husband for this life we have built together.

He’s also a bit of a nut job.

When I watch the ways the boys play some days – wrestling around, punching and kicking each other – I roll my eyes and my anxiety peaks. It’s all a bit much for me, so I can’t watch and walk away, but Hubby is calm and collected.

“They’re alright,” he says. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

Ummm, I don’t know. Broken bones, burns and stitches. I think to myself. All of which have already happened. 

Meanwhile, he’s out on the digger, building jump ramps for the boys’ motorbike track.

He is talented at designing and building. He’s an engineer. I’ve always marvelled at the way his clever brain works. Being able to come up with an idea, design it, and then bring it to life, by actually building the damn thing! Whether it’s a dog house, garden shed, a workbench, or a light-up cabinet for his STAR WARS collectibles, with fully automated voice control commands…

“Hey Google – come to the Dark Side”, the lights turn red and Imperial March music starts. You name it, he can build it.

A few years back, over Christmas Holidays, when Big Boy was a toddler, he channelled all of his talent into building a jump ramp for his push bike. He welded the steel frame together, fitted the plyboard, painted it up with purple spray paint and on it read the words…

Watch the Legend do the Jump!

Hubby decided that Boxing Day was the event to unveil his latest creation. The ramp was set up at the bottom of the hill of the creek bank at our property “The Block”. Everyone was gathered, already in the creek. Hubby was at the top of the bank, perched on the little mountain bike he’d picked up from the dump. We all cheered as he pushed off, heading down the hill fast, hitting the ramp at full speed and getting air over the creek, the bike and him flying through the air, the bike hitting the water first and him following after. It was epic!! We all cheered. No major injuries. He did this another two times. Each time he jumped, I watched anxiously, dialling 0 0 and getting ready to dial the next 0 for an ambulance. No one else was game enough (or enough of a Nut Job) to have a go.

This is also the role model for our boys.

Hubby went through a period of about 5 years (B.C. – Before Children) where he had a series of injuries and hospital visits. “What a surprise!” you’re probably thinking. Between the motorcross and rugby union, there was always something breaking or bending. Sprains, strains, bruises, concussions, and a knee replacement. There was always something needing medical attention. His mum will attest that this was the same case in his youth. The local hospital had two entire medical records of his mishaps. One of his proudest moments as a young man of about 14 was taking himself to the hospital when he got a brake lever from his BMX stunt bike lodged into his knee. Not to worry! He knew it would need stitches, so he took himself up to the hospital. He’d memorised his Medicare number by this stage, gave them his details, got stitched up, and then headed back to the skate park.

Self-sufficient Nut Job!

I think I know where he gets it from. I watch him get lessons in ‘Nut-Jobbing’ from his Dad. He’s not so into rugby, but he loves anything that goes bang or makes a lot of noise! Motorbikes, Guns, Cannons, Soda Bombs. The Three Wild Rangas (read: little boys) stand back and watch their Dad and Pop (read ‘big boys’) putting explosives into water trophs, firing cannons, shooting clay targets and ambushing each other with gel blasters. They all have a hell of a good time. They know about gun safety. No one gets hurt. Except for me – my heart rate is always peaking!

I might as well accept that there will be more hospital visits in the future. We’re lucky to have this clever, hard-working, fun-loving and caring Nut Job in our lives. Thanks Hubby for being you, and for being a great dad to our Three Wild Rangas, and an incredible husband. 

A shout-out to all of the Nut-Job Dads out there, thanks for bringing the crazy fun to our lives, and for all the grey hairs. Let me know if you’ve got a Nut Job Dad in your household?

Cheers for now,

MumOf3WR