Friday Fall, CFB, High School FB, & Robf Retirement Posbang
Mates,
Fall is most definitely here. It is below freezing right now, crystal clear skies and nothing but sunshine expected in the forecast into next week. And with the craziness of 2020 (it's not over yet) impacting everything, we nevertheless have a lot to look forward to:
- Early firearm season tomorrow and the grouse opener was Tuesday
- B10 Football and, most importantly, Michigan football is back. Not only that, but also it looks like we just might get back a couple of our previously 'opting out' draft picks
- High school football is back. Last night there were JV games all over and tonight, under crystal clear skies and temps 20 degrees below normal, we get the start of the varsity season. So happy for the kids. Mrs. XM and I will be at a game watching our 2021 son captain his team, hopefully for a season-opening victory.
- And the real reason I am posting this: Our friend robf, newly-minted listserve sheriff is about to go to his last day at work. He has worked at his company for decades, and his father before him started in the '50's at that same company. Our congratulations to him for the years of work and our best wishes for the good health he still has to enjoy a great retirement.
Hopefully you have a great fall weekend planned. Share the details if you care to, but no matter what, have a wonderful Friday and Go Blue!
XM
September 18th, 2020 at 5:55 AM ^
XM posbangs are much more thoughtful than the norm!
September 18th, 2020 at 9:36 AM ^
I know I almost feel foolish just asking people to bang me
September 18th, 2020 at 12:32 PM ^
Never feel foolish asking people to bang you. Might not work out, but at least you tried.
September 18th, 2020 at 6:18 AM ^
For the sake of my mental health and more importantly my family, I'm taking another hiatus from visiting the board (as if anyone cares). I knew there was a reason I felt ambivalent about the season being canceled.
I'm planning to build a 16' climbing wall in my backyard complete with terrain and an auto belay and a zip line and platform at the top. If things go right I'll get started this weekend and have it done before October 1st.
September 18th, 2020 at 8:01 AM ^
Cool project. I'm building fighting positions with overhead cover, grenade sumps and interlocking fields of fire...in my backyard.
September 18th, 2020 at 6:54 PM ^
Nice yard but where's your swing set?
September 18th, 2020 at 8:12 AM ^
Have a nice break. I would love to see pictures when you return. I have had a climbing wall on the brain for a while.
September 18th, 2020 at 8:17 AM ^
Fantastic plan! I wish I had space to do a climbing wall correctly in my back yard. It's frustrating because I have plenty of yard, but the previous owners did such a nice job of landscaping it would be a shame to tear a bunch of it up.
What are your plans for the actual layout of the wall? Steep overhang? Slab? A nice scenic layback crack?
September 18th, 2020 at 9:53 AM ^
It's partly going to depend on how easily I can anchor it. I've drawn up several plans, and right now the one that seems most reasonable will be in sections that can be ratcheted to a tree. So that way we can have a base that doesn't require any drilling or cement, but we won't damage the tree either will bolts. And the tree limbs can support the overhanging terrain pieces (it'sa huge, sturdy sycamore treeright behind the house). It also will make it easier to add rope ladders, a tree house, etc. We already have the zip line planned out but that may not go in until the spring.
September 18th, 2020 at 8:36 AM ^
more fall kayak pics from the chain’o’lakes?
September 18th, 2020 at 8:37 AM ^
Your priorities sound pretty on point. Enjoy!
September 18th, 2020 at 8:49 AM ^
so EYB, you think that building a climbing wall at your house, with you the proud father of children (twins included) will lower your stress? bwahahaha.
kidding aside, very cool project. please do post pics when done.
September 18th, 2020 at 9:06 AM ^
As a father of five, I'd appreciate it if you could rejoin the board long enough to share pics when you're done. I think my kids would love something like that.
September 18th, 2020 at 9:27 AM ^
I built a climbing wall in our basement, so not nearly as involved as what you have laid out. I spent weeks designing, measuring, sketching, researching, ordering, returning, reordering, etc. Actual construction took two weekends and I ended up with a 10ft wall that is pretty basic (no overhang), but looks nice and is surprisingly sturdy with a range of layout options.
Fast forward 3 years, it has been used a grand total of <10 times, two kids have hit their head on it while screwing around and required stitches and all in all, it’s been more of a show piece than anything. It looks impressive, but just hasn’t captured the interest of any kids.
A few unsolicited suggestions:
- Eldorado makes nice climbing holds. Colors and shape options are great.
- Escape makes great t-nuts
- Home Depot sells a deck paint with grit that worked great as a surface to paint on the plywood. Makes it look a little more finished and provides some grip.
Despite the lack of use, I’m still proud of it every time I walk past it. It was a fun project.
Good luck!
September 18th, 2020 at 9:50 AM ^
I will definitely do that. I'm not making any promises that it will turn out as well as I'm planning it though, lol.
September 18th, 2020 at 6:16 PM ^
Great plan, EYB. Like others have already posted, hoping that you post some pictures of the finished project, maybe even work in progress pictures.
September 18th, 2020 at 6:20 AM ^
Captain, eh? That’s awesome and not surprising!
Cheers to Robf and everyone! ?
*Red Pop for the young’uns, of course.
September 18th, 2020 at 6:44 PM ^
Thank you, M Go Cue!
Is it safe to combine red pop and bourbon?
Asking for a friend...
September 18th, 2020 at 6:22 AM ^
Weekend goal: be able to walk semi-normally at the end of CrossFit week two (after two years off).
September 18th, 2020 at 8:14 AM ^
You know how you can tell if someone does CrossFit?
September 18th, 2020 at 8:17 AM ^
Same way you can tell if they're a Vegan.
