Grandma's Kitchen Table

Getting Ready for Championship Season

 

      Team Indiana at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado in June.  Matt is the first one on the left side in the fourth row.  You are on your own to figure out everyone else! 

      It's been a bit busy around here and my posting has been somewhat erratic, so am hoping that I can do a little in the way of catching up with that in the next few days and keep more on track. 

      The CSC OTC swimmers had a great time out in Colorado training at the Olympic Training Center.  Josh, Daniel, and Mike at left at the Garden of the Gods. 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

        Matt returned with lots of information and various different methods of various different aspects of his swimming world.  Daniel, Matt, and Harrison above right.  Daily treck to and from the pool from the dorms below left. 

      Matt said he felt strong, deck entered two swims at the Fishers meet the following weekend, and got a new best time in his 50 Freestyle, so he was very happy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nik and Stevie, and some other random photos of the OTC experience...a most wonderful opportunity for any swimmer.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      Pool shots and Harrison and Matt, being, well, Harrison and Matt. 

 

 

Word on the Streets is They are Having a GREAT Time

       Yep, from all phone calls back home to our house and all the other swimmers' houses, and even the word on the streets is that the OTC swimmers are having a GREAT time in Colorado.  I have two photos sent from Matt's phone yesterday, which are not the best in clarity, but I'll post them anyway as they are all reading this out there and hoping to see photos of themselves posted.  (At the top in the rings are: Blue: Chris J.; Black: Harrison W; Red: Mike V. and Mali K.; Yellow: Dion L; Green: Matt and Allie D.) 

      A cute thing Matt shared: they are most delighted with their USA Olympic passes which not only contain those words, but also grant them access to and around the center.  Being swimmers who exercise hard and like to eat, the passes entitle them to go into the cafeteria and get food any time they want it without charge.  One thing I have learned over the past few years with teenage boys is that life is about sports and food, and occasionally other things as long as the sports and food have been taken care of first. 

      Matt said that the high altitude in Colorado Springs makes exercising, swimming, dryland, and stairs difficult...just breathing properly has become an issue.  Coaches tell them that once they get through this week, returning home, the practices will seem easy because of this week's training at that altitude.  We have a swim meet coming up, so if that results in new best times, so much the better. 

     Photo at right is Mali K, Matt G, Allie D, and Chris J checking out a toboggan.

     Today they were going white water rafting for the afternoon and the excitement about the prospect of doing that was running extremely high. 

      The time has just flown by so quickly for them...in another few days they will be flying home.  Enjoy the days left, Swimmers...we miss you terribly back here, but we are so proud of you all for achieving this trip and this opportunity!

Words Are Few and Far Between

       Haven't heard much from the swimmer out in Colorado because they keep them incredibly busy each day. 

      I guess that's good, but I miss the kid.  There are leftovers in this house.  No one volunteers to run to the store for me.  I have to do things like pump the rain off the pool cover.  And, well, I just miss him being around. 

      He did call Sunday and gush about the wonderful time he is having for eight minutes. 

      He sent these two photos from his phone.  I have to admit, he looks pretty good against that Colorado rugged mountain scenery. 

      The photo of the four boys on the rock is one from Sunday morning after Mass.  Tony took the Catholic boys to Mass with him and then showed them around the area of Seven Falls which they thought was a great deal.  

Back row: Cameron and Matt; Front row: Stevie and John. 

      He says his swim times are good and he is learning a lot.  He says the time is going too fast.  Sounds like it is everything he hoped for and more. 

      Lauren, if you are reading this, TAKE PHOTOS for me as the guys will come home with either NONE or "guy photos" of crazy things.  We miss you all!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

       Pretend it's Thursday.  That's about how far I am behind in blogging things happening around here.  So, it's Thursday, June 11th, 2009, at about 5:10 a.m. at the Indianapolis airport and Team Indy is getting ready to take off for Colorado and the Olympic Training Center.  27 Girls, 27 Boys. 

      CSC had the honor of having ten boys selected from their group of elite swimmers.  Matt was lucky enough to be one of them. 

      We barely slept through the night as we were so excited to just get going.  We were up at 4:00 a.m. more from the excitement than from the raging stormy weather, although it was a close call.  We drove through rain, lightening, thunder, and road construction to get to the airport on time. 

      I had barely enough time to line up the guys (the girls were scattered all over the area chatting), for a group photo of the ten CSC boy OTC swimmers.  Remember this was about 5:10 a.m. and all these guys are looking pretty happy to be getting on that plane that early in the morning. I've seen them plenty of times at that hour of the morning, but never looking quite this happy at that hour.  Congratulations, guys...we all hope you have a wonderful time and bring home some new best times.

      Reading left to right:  John S, Daniel H, Josh J, Nik A, Matt G, Mike V, Harrison W, Jonathan A, Stevie S, and Tyler G.

The Word is Out...

      The word is out, the requests have been pouring in, and while we weren't sure if we were posting Taylor as the "girl" friend or the "girlfriend," here is a nice photo from this evening of Matt and the lovely Taylor, The Girlfriend. 

      Taylor is the same age as Matt, has just completed her sophomore year of high school (at CHS) like Matt (at GCHS), attends St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church like Matt, is a dedicated sports-minded person like Matt, although gymnastics would be Taylor's venue while swimming is Matt's, and best of all, is sweet and cute, like Matt (okay, I am a little bit prejudiced in this area). 

      They have been going out to dinner and watching a movie one night a week since about February, and as Matt's curfew is 11:00, we have been able to keep a fairly close track on it all. 

      While I wasn't sure I was ready for a "girlfriend" type thing, seeing one another just one night a week for a few hours has been fairly painless for an over-protective mother.   Matt has good taste:  she is a lovely girl with a good heart.  They both seem to have their priorities all in the right places...and as parents, we couldn't ask for more at this age. 

