Note to Martini Republic visitors: It’s been a long time since I’ve had a link from there to here, but if you’ve found your way here from there, welcome.

I learned a new skill over the weekend: belaying. My younger son’s birthday party was held at the local indoor rock climbing facility and the parents present were pressed into duty as belayers. The climbers wear a leg harness which is tied to a rope that goes through a pulley at the top of the wall. The belayer stands at the bottom, keeping tight hold of the rope and managing the slack so that if the climber slips, they don’t fall, they just dangle from the end of the rope.

The first time, with the instructor, was the hardest. He climbed up a bit and then with warning, pushed off so I could feel what it’s like to hold someone’s weight on the end of a rope. He then went up again and with warning, fell. And finally, went up and fell without warning. I caught him fine, but the whole thing was freaky.

The work isn’t as hard as the actual climbing, of course, but oh, my shoulder aches this morning. Legs too. I suppose that’s the trouble with learning new things at my advanced age. But I had a blast! I love learning new things - especially unexpected things I never thought I would learn - even if I end up with sore muscles.