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This Monday last year, Casa Brillig was en route to London for a short vacation before heading to Ethiopia to bring K2 home. The weekend prior was spent at a swim meet in Connecticut. This year we didn't need passports but we did spend the weekend at the pool...
The team K1 swims for now hosts meets regularly, and this one was a nice, well-run meet with a couple of local teams and one from Quebec. K1 was excited to swim, scheduled for 8 events over two days including several of her favorites (50 Free and 50 Fly) AND one event she's never swum before, the 200 Back.
I had a front-row seat for the action, as part of our commitment to the team is working every meet our child swims, so I had my regular spot timing in Lane 5. I can definitively say I've not seen her swim this well in a long time, and she's had a pretty good last few months. Six best times out of eight races, including a 6 second drop in her 100 Free, down to a 1:06 and a 0.05 second better in her 50 Free. She is desperately trying to break 30 seconds, and every little bit counts! Even her 200 Back was lovely; since she had no seed time she swam in the first heat. Her finish was good enough to beat four of the swimmers in the NEXT heat.
I'm proud of her times, yes... but I am prouder still of other things:
After her last event she was free to leave, but came to ask me if it was OK for her to "count" for her friend Julia's 500 Free - at 20 laps, they use a counter so the swimmer knows where they are in their race. Staying to do this meant an extra hour at the pool, but she said "Julia's my friend, and I'd want someone to do it for me."
She cheered on her teammates in their races, reveling in their best times and consoling those who were disqualified or didn't swim well. She tried out her rudimentary french on the Quebec team, handled minor crises well, and gave 110% all weekend.
That in itself is enough, but then I watched her in practice tonight, focused, driven, working hard (500-700 calories per 90' workout, according to her coaches!) and listening to the advice given. I remember a girl not so long ago who loved to have fun at practice. She's still there, but inside a young woman who has fun by doing her best every outing.
That's something to be proud of. And inspires her mother to do her best in what I do, too.
= = = = =
Let's see what the TC mailbox bringeth tonite...
From ScottyUrb:
abrauer explains the case of the exploding jar lid!
From Ed Tracey:
In the diary by bobswern about the Great Unraveling - this comment by trillian covers the Middle Class v. Rich divide.
From sardonyx:
In navajo's delicious diary American Indian Heritage Day: 11/26 Let's Eat!, cacamp has a smoked salmon story.
From Yours Truly, brillig:
Something the Dog Saidwonders in his diary wondering how Republicans have any credibility. Sun dog has an answer.
Top Mojo run via the magic of cskendrick and sardonyx:
Top 30 Comments excluding tip jars, first comments and stuff:
1) excellent diary bobs...I was reading that article by Badabing — 134
2) I think Bernie Sanders was our best Senator... by APA Guy — 127
3) Message to the president by Dallasdoc — 111
4) You've Essentially Said the Dem Party is Not by Gooserock — 109
5) The auto-tip jar thing by devtob — 108
6) True by Diogenes2008 — 106
7) One note before I continue reading by ActivistGuy — 93
8) They are given it by a dense media that repeats by voracious — 87
9) I <3 my Senators
by kestrel9000 — 84
10) I worked on fighting by BellaNJ — 81
11) ^^^this is why it no pact would survive^^^^ by citizenx — 79
12) Assasinations, cutting SS, by Uberbah — 76
13) The proof is in the policies... by APA Guy — 74
14) here it is Badabing the smoking gun... by ImpeachKingBushII — 74
15) Zog - the New GOP Spokesman by JekyllnHyde — 73
16) Canada's single payer began in one province by global citizen — 68
17) Basically by Nulwee — 67
18) A lie is halfway 'round the world before truth by halef — 66
19) Yup, it stops the growth of breast cancer by agnostic — 66
20) stupid, indefensible by Cedwyn — 65
21) yep but it's only 4 - where are the rest of them? by mrsgoo — 65
22) This is pure genius! by elwior — 62
23) Adding one deserving name to your list.... by Lupin — 62
24) Eerie similarities in the amount of open hate... by Larry Bailey — 61
25) Here's an idea by Dallasdoc — 60
26) A short answer might be that... by SJerseyIndy — 60
27) Pardon my French, but who the fuck does McCain... by APA Guy — 60
28) This goes to show what a crock of a movement the by Cleopatra — 59
29) Here's a more recent article... by Jahiz — 59
30) The GOP: Another Anti-Gay Hate Group by JekyllnHyde — 59
Top 30 Comments with no exclusions, aka the Tip Jar & Pooties list :-):
1) Tip Jar by bobswern — 416
2) Tip Jar by david mizner — 337
3) Tip Jar by Keith Pickering — 332
4) Tip Jar by Medeiros2010 — 269
5) Tips? Flames? by Something the Dog Said — 262
6) Tip jar by devtob — 258
7) Marijuana Prohibition is stupid and indefensible. by xxdr zombiexx — 225
8) Tip Jar by Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse — 221
9) Tip Jar by wade norris — 176
10) Important diary. by multi — 170
11) Calls, not Tips by Clarknt67 — 158
12) Tip Jar by indiemcemopants — 158
13) Tip Jar by slinkerwink — 136
14) T/J Just a quick diary for info by LaFeminista — 135
15) excellent diary bobs...I was reading that article by Badabing — 134
16) I think Bernie Sanders was our best Senator... by APA Guy — 127
17) Just fishing by Eddie C — 117
18) Message to the president by Dallasdoc — 111
19) You've Essentially Said the Dem Party is Not by Gooserock — 109
20) The auto-tip jar thing by devtob — 108
21) True by Diogenes2008 — 106
22) TIPS by Amber6541 — 94
23) One note before I continue reading by ActivistGuy — 93
24) They are given it by a dense media that repeats by voracious — 87
25) I <3 my Senators
by kestrel9000 — 84
26) Tip Jar by ThisIsMyTime — 83
27) I worked on fighting by BellaNJ — 81
28) ^^^this is why it no pact would survive^^^^ by citizenx — 79
29) Tip Jar by Bill McKibben — 79
30) Assasinations, cutting SS, by Uberbah — 78