      So whether we are ready or not, these days there is now a girl in Matt's life who he thinks quite a lot of...and as we get to know her, so do we.

 

The Doubling Line

      When I joined the new bread baking blog along, Bread Baker's Apprentice, I joined because I wanted to learn how to bake bread and also because a few of my fellow Tuesdays with Dorie bakers were joining and encouraging me to do so also.  

      I have "met" any number of fun people through the cooking/baking blog alongs.  We all bake/cook with the same people each week, and we all have a lot of fun and giggles when things don't turn out, and celebrate with each other when they do work out, etc.   We have learned about each other, each other's families and jobs, etc. and we all love to feed our families and loved ones! 

      And, then...entered a dangerous thing.  Twitter.  You all know about Twitter?  Twitter is a chit chat group on the internet where members can relay short bits of conversation, sort of like a phone call, only you type it in 140 characters or less.  It's free. 

      Turns out this is very helpful when one is cooking/baking and has questions about a technique, ingredient, subbed ingredient, etc., so I signed up for Twitter (the Whisk Chicks are always up-to-date on these types of things and it is really hard to say "no" when they have a mission).   The dangerous part comes because Clarice (my computer) sits on the counter during the day and as I pass by, I can answer emails, write posts, and chit chat on Twitter about the recipes, etc. A few of us are even timing our baking so that we can chat as we bake together in our own kitchens.  I have limited my following to fellow bakers/cooks who are doing the same recipes that I am doing, so that lessens the dangers of it becoming too time consuming. 

      Last week we were discussing the upcoming bagels for BBA and a few days later, Nancy from Atlanta, sent me a little surprise in the mail...malt powder for the recipe as she knew I wouldn't possibly have a clue what it was, let alone have it on hand.   Very kind and thoughtful of her. 

      This week, Wendy, after a discussion that we were all having about bread rising buckets, again, I was perfectly clueless what that might be and why one might need that, packaged up an extra one that she had, filled it with goodies from TJ's (her "favorite snacks" as she called them) and sent it to me from California.  The bread rising bucket (pictured above) is nice deal...you put your dough in the bucket, which has straight sides and lines for measuring on it, and then you can tell when your dough has "doubled" when it reaches the doubling line.  Takes all the guessing out of the procedure as you can actually see it has doubled in volume.  Judging from the snacks she sent, Wendy likes things HOT! 

     Cathy and I are exchanging things in a very creative and fun way celebrating holidays, like Victoria Day, and National Devil's Food Cake Day, etc., those in the know will giggle about this, those that don't will just think Cathy is an extremely generous person, and she is. 

     Thank you Nancy, Wendy, and Cathy, for being such thoughtful and kind baking buddies.  Friendship, camaraderie, and now gifts...who knew?

 

A Few Lines About This and A Few About That

      Photo:  My lilac bush with blooming lilacs for CP as I can't seem to get it to load where it was actually supposed to end up...See, Caitlin, lilacs just for you! 

      All day Saturday Matt had an gig up at CHS where all the Olympic Training Center swimmers from Indiana got together to train a little, get all their forms turned in, meet one another, meet the coach going along (happens to be the CSC head coach: Chris, so that's nice), etc.  It started at 9:00 with dryland training an hour before.  

      Matt called home at 8:20 and said, "You both need to come up here as soon as possible."  Panic.  "Why?"  "Because apparently neither of you can read directions on how to fill out all these forms and you have to redo them.  Now." 

      He was a bit mortified that amongst all 54 swimmers, his were the only parents who had to be summoned to the practice because of faulty form-filling-out abilities.  The forms were to be filled out in black ink...we used a lovely shade of blue ink on ours.  Not acceptable.  We both looked at the instructions and somehow missed in BIG BOLD WRITING the words:  FILL OUT FORMS IN BLACK INK ONLY.  Oops.  16 year old boys are not amused by things of this nature.  At all.   

      We spent the weekend cleaning (still not done with spring cleaning the upstairs and at this rate, it could become summer cleaning, too many distractions), doing yard work (the guys handled this), cooking for Whisk and TWD (that would be me, of course), and generally just going from this to that. 

      Pool is not open...to protect the not-so-innocent, I will just say that it is rescheduled for next week. 

      Oh, Alex cleaned his room...dusted, vacuumed, straightened, cleaned, brought down six loads of laundry that he "just found laying around," and two bags of "stuff I don't need."  Wow.  I haven't seen his actual carpet in probably three years.  That was one of the battles I just chose not to pick and resigned myself to the fact that his room did have a door that closed to keep it all contained and out of my sight.  Looking good in there.  Who knew?

      Matt had an IYC concert in Columbus, Indiana today.  While they give the singers detail sheets and driving directions, Cassie and Danielle forgot to look at them, couldn't find them, or whatever, and drove to Columbus, OHIO instead (about 3-4 hours away instead of 1 hour away), not realizing they were in the wrong state, let alone wrong city, until they called home to figure out where the concert venue was located in "downtown Columbus."  You really need to know Cassie and Danielle to understand how such a thing could even happen...there is no end to the entertainment value those two have inadvertently provided in ICC/IYC over the years. 

      And, so I leave you on this quiet Sunday evening (okay, not so quiet as we are forced to mow the lawn on a Sunday due to all the rain we have had and are going to have), and wish you a very lovely week ahead. 

 

Working the Line

      Our friends Laurie and Ali always give Buddy (husband/father) very interesting birthday gifts. 

      Last year, for instance, they gave him a suite at the Indians' baseball game.  Buddy and at least a dozen of his friends had a wonderful evening.  To top it all off, they had arranged for him to throw out the first pitch of the game. 

