rootlessdreams

Gravity was pretty rough yesterday. Matt “The Beast” Ballard, once again came within a granite grain of completing his project, that climb of which is named Fly Boy. Although Matt was looking pretty “fly” in his “popp’n” headband and red Action Direct shirt, gravity would not let him “slip the surly bonds of Earth.[1]” His frustration was palpable. He has been working on the climb for some time now, and he seemed absolutely heartbroken that she didn’t go. And IT IS heartbreaking because he can do every move with such ease and grace (uber fly) … except for the final move which has thwarted him at least 30 times. One frigg’n move!!! The fly-through-the-air-and-grab-the-lip move! She’ll go next time Matt, next time. To top the morning off, our moods weren’t helped by the fact that Matt hurt his shoulder trying to spot me as I fell from a climb. “Perhaps I shouldn’t have eaten all those cookies![2]”After a little jack-o-lantern carving and some pumpkin seed roasting on the campfire the gravity had lifted and good moods were again restored. Who knew one could laugh so much while trying to carve a less then accurate depiction of a well imagined frightful face upon a pumpkin. To be sure, laughing with a large knife in hand is indeed an extremely dangerous activity, but as we were all climbers in the group, we were well prepared to avoid injury to both the handed regions. Ya’ll need to check out the pictures of the evening in the gallery.Perhaps the more memorable event of the past fortnight occurred yesterday as Kevin, Matt 1, Matt 2, Matt 3, Isabelle, and I were minding our own business. We were hard at work, verbally crushing a climb we were sitting under, when two men came streaking by. These two jackals were wearing nothing more than American flag thongs and capes! As patriotic as it seems, it’s not exactly what anyone wants to see. As tribute to the overall disdain that was felt amongst our group, Matt 2’s two dogs, Macey and Marley, gave furious chase to the two offenders. The in situ perspectives of the canine’s must have been extremely disturbing, and hence it is to their fierce bravery that we owe so much. I commend their protective efforts and am extremely grateful for their effective, bark-filled terrorization for I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything quite as funny as two grown men, in thongs and capes, bounding across the desert, as they were being chased by two miniature boxer dogs! Oh Halloween in the Buttermilks -full of surprises!!!What began as one of our worst days, certainly came full circle by the end. Perhaps next time we won’t have so much trouble learning how to fly.”For once you have tasted flight you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.” -Da Vinci[1] John Gillespie Magee[2] The Cookie Monster