Good ideas are always well aged....

When a 7 year old turns to a 4 year old and says, "You go first" that always sets into motion what inevitably becomes a great idea.

Isaac's been catching on tho, and to Nico's credit, he still shows him just how to do it. Like the other day when the whole neighborhood showed up in our front yard to help Nico re-design the weekly zip line between the tree where we usually find all the neighborhood boys, and the blue spruce that the power company decided to fold up and extensively trim like a snowflake. (Making it a memorable landmark on our street.) He's obviously done this before, so this time, its as tight as he could get it (slack rope improvements retained from the previous weeks design...) Tension and knot tying complete, he offers to let Isaac take the first trip.

Isaac eyes him in that usual "why are you trying to send me to the emergency room" kinda brotherly way, and counters with the "you first" self-defense. To his credit, Nico climbs the tree, with everybody cheering him on (holding onto his improved pulley and handle purchased at home depot that same weekend), he jumps out of the tree.. hanging on to the pulley, and went much farther than before (avoiding the ground this time), he flew straight into the first set of branches.. which flipped him into the second set... and then finally released him (now travelling backwards) to careen at a fairly good 45 degree angle into the prickly bushes bordering the drive... (did I mention he was wearing shorts and a t-shirt?)

Still, he did avoid the shortcut straight to the ground this time.

For the most part he came out of the bushes laughing with the rest of the boys, after all, 7 is a very forgiving age, and has now had ample opportunity to further analyze his test results. His list now includes 1) a ratcheting winch for even more tension, 2) a pulley bar to stay forward facing, and 3) a climing harness so his hands are free to "move things" that might get in the way. He will .. eventually .. make it.. sometime next week I reckon.. And then the rest of the boys will be lining up for his great idea..