September 18th, 2020 at 8:44 AM ^
Just think exhausting it would be to hang out with Vegan crossfiitters who are also lawyers.
September 18th, 2020 at 8:48 AM ^
And Libertarians.
September 18th, 2020 at 9:07 AM ^
And Michigan alum...
September 18th, 2020 at 9:28 AM ^
Let me tell you about the time I ran a marathon.
September 18th, 2020 at 11:41 AM ^
Hope it didn't involve this...
September 18th, 2020 at 12:40 PM ^
Dammit. I was eating lunch...was.
September 18th, 2020 at 9:47 AM ^
Good on you for getting back after it! Good luck sitting on the toilet after leg day. And you will catch some hate for even mentioning CrossFit but I'm with ya buddy. I love it.
Are you back at your gym or doing it at home? I bought a full garage gym setup two years ago and glad I did. I've been following Linchpin Athletics programming and been loving it.
September 18th, 2020 at 11:24 AM ^
Yeah, I knew the comments were inevitable. That's fine, and it is not without good basis.
I went back to the gym. I have a pretty comprehensive CF home setup, but the class format / coaching really is what gets me going. I'm a self-starter in about every other aspect of life except for exercise. I just struggle there.
I was in horrid shape through my 30s, started CFing at 40 and got in decent shape for the first time in my adulthood. It was all good until my back started blowing up. Very demotivating. Ugly spiral from there. Glad to be back on the wagon ... though "Annie" on Wednesday has my core just torn to shreds now, and I don't want to think about what "Grace" this morning is going to mean for my weekend. Ouch!
September 18th, 2020 at 1:42 PM ^
I've been doing CF for almost 5 years now. Wife got me a Street Parking membership for Father's Day and I've been really enjoying doing it from home. I was super demotivated by trying to write my own programming and not having a community to share my successes with. Sometimes I miss the live community but for now SP is where I'm going to stay.
September 18th, 2020 at 6:28 AM ^
Incorrect - it is still technically summer for at least two more full days and I will refute all claims to the contrary.
September 18th, 2020 at 8:00 AM ^
But we will only accept a double blind peer reviewed study to support this claim. Otherwise it is Fall!!
September 18th, 2020 at 9:20 AM ^
It's going to get down to 35 degrees in A2 tonight.
September 18th, 2020 at 5:02 PM ^
Still. Summer.
September 18th, 2020 at 6:29 AM ^
It's almost as if the world is normal with football back on the table!!! OK, I lied, but still feels good to know there is something to look forward to at the end of October!
September 18th, 2020 at 7:24 AM ^
That gif is nuts!
September 18th, 2020 at 6:34 AM ^
Thanks for giving me something brief to read at the tail end of my shift!
September 18th, 2020 at 6:34 AM ^
A chilly high school football game atmosphere sounds darn appealing. I miss being able to smell football in the air. We don't get that down here in Florida where it will still be scorching hot for at least another month. Enjoy that Fall weather up there - was always my favorite season.
September 18th, 2020 at 8:28 AM ^
Wouldn't you rather hear football than smell it?
September 18th, 2020 at 6:37 AM ^
Congratulations to my neighbor, robf!! Wishing you all the best in your retirement. Hope I can buy you a beer soon ??
September 18th, 2020 at 8:41 AM ^
Here! Here! He's bought ( shared ) a few beers with me and this weekend i’ll be borh of your neighbors on lake MI near Muskegon. Happy rest of your life Robert!
September 18th, 2020 at 6:49 AM ^
Congrats to Robf!
As a high school teacher I have some trepidation about starting up interscholastic sports. I'd rather my students stay in their own bubble--our district's recent small outbreak may have been triggered by students attending a party in a neighboring district. That said, the happiness of my students to be able to play is worth something, too, and often translates to better effort in the classroom. Also, because I am back in the classroom with this covid risk going on and maybe up, I'm sending my wife to live with our children for the next six weeks so that I don't accidentally bring it home and kill her.
Autumn is definitely in the air. I'm going to have to cover my tomatoes tonight if I want to keep having them on my dinner plate for awhile longer.
September 18th, 2020 at 11:01 AM ^
I forgot to mention the best part of the weekend! Duh!
My son is flying in on Saturday to drive his mom to his house. We haven't seen him since Christmas, due to Covid. We had a backpacking trip planned for June and he was going to come visit later in the summer, but neither happened. Now at least we get a long weekend together before they hit the road.
September 18th, 2020 at 6:58 AM ^
Congratulations to you and robf. Great to hear of tales of "normalcy" even though it's step by step. I am not ready for Fall so I'm just going to ignore that part but, even in NC, there are hints of a morning chill in the air. Stay safe everyone.
September 18th, 2020 at 7:09 AM ^
Outstanding night for HS football. Have a great time XM, and I hope your son's team wins.
Congrats to robf! My wife retired a week ago after 29 years at her company and I'm mostly retired now too. So, this year hasn't been all bad.
The fall colors are starting to show up in Ann Arbor. Have a great weekend one and all!
September 18th, 2020 at 7:09 AM ^
A wonderful Friday to you too, XM. Thanks for the post.
September 18th, 2020 at 7:25 AM ^
Our first game is tonight.
Congrats RobF on the retirement!
September 18th, 2020 at 9:49 AM ^
Where at?
September 18th, 2020 at 11:14 AM ^
We're on the west side of the state playing a Kalamazoo team at home.
September 18th, 2020 at 7:29 AM ^
Looking forward to the opening game of the season for Manchester United this Saturday. Also picked up my pistol this week. It's the first, but it certainly won't be the last. Plan on doing a 20-30 mile bike ride with my girlfriend. Should be a solid weekend all around. Have a great Friday and weekend everyone.