Weekly Mileage #209 and the Tunnel Hike

My new brass mark for my leatherwork

Monday I finished up some details on the sales page, shopping cart, etc. I also got the customer service issue taken care of (it had to do with payment acceptance). The basic emails are set up, but I need to make a decision about email sequences. Will I host them on Kajabi (which I've already paid for), or on Convert Kit (I'd have to pay for it)? I think Convert Kit has more functionality in regards to tracking and automations, but so far Kajabi seems to be serving my needs.

That evening we had Scouts in person at a local park.

Tuesday I took Max for a hike, then we had music lessons and speech therapy. Beyond those, I wasn't super productive.

Wednesday after my accountability call I drove an hour or so to the Scout shop to get some uniform pieces we were missing and some merit badge books.

Thursday was rainy, so I took Max for a walk on the bike path, then I went to the chiropractor and did speech therapy with Ocean. After that, I worked on marketing stuff: emails, social media posts, etc while Sunshine worked on bagging up materials for the course kits.

Friday I went for a walk with Max. It was warm and sunny, in the low 70s. I'm sure it won't last though.

Then I did some tidying up. I finalized coupon codes, worked on social media posts, and finally started the course lesson powerpoints. Making powerpoint slides is a bit tedious, but I can't put it off any longer. Sunshine did more bagging while I was working on my tasks.

the east end of the tunnel was blasted out of rock and has a rough, rocky surface

Saturday I went on a hike with Sunshine and her Scout troop. The hike was through a 1 mile long old railroad tunnel, though the lead-up to and from the tunnel, as well as hiking the tunnel both directions, made the hike 4 miles. Headlamps were a must. 

the west entrance is much more picturesque (there's lots of "scope for imagination," and is lined with brick for a ways

It was super crowded though, and I'm glad we didn't start any later than we did. The tunnel opened to pedestrian traffic within the last six months or so, and the novelty factor is still high. Hopefully it calms down soon. The parking situation was rather dire- nowhere near enough parking spaces.

my glasses fogged up so badly after exiting the cooler tunnel (the mask didn't help, either)

that's better!

After we returned home I rested a bit. The advil I took that morning kept the cramps at bay while we were on our hike, but they resurfaced on the way home. They interfered with my ability to get work done that afternoon, but at least they didn't interfere with the hike.

a little blown out, but you can see the texture of the tunnel as we exited the final time

I did work some more on my social media posts. I've been putting off finishing them throughout the week, and they had to be posted. I should have posted them on Tuesday, when my course officially opened for registration, but between feeling blah from lack of sleep and period fatigue (it's getting easier to recognize what's going on, at least), it didn't happen. Plus I have a touch of imposter syndrome and have a hard time talking myself up and putting myself out there as an expert who can be trusted. 

Shortly after posting about my course on Facebook, I got my first paid registration! (I have a couple unpaid registrations that are being comped in exchange for testimonials and such). The mom is actually in our ward, so she messaged me to ask if I had an advanced course (I'm planning on one and roughed out the lesson plan months ago), which is super encouraging.

Now to get some more paid registrations....

I also participated in an Eagle Board of Review. It was my first time doing one for Eagle, though I've done a few others at lower ranks.

Then I did more powerpoint work and worked on the printable worksheet for lesson 1. It's all getting super close!

Overall, it was a blah week. I haven't been sleeping as well as I'd like, mostly due to late nights, but also some disrupted sleep, which I've mostly moved past, so when it does pop up, it's always noticeable. And I've been headachy (weather and stress-related), which my chiropractic visit helped with.

Weekly Mileage

Monday-                                             1.5 hours outside

Tuesday-  1.80 miles hiked               .5 hours outside

Wednesday- 1.80 miles hiked           .5 hours outside

Thursday- 1.92 miles walked           .5 hours outside

Saturday- 4.00 miles hiked               2 hours outside

       total- 9.51 miles              5 hours

2021 totals

59.5 outside hours

115.99 miles

Sunday Funny

Ocean hit River on the head with a LEGO and drew quite a welt, so Jeremy wrapped an ice pack around his head to help with the swelling. I don't think he could see very well...

We were in the car, driving somewhere.

River, describing a trailer we passed, that I didn't notice, and therefore had no idea what he was talking about: "You know how my cousins had that trailer that inflated and got bigger, but not while driving, only when camping?"

Me, thinking really hard: "You mean a pop up camper?"

River: "Yeah! Well, I just saw one of those back there."

Me: Ok?

Weekly Mileage #208 and Course Progress

Monday I was still super tired from the weekend. I've been doing a lot better up till now, so the last couple of days have been an unpleasant experience.

I skipped a hike with Max and worked on my sales page most of the day. I'm almost done with it. I had planned to launch my course on Tuesday or Wednesday, but I won't be able to finish up the rest of the things I need to do to in time for that to happen. So I'm pushing it back one more week. For the last time. This has taken so much longer than I ever thought it would.

