Dana Robb, October-November, finish projects and rock climb

The summer of 2012 brought on lots of new things and 'firsts'.   A new baby.  Chickens.  Teaching yoga.  And for some reason we didn't feel busy enough so we threw in a few projects.  A clubhouse. A chicken coop.  And finishing the basement.  Needless to say, it was a little too much to take on, and here we are three years later with all three projects in phase three.  I was determined to finish projects THIS year.  And October was a good month.

We got the clubhouse painted and roofed.  We finished the chicken coop.  (But the basement-not so much.  That's a project for this winter.)  

Here's a few pics of the clubhouse at its current phase.  And just for background info: In 2012 we got the platform done.  Then 2013 we added the walls, windows and roof.  This year we finally got the stairs, railing, door, slide, and shingles on.  

As for rock climbing (November's goal), I didn't get quite the experience I was looking for.  I had plans to go with my kids, but that goal has been put off until after the holidays.  Here's the journal entry I wrote the day I did actually get to go:

6 November 2014
Challenging morning.  A few lessons learned.  First, don't try a science experiment with flour, sugar, yeast needing to be quickly mixed and pushed into a straw with two little girls climbing over the counter.  Second, just because I'm excited about a science experiment doesn't mean I'm going to get the same reaction from my kids.  

I texted Chris around 11:30 this morning and said, "please take me rock climbing tonight.  I need to conquer something."  He's offered to take me for weeks and we planned to go tonight but it was all tentative, depending on book club.  The noise, the energetic kids, the whining and crying were all overwhelming me and I needed to accomplish something.  
And now I'm feeling the burn.  10-12 climbs in 40 minutes.  It wasn't quite the rush I was hoping for.  Maybe it was the fact that I felt awkward in LifeTime for the first time.  Maybe it was the fact that I was left alone while Chris had to listen to the sales pitch.  Or maybe it was just the fact that I was on a self-belay system thingy that lifted me as I climbed.  No real threat of falling.  No true destination awaiting at the top.  Not really much a sense of accomplishment.  But rewarding nonetheless.  I love my muscles.  I love what this body can do.  

The following week I didn't get a chance to go climbing because I was invited to help my sister paint a mural at Legend Solar in St. George.  An opportunity I jumped at!  She's amazing and so fun to work with.  Everything lined up to make it possible, but it also meant getting behind in a few other places so the rest of the month was catchup. Rockclimbing will have to wait.  (although I did get to climb up and down lots of scaffolding in St. George!)

Not the best selfie, but I had to show my contribution!

Updated pic of finished mural to come soon.
Go here to see more of her work!

Next month: report on our service projects and family outings for the year.