Rock Climbing

Last night I went for the first time rock climbing. My friend Lindsey invited me to a Lady's Night at North Austin Rock Gym. The day pass, lesson, shoe and harness rental all came out to be just $13.50.
They first showed me how to climb with the harness, with another person on the ground loosening and tightening it. My arms were already hurting after just handling the rope for Lindsey, before I even started climbing! Then it was my turn, and I was able to make it to the top! Coming down was harder, and I wasn't comfortable sliding down the rope, so I just made my way down using the rocks.

Then our instructor came and the other girls gathered, about 6 of us. We started from a simple wall and climbed without ropes. Each rock was marked with a color, orange being the easiest, and we followed the same color all the way to the top. I was actually able to make it to the top, two times, on that first wall. After that we moved to two other walls, each a bit harder, and I only made it half way. By the last wall my hands and arms were so stiff and sore I just couldn't pull myself up any more.

I was proud of myself to try this new thing. Most people who were there seemed to really enjoy what they were doing, but I don't think this will be my thing. It requires a lot of muscle power, in the entire body, which I certainly don't have, and don't really have a desire for it, at least not right now. It does not really require much cardio endurance fitness, and I would rather work on that.

Rosemary Babies

A black duck from our neighborhood pond has decided to make her nest in the rosemary bush in our front yard. I noticed her while trimming the bush, and had to stop so not to blow her cover. She hid herself deep inside and didn't make appearance even though we were mowing and edging around her. We didn't see her walking around the yard before, so I don't know when she gets out to eat. When my friend's dog Rio was sniffing the bush the other day I noticed many white fuzz balls, and thought it must have been from a rabit which we saw few times in the last couple of weeks.
I think she already has the eggs because she wouldn't move from the nest, so the babies should come out of the rosemary bush within the couple of weeks.

Ana's Graduation

This past weekend I had a totally unexpected visit in East Lansing, Michigan to see my cousin Lela from South Africa and her daughter Ana, who just graduated. They moved to South Africa in 1988, and I saw them only one time since then in 1993 in Belgrade. We've somewhat kept in touch over the phone and have seen each other's pictures, but did not stay very close.
For several months I was inviting my relatives to come and visit us in Austin during this trip. They couldn't come this time, so my cousin bought me a ticket and I spent the weekend with them. It was an exciting, but also physically, mentally and spiritually tiring weekend.

I Just Saved a Bunch Of Money On My Car Insurance...

...not by switching companies, but simply by dropping the comprehensive coverage from my policy, and sticking only with liability.
I've been meaning to do this ever since my car was damaged by hail 4 years ago, and I didn't fix it but just deposited the insurance check. My car was already payed for when it suffered the hail damaged, so I was not required to carry on comprehensive coverage, but I just never invested enough time to understand how this would really affect me.
The car back then was appraised to be just $500 more than what the damage was. So, since I didn't fix it, the value, for insurance purposes was just $500, which was less than what my deductible is. If I had a claim, the insurance would only cover up to the car value, minus the deductible, which means they wouldn't cover anything in my case.
With only the liability coverage, my premiums are cut in half, and my cost for car insurance is just $334 a year!
Now, if only this car would last me few more years before I have to look for a new, hybrid, one.