Friday's Favorites Fare

Hamilton County 4-H Ten Year Members Awards - Matt right side of stage, second riser, yellow shirt. 

READING:   College materials, will it never end?  Matt is headed out to Junior Nationals in California in three weeks and after the meet is over, the college recruiting coaches are allowed to talk to the swimmers...would be nice if we knew the academic values of each school he is interested in going out there before all the swim talk ensues.  That's the plan.  Reading a bunch of odds and ends along with all this, will be happy when my regular reading time is back to what I love:  history/literature.

LISTENING TO:  Neil Young

COOKING BYTES:  I get more cooking/baking done because of Twitter than any other reason.  I have my Twitter limited to 30 gals, only ones I cook/bake with on a weekly basis in the blogalongs.  Each morning we check in and someone or other suggests something or other to bake or cook that day and before you know it others join in and we are all busy in our kitchens comparing notes and making food for our families.  Clarice (my computer) sits on the counter on those occasions.  It's like having friends in the kitchen with you.  A lot of them I have known for over two years so it's sort of like a little cooking family at this point.  Something to look forward to and enjoy each day since obviously one has to cook/bake at some point.

FAV NEW FIND:  Sometimes things you think you couldn't do come around in time and you can do them after all.     

FAV THING THIS WEEK:  Watching all the little swimmers come and go for their lessons each day, it's fun to see them all trying really hard and giving it all they have for "Mr. Matt."  They range in ages from 4-13.  It's also my father-in-law's 88th birthday today.  It starts off the birthday celebrating around here as Mark's is Monday and Matt's is the last day of the month.
GOING TO:  It's 4-H Exhibit and Fair time...for the first time in 31 years I have not been a leader and a project leader and it feels strange, I have to say, it feels very strange not to be up there in that capacity.  I think everyone else up there thinks it is very strange as well.   Matt turned in his very last 4-H project on Sunday and was awarded the Ten Year Member plaque (members are only allowed ten years) at the Queen Contest last week.  At any rate, we'll be going to the fair all weekend, to look at projects and what not, most of the "what not" being the guys liking to score fair food every day.  It's always fun to see all the projects the kids in our club turn in and others I have known through the years.  I can't believe how old my first 4-Hers are now and when I see them each year I wonder how they got so old and I didn't!  Matt is getting his senior photos taken today. On Tuesday we leave for USA Swimming Sectionals, fortunately they are at Purdue this year, but it still involves a loading up and travel trip mentality...home again next Saturday.  Okay, I rarely, if ever, admit this, being the IU person that I am, but my favorite place to watch a swim meet is at the Purdue pool as it is just great for swimming and watching, the windows so large, the ceilings so high, the gorgeous decor and diving well...it's my favorite pool.  Shhhh...don't tell anyone I said that, okay?    

PRAYING FOR:  Summer travelers, this is the start of the swimming competition season where all the swimmers are on all the roads all the time for the next three weeks, there are meets for every level of swimmer and our club has them at every level, safe travel and good times for ALL travelers, please join me.