      This year they gave him a sushi making class with a chef at a sushi restaurant here in Indy. 

      At the CSC Swim Banquet Brunch on Sunday, we got to hear all about the experience, and Buddy sent a few photos to me. 

      The entire experience sounded like such fun, I thought I would share the photos with you just in case anyone is searching for an interesting and unique gift for a loved one.  Sushi making class looks like a lot of fun judging from the smiles on their faces and just look...they made all those and more!  Buddy is holding a plate of sushi designed to look like a dragon.

      This is such a great photo of both Buddy and Laurie..."MFEO" as they say in the movie Sleepless in Seattle...Made For Each Other.  A very fun birthday!

 

Before the CSC Brunch Banquet

      Matt and his USA swim coach, Chris P.  Last year, I predicted that Matt would be as tall as Chris this year...I will let you be the judge!  I think Chris is 6'4". 

     Our annual CSC banquet was yesterday, a brunch honoring all the swimmers and their families (Matt, Mike and Daniel at right)...around 300 swimmers in our club, so that's a big undertaking, and a whole lot of people and chatting for a morning. 

      We look forward to this each year and enjoy seeing the swimmers and their families.   

      In photo in back:  Daniel, Jonathan, Matt, Nick, Harrison; in front:  Mike, John, and Peter.    

      Matt F. missed being in the guys photo, but didn't mind posing with some of the girls.  Left to right:  Margaret, Lauren, Matt F., Taylor, Erica, Jessie, and Sarah.

      I confess, my knowledge these days gravitates more toward the older swimmers rather than the younger ones...the club encompasses swimmers from age 6 to high school, with some college student alums coming back in the summers to swim again for long course with the club. 

      My friend Jan and I were marveling at how our boys were all the size of the littlest ones when they were just starting out in swimming, and now...well, our boys are some of the tallest, Johnny being a junior this year, and Matt a sophomore. (Jan and Johnny at right.) 

      The speeches from the graduating seniors now bring tears to our eyes and lumps to our throats, whereas many years prior to this, they were just nice inspiring stories.  Now we are saying goodbye to kids we have known and been swimming with for ten years. 

      Jessie (pictured at left with Lauren and Carly) gave the girls' speech and Josh (JJ) gave the boys' speech.  Jessie's was sweet and meaningful, and while Josh's was all that, it was also very humorous, as is fitting for JJ. 

      Josh is an amazing swimmer...most all of the swimmers come up through the ranks, from the time they are 6 and 7.  Josh, however, just started swimming four years ago and is one of the best CSC has...national times, etc., and next year he will swim in college for Ohio State.  

      In his speech he recalled how he was playing in the backyard four years ago and his parents saw Michael Phelps being interviewed on tv, the interviewer pointing out that Michael's arm span was greater than his height, etc.  Sherry and Larry called Josh in, told him to hold out his arms, started measuring, and said, "You aren't going to like this maybe, but from now on, you are going to swim!"  And, so he did...working his way up very quickly to national time status. 

      Another photo of some of the guys, this one with Josh as he was not in the first, also including another fan favorite, Charles.  Left to right:  John, Dan, Matt, Nick, Josh (JJ), Mike, and Charles. 

      We have come to enjoy watching JJ's career soar as he lives across the way from us, swims the same swims Matt does, and is just a whole lotta fun to be around.  It won't be the same at meets with JJ gone next year. 

      So, here are photos of swimmers, etc.  Laurie, Ali, and Buddy at right, and last, but not least, a shot of the two singer swimmers, Matt and Ali. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

      A lot of noticeable gaps here as I could not get around the room with so many people and the swimmers are all like trying to nail jello to the wall to have them stand still for photos while they are busy socializing.  Sometimes I can pin them down for photos after the banquet, but not this year as they all drive, and they were headed out as soon as things wrapped up for other things, jobs, choir, etc.  This was the best I could do this year.  Enjoy!  (You can click on all photos to enlarge.)

 

After the Confirmation

       Megan was confirmed this year, and while the lily invasion prevented me from attending the actual Mass, which was conveniently located just beyond my backyard, I did get to go to Megan's party after the Confirmation night and be a part of the celebration in that manner yesterday.  (I am very allergic to lilies.  The church had 300 pots of lilies, each with 8-10 blooms emitting millions of spores, so I am sure you can do the math and figure out that probably was not going to work.)  

      Proud parents, Shelley and Brian, had a very lovely party for Megan, with fun guests, and great food and punch which Shelley swears was not spiked, but there was a whole lot of giggling going on, so I am not sure I can trust her on this.  Just kidding, it was just a very fun time and a most enjoyable way to spend a Sunday afternoon.  

     The photo is Megan proudly showing off her Confirmation certificate.  I can't believe she is this age already...they all do have a way of growing up quickly, don't they?  Megan is a really wonderful girl and we are so proud to know her and to be able to watch her becoming the lovely young lady she is becoming.  Congratulations on your Sacrament, Megan!

       

 

In Front of the Restaurant

      Molly and Matt in front of the restaurant where we had breakfast recently...the two Godchildren, friends since birth, Molly the elder by just two months.  Molly's mom, Cindy, is Matt's Godmother, and I am Molly's Godmother, and we have enjoyed photographing them through the years together...when they were younger, our plan was to marry them off after college, but since each seems to view the other more like a brother or sister, that plan has pretty much been shelved over the years.  It's fun to watch them grow up together, though.  Lots of photos through the years of lots of fun times. 

      That was my first favorite thing to share today...the second is this:  this morning I did not have to be anywhere until 9:30, so after everyone left the house for work and school, I decided that I was going to just snuggle under the warm covers with my book and read until 8:30.  It was raining and dark and dreary, however, I do love the sound of rain falling against the roof and windows, so I just read my book and listened to the sounds of the rain falling for an hour...it was really nice.  I am very lucky.  I hope you had a lovely day, too.