Sunshine and I had Scouts in person that evening. She had a Scoutmaster interview, which she needs for rank advancement. We had hoped she'd be able to advance in rank this month, but she has to wait another 3 months because she didn't have a leadership role in the last 9 months (she only needed 4 months of leadership while at this rank!). We're so frustrated with her right now. She's way too good at procrastinating and not sticking to a schedule.

Tuesday I was still tired, but not as bad. I went on a hike with Max, then did music and speech before heading out to get groceries.

Sunshine met with her MB counselor and finally got her Citizenship in the Community MB passed off. She started it back in October or November 2019. (see earlier frustration...) She finally finished the last requirements Tuesday morning.

After getting groceries, I worked on my sales page, sales funnel, and checkout process. I'm getting closer to being done.

I've had a pocket idea for awhile, and decided it was way past time to get it finalized. I whipped this one up before our hike, but it needs some tweaking before I'll be ready to add it to my shop. Ocean promptly filled it with wild onion grass when we arrived at the park.

Wednesday we went on a chilly hike with friends.

mist on a spider web

checking out an old cemetery near an old homestead in the park

After my accountability call, I spent more time on my sales page and forms. It's slow and frustrating, though. I go to do one thing and find out I need to do three other things for that one thing to happen. Despite the delays, I am making good progress.

the boys were playing hide and seek, and River hid up the tree 🤣

he really likes climbing trees, but none of the trees at our house have branches low enough for climbing

That evening, Sunshine passed off her Cooking MB. She only needs to pass off her Personal Fitness MB (she should be done, just needs to confer with her MB counselor), and she'll have all the merit badges she needs for rank advancement. 

Thursday was rainy, so I skipped a hike with Max and spent the day on the computer. 

Friday after a walk with Max I spent a lot more time on the computer: tightening up my sales pages, checkout pages, course home page, all the tedious little details that end up taking a lot longer than I think they should.

Saturday morning Max and I went for a walk, then I spent more time on the computer. I worked on the flyer for a homeschool convention that's coming up and finished up a couple details on my course site. I have one thing left to do on it, but I need to wait till Monday to contact customer service and get their help with it (it's not something I can do).

There was a regional (9 stake) leadership training broadcast after lunch, and I worked on my pocket design while listening. The design is not coming together quite as quickly as I'd like. There's certain details I'm trying to incorporate that just aren't working how I want them to. A little frustrating.

Afterwards I worked a little on the email sequences for those who sign up for the course and those who sign up for the waitlist. These still need more work, but I should be able to get them done Monday, in time to open registration Tuesday morning.

That evening Sunshine and I watched a youth devotional for our region. Elder Rasband was the lead on it, and part of both sessions I watched included Q&A parts, where some participants were able to ask questions and have them answered by Elder Rasband or one of the other General Authorities in attendance. Pretty neat experience.

Weekly Mileage

Tuesday-  1.90 miles hiked               .5 hours outside

Wednesday- 2.79 miles hiked           2 hours outside

Friday- 1.90 miles walked                 .5 hours outside

Saturday- 1.86 miles walked             .5 hours outside

       total- 8.45 miles              3.5 hours

2021 totals

54.5 outside hours

106.48 miles

Sunday Funny

Jeremy and Ocean were listening to the song "Dirty Little Secret."

Ocean says to Jeremy: "I've got a dirty little secret."

Jeremy, very hesitantly, since this is Ocean and you never know what he'll say: "Oh? What's your dirty little secret?"

Ocean comes closer, and whispers: "Pigs. Pigs are dirty. Shh, don't tell anyone. It's my secret!"

There are no words. 🤣🤣🤣

Weekly Mileage #207 and Hiking in Shenandoah NP

Monday I worked on more course stuff. I've moved on to cutting leather for the materials kits, which is actually a great use of my scrap pile. 

I started bagging up the materials, but ended up ordering more (different sizes) bags because I wasn't happy with what I had on hand.

I also started assembling four kits for photos for advertising purposes. 

materials and hardware for each kit

Tuesday I went for a hike/run with Max. We accidentally went on a longer loop than I had time to walk, so I ran part of it. We both enjoyed it, but my hip isn't happy about it. I need to see if there's anything else I can do to help it heal faster.

After music and speech I worked some more on course stuff. I re-made a couple items to photograph (so they better match what the students will be making) then formatted and printed labels.

leather and completed projects

Then Sunshine and I worked on some Scout stuff. There's a Court of Honor at the end of the month, and Sunshine is close to rank advancement. She just needs to finish a couple things specific to rank and the final requirements on three merit badges. It's doable, but will require more attention to it than she's been putting in.

