Years ago... many years ago (young, dumb and bullet-proof), when I lived on the edge of town, I had a huge oak in the back yard. About 20 feet or so up the trunk protruded a monster branch running out near horizontal for probably thirty feet. I wanted that branch gone... and figured the best way would be to drop it in three sections. So I set my extension ladder up leaning against the branch about 2/3 or so out from the trunk... it just barely reached. I climbed up there with my trusty camping bow saw and went to work. When the end of that branch fell the remainder sprung upward lifting me off the ladder (I had my left arm over the branch). The branch sprung up enough that the ladder wasn't long enough any more, sending the ladder crashing to the ground. Luckily my left arm was over the branch or I'd have gone crashing down with the ladder... but unluckily no one else was around. After pulling myself up onto the branch and shimmying over to the trunk, I spend the next 4 friggin' hours sittin' there waiting for a neighbor to come home from work.
That is one of those lessons ya' just never forget.
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