Above the World, Across the Canyon, Past all Reason

A little spring break photographic evidence of a certain judge (with the professor wife and the swimming/singing daughter, who are both naturally adventurous and daring without additional means of encouragement) whose daring exploits, courtesy of an uncertain amount of quaffing and questionable reasoning skills, can only be seen to be believed.  Here is the evidence...as a true friend, I will leave it to you to discern from said source exactly how much quaffing was necessary for such a feat.  From higher ideals to higher ideas!

Behind

      Last swim of the last session of the last day...all that's left on deck are the freestylers:  Harrison, Michael, Nick, JJ, and Matt, Coach Chris P., Coach Ian, and Coach Chris W. 

      Zones are now behind us.  The 100 Freestyle finals were the last events on the last day.   

      Matt swam a respectable 54.13, not a better time than this morning, but better than the 55.22 he was seeded at as he went into the meet at the beginning of the weekend.  The swimmers are rejoicing, having a bit of fun after a job well done.

      With the swimming behind us, we can now start officially getting in the Spring Break frame of mind.  Before we part for a week, I thought I would enlighten those of you who are sending emails inquiring as to the theme of this month's titles for the GKT posts and can't quite figure out the common bond linking the words.  The title words:   Over, Past, Above, From, Since, Through, Between, During, After, Among, and Behind are all prepositions.  That's the link...prepositions. 

      Have a great week!

 

Among

      Matt and Nick having a great time at the meet this morning...great swims make very happy swimmers and coaches!

      This has to be among the top best swim meets Matt has ever had to date.  Another new best time, this time in the 100 Freestyle. 

      He went in at 55.22 and clocked a 53.87 this morning, which earned him the fastest time of the CSC boys, something he has never done in the 100 Freestyle before. 

      It also earned him his second Olympic Trial Camp time, so he is keeping his fingers crossed between now and the time the letters come out that he will get an invitation to the Olympic Trial Camp this summer. 

      He finished 14th, so that means he is among those in the consolation final this evening.  Between now and then he has IYC choir rehearsal...they are getting ready for their New York City tour in June.   

      He also swam the 400 Freestyle Relay this morning...shown suiting up and lining up are Nick (in front), JJ, Harrison, and Matt behind.  They finished fourth.

      We are almost finished with the swimming for the short course season.  In two weeks we start practices back up for the long course season, which will carry us through August.

      It's cold and rainy here today...with some talk of maybe a few snowy bits flying around later.  Good day for the LAST fire of the season in the fireplace (she says hopefully) while I watch the MSU game this afternoon. I need Oklahoma to win tonight for any hope of staying alive in the NCAA pool at Mark's office, as I had rather a little more faith in Jim B. and the boys of Orange than perhaps I should have entertained this year, but sometimes you just vote with your heart! 

      The swimming can only get better if somehow this evening he manages to take another eight tenths of a second off that time and get a Junior National cut.  We are definitely not pinning any hopes on this tonight, but if it happens, that would take this meet from "among" the best to "over the top!"

      Hope you are having an enjoyable Sunday!

 

After

      Getting into these fancy racing suits is no easy feat.  It takes a swimmer, a friend or two, and at least one coach to get it all assembled.  I don't know how they swim in those things!  Matt and Stevie getting suited up for the 100 Backstroke this evening.

      After the letdown this morning in the 100 Backstroke, Matt went back tonight with a renewed commitment to get a new best time in that swim.  He did it!  He went in at 1:01.63, and tonight he clocked 1:00.63, a whole second faster than his seed time and a new best time for him, about a half second off that elusive Junior National cut in that swim, but we have a couple months to try and get there.   (Photos are shots of Matt's 100 back tonight...he is the one leading down the return stretch in the first photo and then he is shown hitting the pad for a first place in that heat.)     

       He ended up finishing 17th for the meet, but in actual time, he was 9th overall.  I will try to explain this:  when you swim pre-liminaries, you swim for a time to swim in one of the finals heats.  There is a top finals heat (8 swimmers), a consolation finals heat (8 more swimmers), and a bonus finals heat (8 more swimmers), for a total of 24 swimmers.  Then there are two alternates in place in case someone scratches or gets ill. 

      Once you qualify in pre-lims and you are placed in one of those three heats for finals, you cannot move up in placings between the groups.  Only the top heat can place for podium and medals.  The next two heats can only place in their respective heats. 

      What this means, is that you cannot "jump" into another heat if you swim a better time than someone in that heat in finals.  You can only place in your heat.  So, while Matt's morning swim was not his best, he did make the bonus heat and he could only place in the bonus heat this evening. 

      That said, he swam very well this evening and his time was the 9th best for the day.  So, while he finished 17th for the meet, his time was a 9th place finish.  And, once you get a new best time, it's YOURS, you get to keep it until you get another new best time.   

       Photo at right is a bit of fun while they were warming up for the relay swim...warming up or goofing off, sometimes it is hard to tell!  Tylor, Stevie, John, Matt, and JJ. 

      They swam the 400 Medley Relay tonight and Matt swam in the B relay...you swim 100 meters of one of the four major strokes, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle...and you are placed on a relay depending on what stroke you swim best.  Matt's strokes are the freestyle and the backstroke.  JJ got the backstroke for the A relay and Stevie got the freestyle for the A relay as they both had better times than Matt in those two swims, so he swam the anchor (freestyle) for the B relay.    

     Matt (blue cap red C) on the block ready to swim anchor for the relay.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      The photo shows the pool as Matt is leading the way back toward the finish.  And, the accompanying photo shows Matt touching the pad and their relay winning the heat.  It is very exciting when your swimmer gets to swim the anchor leg of a relay and brings it home.  

