another comp day

Only this time I didn't participate as a climber, but volunteered to belay instead. I did lead belaying for the 15-16 year old girls, who towered over me and mostly outweighed me, which was good for them, since it afforded them what is known as a "soft catch": If/when they fell, I went flying up off the ground, so they didn't go slamming into a wall. There were a few tense moments when one fumbled around too long at a clip, and another pulled up a lot of rope to try for a long clip, as well as the girl who eyed the route and announced that she didn't do too well leading and was probably going to fall. I cheerfully told her not to think that way before she'd even left the ground, that the first clip was not too hard to make; by gum, she managed it, and made advancement towards the second as well. Better than I did last year on my first onsight lead last year, when I fell off the fourth hold and hit the deck! (Explains part of why I was a volunteer this year rather than a participant...) Well, we got free lunch, and the satisfaction of having helped the kids compete safely.
Went off for a spot o' sushi with the dear spouse, as well as a little walk about and a cocktail, in view of some basketball playoff game. We stopped by our local Japanese patisserie, to gather up a few items for tomorrow's early breakfast, and got a delightful raspberry-filled meringue thrown in for the bargain. A delectible evening all around.