My new brass mark arrived. I bought this one from a different company from my first mark. This one is much thicker. It makes a good impression, but I'll need to make sure I have it centered under the press so it's evenly impressed.

Wednesday I went for a hike with Max and took Sunshine to the orthodontist before my accountability call. After my I call, I finished remaking a couple items then started photographing everything. 

This trail is covered in sand, which was washed up from the river below in a recent flood. The floodplain is actually quite wide (you can see the debris caught in the trees some distance from the river), which makes me kind of want to see it when it's that high. I'm fairly certain it was a flash flood, though, which isn't something I want to see up close and personal.

Thursday I went for a hike with Max. It was a gorgeous glimpse at summer: sunny and in the high 70s.

After speech therapy with Ocean, I worked on merit badge stuff with Sunshine. She's slowly getting there. Then I did more product photography, which always takes forever.

Friday we went on a hike to the river with our friends. The weather wasn't nearly as nice as it was on Thursday, but the kids still had fun playing in the river.

Afterwards we prepped for Saturday's hike. I had to buy a new backpacking stove (we have one, I even pulled it out recently, but I have no idea where it went) and food for Sunshine's meals to finish off her cooking merit badge.

I also ordered new shoes and swimsuits for the kids. We discovered that morning that Sunshine and River have outgrown their sandals and swimsuits.

Then I finally finished up my product photography.

Jeremy had drill this weekend, so it was just the kiddos, Max, and I on our hike.

Max had a harness, a jacket, and a backpacking pack. A bit heavy on the layers, but necessary. She carried her water, food, etc in the pack.

This area was covered in moss, and looked like it's a damp area. Once it warms up, I'm sure it's a bright green.

To finish her cooking merit badge, Sunshine needed to prepare two trail meals to be eaten while hiking or backpacking, and one of them had to be cooked. 

We hiked almost 5 miles in three and a half hours. We explored Rapidan Camp, which was originally Camp Hoover, President Hoover's retreat. There's only three buildings left, and they're not currently open since it's off season. Still pretty neat, though. 

there were several stream crossings, all clear of the water

If we followed a converging trail/fire road down the mountain, we'd eventually run into the trail we hiked last Saturday with the YM and YW.

Ocean being cute

It wasn't a super easy hike. It was mostly downhill to the camp, then mostly uphill on the way back to the car (like many hikes in Shenandoah) and the trail was rocky. That was actually the hardest part, I think. Rocky trails make for sore feet. The kids and Max did great though.

an old stone bridge in the camp built by the Marines

climbing on the giant rock right next to one of the buildings

Ocean was getting whiny, and complaining about being tired as we headed back up hill, so River gave him a helping hand for a bit.

Max didn't enjoy this narrow log crossing, but she managed to stay on it without falling (as did everyone else)

a little waterfall area. I'm betting the area below the falls is pretty nice to play in when it's warmer

When we got back home I worked on my sales page. I also realized my domain redirect/custom domain wasn't working still. I spent way too long trying to figure out why. The hardest part is figuring out the right questions to type into the help pages. Well, that and actually understanding what they're saying. CNAME, DNS, etc- I really have no clue what they do, even though I'm messing around with them. It took longer than I'd hoped, but I finally got it straightened out.

Sunshine heated up soup over a camp stove. Finding a flat rock to balance the stove on wasn't easy.

the gluten free english muffins were a bust (they really need to be toasted), but the gluten free bagels we ate on the trail for breakfast were surprisingly good, even untoasted. Canyon Bakehouse everything bagels, if you're wondering.

Cool twisted tree framing a small waterfall

fallen tree that twisted as it fell

Max is used to riding in the front passenger seat when I take her for runs/hikes, and she considers it her spot. She sat with Sunshine on the way to the park (though it was a tight fit), but Sunshine wouldn't let her sit with her on the way home since she'd been rolling in the dead leaves and splashing through the water. Max was upset about having to sit on the floor and sulked the whole way home. It was hilarious. Sunshine and I couldn't stop laughing.

refusing to look at us

She finally deigned to rest her head on Sunshine's lap, but still wouldn't look at us.

Sunday was brutal. I hate when the time changes. It always throws me off and messes up my routine (which I need so I can be functional). I was tired from the hike Saturday morning, I missed an hour of sleep, and I had a lot of meetings. It was not a restful Sunday, though most aren't these days.

Weekly Mileage

Monday-  1.82 miles hiked              .5 hours outside

Tuesday-  2.01 miles hiked              .5 hours outside

Wednesday- 1.82 miles hiked         .5 hours outside

Thursday-  1.97 miles hiked           .5 hours outside

Friday- 1.65 miles hiked                 2 hours outside

Saturday- 4.87 miles hiked             3.5 hours outside

       total- 14.14 miles              7.5 hours

2021 totals

51.0 outside hours

98.03 miles