 

      The best part is that he did his "leg" in a :53 something and that is the fastest he has ever gone in a 100 freestyle, so he is hoping tomorrow in the 100 free he can get close to that.  An exciting evening after all! 

      So, Aunt Karen, are you feeling the excitement, breathing the chlorine, aware of just how much you have been sitting on bleachers, etc. all weekend so far?? Do you feel like you are there?  (Aunt Karen likes these scrapbook posts as she says since she can't be there, it makes her feel like she was there just seeing it all.)  

      And after this, I am heading to bed because we have one more day of swimming...the 100 Freestyle tomorrow.  And after that...a two week break!!!

 

 

Since

      Since it's Saturday night, and since the guys enjoy hanging out in the Men's Den playing any number of video games, and since I had a freezer full of numerous cartons of excellent ice cream, and since they all love ice cream, it seemed like a good way to add to the evening, and definitely a good use for all that ice cream!

      It's been that kind of evening around here...NCAA games, teens hanging out, my very excellent book available for time outs and such. 

      Hope you are all enjoying yourselves at your house, since it is the weekend and all! 

      (In the photo:  Matt, Mike, Nick, and Josh; Not in the photo:  Harrison, who arrived too late for the group photo.)

From

       Our little Whisk Wednesdays group has gotten to be quite fun.  There are less than a dozen of us, which makes the group seem small and cozy.  We all love to cook, but we are all busy with lives that keep us on the move and occupied, so there isn't a lot of pressure to "get posted or get out," each week, although posting is definitely preferred, everyone is pretty laid back and not into finding fault.  (Thank goodness or I would have been ousted long ago!)

      While what you all see is the completed dish each week (or in my case,  whenever I can get around to it), we also have a site where the members can post questions, answers, thoughts, share whatever they want at the time, and sometimes just a bit of chit chat each week.  This has been such fun for me as the other members are entertaining as well as enlightening about all the cooking they are doing in their kitchens.    

      Through this little venue, Michelle organized a swap to add some cheer into the cold winter days we were having...okay, Glennis lives in California, but we let her play anyway...  The assignment was to have a secret partner (Michelle matched everyone up) and to send your partner something(s) that was/were your kitchen favorite(s).  

      Melissa drew my name and here is the box of goodies that she sent to me! 

      Since we all don't really know each other, except through the group, we were busy reading each other's blogs trying to come up with things we liked, but also things that our partner might not already have or might enjoy owning a new version of the item. 

      Melissa knew I liked to scrapbook and make cards, so she sent some items along those lines. 

      She sent a very cool cutting board, which I do not own any like this, and believe me, I have a dozen cutting boards (seriously), all of which I like for different things and use exclusively for those different things...don't ask...LOL, so I am excited with this new one as the surface is really different and very enjoyable to use.  It is my new vegetable cutting board.  One of the nicest  things is that it has a hole in the corner (like a paint palate) so that when you are transferring the vegetables from cutting to the pan, for instance, you can insert your thumb in the hole and the grip is perfect for doing that task...hard to describe, just go to the store and check this out...it is wonderful.  She sent the 12 by 9 size which is the perfect size for my family when I cut vegetables.  It's knife-friendly, non-porous, eco select, dishwasher safe, heat resistant, natural wood fiber....okay, just go check this out at the cooking store:  Epicurean Cutting Surfaces...I love this already and the next size up is going on my birthday request list as sometimes I have very big vegetables, like fennel and squash and those huge zucchinis you get in the summer, etc.  So great.

      Included also were some new dishtowels in my kitchen colors, always nice to have new dishtowels. 

      She included a salt and pepper grinder which operates with just one hand...I do not have one that uses just one hand for holding/grinding, so this is terrific!   Being Melissa, she wasn't certain the peppercorns that came in the grinder would be any of good quality, so she swung by Penzy's and got a package of her favorites for me.  How nice was that? 

      I love the shopping tote that she sent, handmade by someone she knows, such a great fabric, and I use these kinds of bags for all my shopping, grocery and otherwise, on a weekly basis: mine, of course, not being this stylish and fun, so this is a very nice treat to have such a lovely tote. 

      And, since she knows I am a little bit bookish (read that A LOT bookish), she found a book entitled Things Cooks Love and included that for me...the book was a lot of fun to read, filled with interesting, and educational information...a good read...I would know, as I have been doing that instead of cooking my Whisk Wednesdays food the last couple of weeks...the book is portable and can go with me anywhere, my kitchen is not!  That's my story as to why I have finished the book and not the cooking. 

      Thank you so much, Melissa, you came up with an entire box of wonderful surprises and I will use each and every one of them with the added pleasure of knowing they came from you and our little group of Whisk Chicks.

      If you would like to see what the others received in their boxes, you can click on the Whisk Wednesdays site and then click on each blogger from the Blogroll and they have them posted on their sites.  Michelle, this was tons of fun...thanks for organizing it!

Above

        Before we lay to rest the 2009 boys high school swim season, I have one more post that I wanted to do about it all.  It's about our Head Coach, of course.   While those who see us often, know how much we think of Roch...I have had to remain a little quiet here in blogland throughout the season. 

       Last year, Roch fell into our laps from the sky...seriously, we were six weeks into the swim season with no coach and weren't sure if we were even going to have a meet to swim in to qualify for sectionals.  Then HE appeared...the coach to end all coaches. 

       Okay, that might be a bit of an exaggeration because we do have Chris P and Ian over at CSC and believe me, THEY, too, are the coaches to end all coaches...as are the rest of the coaches at CSC.

