Perks of an Unfinished Basement

So. We're renting this house. Joseph has got the crazy idea that he can turn this home into his manly obstacle course haven. For example, he recently asked me (jokingly) if he could just build a big rock climbing wall on the big wall in the living room that I have yet to put any pictures or photographs on. He asked that knowing that my answer would be an eye stare that said "Really?" followed by a verbal reply "Absolutely not." Now, I admit that that room in particular shows that I'm in big need of some decorating help and inspiration, but... a rock climbing wall? Honestly Joseph. I'm trying to create a HOME, not a high school gym. He wants to destroy the back yard too and make it ugly with other Ninja obstacles. He's getting a little frustrated with me cause I usually say "no" to anything he suggests. I guess we do it to each other. I say no to them, they say no to me. "Will you do the dishes? Help me clean up? Mow the lawn?" No, no, and no. Well, they usually don't say no, they just feign they are deaf and then try to nonchalantly meander away from my view and then up the stairs into the lego room. We're all "No people" around here, we should try to me "Yes People" (like Yes Man, but females too and more than one).

So, I did say yes to Joseph this week. We have an unfinished basement. And he asked if he could create a cliff hanger on a beam down there. Sure, I give. Go ahead.

I think that will be okay. Didn't ask the owners of the house, but they're our friends and are pretty chill and I think they'd be all right with this. Cause it's an unfinished basement. And cause we can take those down, with the only permanent damage being some holes in the beam, which I'm sure will be covered if the basement is ever finished. So go ahead. And another perk of this is that he's learning some skills about being handy which I can hopefully exploit to get him to do some of my big project ideas someday.

The wood is holding pretty good, he might have stripped the screws (from what I could decipher from the sounds he was making with the drill) meaning maybe we won't be able to get those things off, but we'll figure that out when we need to. His fingers have been getting a good workout.

We talked about us doing Ninja Warrior together in several years when he's 21, but I don't know if I have it in me... I'm still trying to do an unassisted pull up, but now I have Joseph challenging/nagging me to try his cliff hanger! I told him to not ask me again until I can do a pull up. Baby steps for this old mother, ok? I need baby steps.