New & Different

I bought a swim suit from Speedo (don't know that I mentioned it) that is a beginner adult swim suit. It looks and feels and smells just like the one I had in highschool. The only thing is that I don't look, feel or smell like I did in high school. But I thought that it wouldn't be too much to try and swim again. I found a beginners swim guide online and was able to print it up and put it in those plastic protectors so I could take it with me to the natatorium. I had my cap and googles from a hundred years ago. Swim gear on, bag in hand and guide for beginners: I was ready. I thought that I would be able to go on Monday, but my tire was leaking air for no aparent reason according to the tire guys who I sat and waited on for an hour and a half. By the time I was done with them, I was unable the pool was closed. So I went walking instead. I was afraid that I might not have the gumption to go, but turns out that I did. So I went on Tuesday and WOW! was that hard. It said that I was supposed to swim a total of 700 meters in thirty minutes, which I remember doing in high school no problem, but that was not true on Tuesday. I could only swim 300 meters in thirty minutes and felt like I was going to die. I was afraid my body was overreacting so I went walking too with Sherry (except that I can't find my tennis shoes so I had to wear her 11 year old daughter's shoes (both Monday and Tuesday!)!). --That was a lot of punctuation going on!-- Then on Wednesday I went again and this time I was able to do 500 meters, so hopefully today I will be able to do the full 700. Who knows. My Mom was right though: it is harder than I remember. At first I was a little self conscious about my body in a suit again, but then I had to take out my contacts and couldn't tell if anyone paid me any mind or not and my insecurity diminished. I forgot how much I like being in the water. It makes me feel like me. Like home.

In other news, Sherry's eleven (as of today) year old daughter who my parents graciously gave all their old childhood books to, is a ***TADA*** published author. She won a competition for a poem she wrote. Turns out that it is going to be published in a book of international children's work. WHOA!! Go Grace!! She also won the "Presidential Award" at school and recieved a letter from President and Laura Bush. Cool.

Didn't get to babysit Iris this week, but am on weekend duty on Friday night. She calls me "Ray-ray" which is sooooooo cute. She has been sick and snotty and hopefully will be better enough for us to go to the pool on Friday. I don't see her swimming 700 meters either, but I am sure bouncing up and down and squealing with glee will be on the agenda.

OH! I started eating baked potatoes!