       Roch fits right in with the best...we could never pay this man what he is worth in the coaching world.   He always goes above and beyond anything required.   He crunches numbers, he reads everything known to man on the subject of swimming and times and events and swimmers, etc.  He has coached all levels, including college.  He is absolute gold. 

      So, when we heard that he would be doing a bit of traveling for his job during the high school swim season, and probably would not be able to coach Matt this year, we were very sad.  How on earth could we come up with anyone like Roch? 

      Then, he took a step back, we took a step back, and both kinda said at the same time...."Well, maybe we could....." and somehow, with all the crazy schedules, crazy practice times, crazy communications, and the help of Mary Lynn Voigt who would volunteer to be the Assistant Coach and cover what could not be covered when Roch was on business...somehow with all that...we had our Head Coach back for this year. 

      He coached from Indiana, he coached from Alabama, he coached from (believe it or not) Thailand via Skype, and all points in between, texting us during sectionals from airports in Texas and Florida.  I'm not really sure all the places he was when we would get emails, text messages, Skype calls, phone calls, etc.  I just know he made it all happen. 

      Everything was documented, turned in on time, filed, dated, and delivered.  And, while he was not able to make sectionals (since he was in Thailand), he did make it back for all the state events. 

      We chuckled the whole season:  One Swimmer, Two Coaches, International coaching...it was quite a ride.   We are ever so grateful.  Roch has a way of inspiring the whole person in Matt as a swimmer. 

      It was Roch who suggested having "Totus Tuus" on the state shirt...Guerin's motto this year taken from Pope John Paul II's Apostolic motto of the same.  It means "Totally yours" in Christ through the Trinity and With Mary.  That's the kind of coaching Roch is able to pull off and the kind of inspiration that can convince a sophomore that he CAN get to state in both events, he CAN place in the top 16 in both events, and he CAN do it again next year.   And Roch is all about giving proper credit where proper credit is due:  Totus Tuus.

      For a truly wonderful year, we have ALL Matt's coaches, Guerin and CSC, to thank...and for making a high school swim season possible at Guerin, we have Roch to thank, for without him, it never would have happened.  We are incredibly lucky...or as Roch would say, "Rich in Providence."  Rich indeed.

 

What's Up?

       The team moms at CHS all decorate the swimmers' lockers, etc.  Since I am the "team" mom at GCHS for our team of one, I made him a poster of sorts for his locker for this week, pictured at the left.  He was happy with it.  At least the kids will know he made sectionals!

        The 2009 Indiana High School Boys Swimming Sectionals begin today!   Here's a little preview going into tonight:  Meet starts at 5:30 at the CHS pool (they alternate pools yearly, so this year happens to be in Matt's home practice pool, which can be good, i.e. you know where all the bathrooms and refreshments are located and you are used to swimming there, and it can be not so good as there is a certain amount of complacency that develops when you are swimming somewhere so familiar).  Prelims are tonight; Finals are Saturday, State is next Friday and Saturday at the Nat in Indy. 

      There are about a dozen high schools represented...from the very large (that would be Carmel) to the very small (that would be Guerin).  It's a tough sectional, one of the toughest, if not THE toughest in the state.  Swimmers can swim two swims and relays (Guerin, of course, does not have a relay as it would not be possible for Matt to swim, jump out, dive back in, swim the next leg, etc. etc.). 

      Matt's two swims are the 200 Freestyle and the 100 Backstroke.  He is seeded first in the 200 Free and third in the 100 Back.  The two seeded ahead of him in the Back are CHS swimmers, fellow CSC teammates of his:  JJ (a senior) and Nick (a junior), both absolutely fantastic swimmers...JJ is going to swim in college at Ohio State next year.  

      I just want you to know that I am more nervous than Matt is...by the end of the evening, I will have absolutely no fingernails left to speak of.   

      Here is a blonding photo from the party last Sunday for the CHS swimmers.  Some of the guys look very very different, Charles and Johnny look exactly the same before and after! 

      I had several emails remarking on my comment in another post about the CHS boys being so cordial to Matt and asking why I found that amazing.  Hmmm...well, here's why:  The CHS girls team is outstanding (obviously winning 23 state championships will back me up on that).  The CHS boys team has always been ranked very high and is very competitive also.  Both teams feed from the Carmel Swim Club. 

      At the high school level, several of the top boy swimmers have chosen to go to private prep schools and not Carmel High School, leaving the boys high school team without some of their top CSC teammate swimmers...i.e. Daniel, Stevie, Matt, Harrison, Scott...with those five not eligible for the Carmel High School team because of their/their parents' choices to attend other high schools, there could be hard feelings from the CHS swimmers, as with those five swimmers on that CHS high school team, there isn't another school in the state that could touch them for the state championship...with those five swimmers, CHS would have both the girls' and the boys' titles. 

      That said, the swimmers and coaches could have chosen to harbor a little wishing that those five were swimming for CHS, but they don't hold it against these swimmers at all, and in fact, go out of their way to make sure everyone feels the same camaraderie they all feel during the USA team meets.  Priceless, believe me.  We are very lucky. 

      Tonight I will be cheering just as hard for the CHS swimmers as the GCHS swimmer...it's a swim family thing as we have been swimming with these boys for ten years.  At this point, they are all "my kid" in the water!  Go guys!  Swim New Best Times!

 

                           

 

Top Row:  Mike V, Charles, Johnny B., John S.

Bottom Row:  Jack, Nick, Jimmy V., Cameron 

Who, What, When, Where: Part III

Congratulations!

Sent to me from Paul, CSC Board Member and CHS Swimming Parent:

Subject: 2009 IHSAA Girl's Swimming State Champions

The Carmel High School Girl's Swimming & Diving Team captured is 23rd consecutive IHSAA State Championship this afternoon at the IU Natatorium.  The win establishes a new National Record for consecutive state championships by all female sports.  The Hounds did not disappoint the hundreds of loyal supporters that packed the east side of the Nat. 

Some of the highlights:

200 Yard Medley Relay Champions: Jessie Hammes, Lauren Stauder, Devon Mason, Megan Detro (1:41.68) - New School, State, and National High School Record

200 Yard Freestyle Champion: Logan Mason (1:48.99) - New School Record

200 Yard Individual Medley Champion: Trish Regan (2:01.83) - New School Record

50 Yard Freestyle Champion: Megan Detro (:23.47)

100 Yard Butterfly: Jessie Hammes prelim time of :54.50 was a New School Record

500 Yard Freestyle Champion: Lauren Jordan (4:53.95)

200 Yard Freestyle Relay Champions: Megan Detro, Jessie Hammes, Logan Mason, Trish Regan (1:31.75) - New School, State, and National High School Record

100 Yard Backstroke Champion: Jessie Hammes (:55.29) - time of :55.02 in prelims was a School Record

100 Yard Breaststroke: Lauren Stauder finals swim of 1:02.84 - New School Record

400 Yard Freestyle Relay Champions: Carly Marshall, Logan Mason, Rhiannon Sheets, and Trish Regan (3:24.22) - New School and State Record

In total, the girls captured all three relay championships, 5 individual championships, set 9 School Records, 3 State Records, and 2 National Records.  The point total of 427 was the most scored by a girl's team in IHSAA history.  Head Coach, Chris Plumb won the Coach of the Year Award and Senior Jessie Hammes won the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award. 

Who, What, When, Where, PART II: CHS Wins 23!

From Bob Kravitz' article in the Indy Star:

Today, though, the country's most overwhelming sports dynasty -- in high school, college or the pros -- belongs to the Carmel High School girls swimming and diving team.

With Saturday's dominant, record-setting performance, the Greyhounds won their 23rd straight state championship -- yes, 23rd -- establishing themselves as the longest-standing active sports dynasty in the United States.

Twenty-three.

Consider this: The seniors on the 1987 team who began this run are now . . . 40 years old. Just don't ask them for an ID.

And you thought this was a basketball state.

He goes on to say a lot more, explain the USA Carmel Swim Club "feeder system" for the high school, and various other fun facts. 

      It is always difficult for those who know us to understand the difference between the Carmel High School Swim Team (CHS) and the Carmel Swim Club Team (CSC).   They practice in the same pool at the Carmel High School and are made up of mostly the same swimmers. 

      The high school team is made up of swimmers at Carmel High School, most of who are also members of the year-round USA Carmel Swim Club team. 

      The Carmel Swim Club team is made up of swimmers from about age 6 through high school, and then some of the college kids who swam with the team in those years also come home in the summers and swim with the Carmel Swim Club.

       It gets confusing at the high school level because the majority of the Carmel Swim Club members go to Carmel High School for their high school careers, they swim for Carmel High School during the high school swim season (October through February).  There are Carmel Swim Team members who do not go to Carmel High School, but go to private high schools...Matt, Ali, and Harrison, for example.  Then there are some like Daniel and Stevie who don't swim for their private high schools, but just swim club year round.  It gets confusing! 

      So, while Matt swims for the Carmel Swim Club (for the past 10 years), he does not swim for the Carmel High School team as he goes to Guerin Catholic High School.  So, for the high school season, they are all still members of the Carmel Swim Club, but the high school swimmers also have different teams they swim on for high school sports.  Make sense now? 

      All that said, the Carmel High School swimmers are fantastic to Matt...they include him in as much as possible and last year, Matt the lone Golden Eagle, was invited to sit with them on their bench at sectionals and state, which meant a lot to him that all his friends would support him even though he did not choose to go to CHS for high school.  Believe me, it could easily have gone the opposite, but the CHS swimmers and coaches are a class act in things like that, no ill feelings whatsoever on the choice.  It's a great group, both the CHS swimmers and the CSC swim family. 

      I will try to get photos posted with this later, but I am off and running today to Bloomington...hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day!  NUMBER 23...WOW, CHS...WOW!

      Oh, and also, the 200 Medley Relay team that broke the national record on Friday night, came back yesterday for the finals round and swam even faster, by about a half a second, I believe, to break their own record and now have even a faster time!  It's been quite a weekend! 

What: Something Special!

       Tonight was the presentation of the sophomore class rings at GCHS.  The parents and students celebrated with a Mass, a blessing of the rings, and the presentation.  (Photo at left is Principal Wagner calling the students to the front, Father presenting the ring to Matt.)  

      We managed a few photos, not too many, so hope you enjoy these.  (Photo at right is AJ getting his ring, since quite a few of you know AJ, I figured I would include his photo, and the next photo is Father with The Lovely Tess and Laura after the ceremony.)   

     

 

 

 

 

 

      We had a wonderful time, beginning to end...it is always fun seeing the kids and seeing them excited about things, like new class rings!   

 

 

 

 

      It was also fun to see what colors and styles they all chose.   Matt chose his birthstone color, red.  His hands have grown since the sizing, so it will need to be resized.  He got it on his left hand long enough for me to take a photo (there was no way he could get it on his right hand at all).  At first I thought maybe he just couldn't get it on as he had just finished swimming practice for three hours, and his hands might be a little swollen, water-logged, or whatever from that, but I think regardless, we are going to get it resized right away so that he can comfortably wear it rather than struggling with getting it off and on. 

      He is very excited to have a class ring...one more step on that path to eventual graduation, I guess.   

      Did you all catch the CBS News Sunday Morning show yesterday, the segment about Lincoln, and see James McPherson chatting about his book Tried by War?   And, I am sure you all remembered that this is one of the books I am currently reading...now all those comments about me reading books that "no one EVER reads or KNOWS about or has even ever HEARD of..."  See...I kept telling you, it was only a matter of time until I ended up on the cutting edge!  LOL!  Oh, and I highly recommend the book...it is very very good.  And, when you finish that one, he has about a dozen others that are just as nice.  Justsoyouknow.

      The foot of snow is GONE...all melted away in the high 40s-high 50s temperatures we have been having here these past several days.  I don't need to see any more snow this winter, really...I am just fine going directly to spring right now.

       Last but not least this evening, because I have had many emails asking for the update on Ali's swims this weekend, here again is our guest contributor, via an excerpt from an email to me after the meet on Saturday, aka, the proud papa, Buddy:   "As for my prize challenge, she made me very proud. She was the top seed in the Fly consolation finals and won that heat.  Her time was 6^th fastest but she came in 7^th.  She returned in the 500 Free seeded 9^th but had a great race, cut time from Thursday night, and came in 8^th.  Should have won and come in 7^th.  Ali will once again be an alternate on the 200 IM Relay next weekend since we had a state cut time.   I am a very proud Dad tonight."

     Buddy isn't the only one proud of The Happy Girl...we are all very proud of all that Ali accomplished this year as it is her "aging up" year and she is a year young for her grade in school...great job, ALI!  New Best Times!!!

 

Who, What, When

      Photo of Matt and Ali on their way out the door after a concert during the Christmas season...Ali sporting her Swimming and Diving sweatshirt from her school team.

      Championship swimming season is at hand, well, at least for the girls!  (The boys' sectionals begin in two weeks.)  Ali swims tonight, so all kind thoughts and any number of prayers for success as she is looking for a state time...tonight she is seeded 6th in the 100 Fly and 7th in the 500 Free.  Prelims tonight, finals Saturday at 1:00.  Go, Ali, Swim Fast!  

      Did you see the HooHawk game last night?  Hoos prevailed, and the fans were on fire at Assembly Hall...you would have thought it was a game for the National Championship instead of the Hoos just looking for their first conference win and getting it!  Even in a building year, even with the youngest team ever assembled, even with a coach in his first year:  there is no better place to be a basketball fan than at Indiana! 

 

What a Deal!

       Each year, for countless years, our friends, Katie and Gary, and their three lovely daughters, Sarah, Meredith, and Rebecca (pictured at the left), host an Epiphany party on the first Sunday of the New Year. 

      While swim meets have sometimes prohibited our family's attendance at such, I have not missed more than a couple of the preparation galas that Katie hosts around the kitchen table for The Making/Baking of the Cookies.  My favorite is cutting out and decorating the sugar cookies with all Katie's fun cookie cutters...she has quite the collection and adds to it yearly.   

      There is no end of the fun that we have with the different cutters and decorations...I always see to it that in this Purdue family, the State of Indiana cutter, for instance, is used to cut out a few Cream and Crimson cookies with a cinnamon red hot parked squarely where Bloomington is on the map.      

       We usually just refer to it as their Cookie Party as there are literally hundreds and hundreds of cookies that adorn those trays. They also have lots of other good food, but The Cookies of all kinds, shapes, sizes, flavors, etc. are the real stars of the party.

       Limiting oneself to two cookies is one the greatest tests of willpower.  (And, to give credit fully where credit is due, this year SHELLEY attended the party and did not eat one single cookie...she deserves a prize for that much willpower!  Or maybe we should call the white coat team quick and have her locked up!)   

      Because I missed both the decorating party and the actual cookie party, Katie and Gary decided that they would make up a special tray for our family and deliver it a few weeks ago while I was under the weather (and a couple of quilts). 

      Yes, this is way too many cookies for my two-cookie rule at the party, but I believe the real mission was that, since I was down and out for a bit, they would take pity on my cookie-loving guys here and supply them with proper fodder.  The guys dug right in and never looked back. 

       What a wonderful thing friends are, aren't they?  They know just what is needed when! 

 

Run Rudolph Run (Run Run Rudolph): Swim Swim CSC

       Matt's home away from home this weekend as they are in Nashville, TN at the Tracy Caulkins competition pool swimming at a meet.  (All photos courtesy of Matt's iPhone camera and sent to me from the road.) 

      News from the meet is good.  Matt swam the 50 Freestyle today and took off time both in the morning prelim session and the evening finals session, so he was pretty happy about that.  This morning he took off one-tenth of a second, which to you, and also to me, doesn't seem like a whole lot, but to a swimmer, especially in the sprinting 50s, it is quite nice to take off that amount of time.  His comment, "Oh, I was happy to have taken off time, but if I would have just been able to swim four one-hundredths of a second faster, I could have gotten in a higher consolation."  Even after ten years in the swimming world, I still have no idea what the heck four one-hundredths of a second is...the difference between life and death and swim times, I guess!  Anyway, he went back to finals and took a little more time off, so he was a happy boy when he called on their way to dinner after the meet.     

      Michael and Charles also with some happy faces for good swim times.  And, of course, Michael and Charles just always have a good time wherever they are and whatever they are doing:  so cute!

 

        Trish and Lauren, looking wet and happy and ready to head back to the hotel for some rest, two sweeter girls you will not meet, and the two of them hold some really fancy swim times at CSC...Olympic trials bound, both of them. 

 

      Tomorrow Matt swims his two best swims, the 100 Free and the 100 Back, but only in prelims as they are slated to all pull from finals in order to get back at a reasonable hour rather than arriving back at three in the morning and then having school the next day, etc.  He was a bit disappointed that those particular two swims fell on the last day and he wouldn't get to swim in the finals for them, but sometimes that's just the breaks. 

      The swimmers are all staying healthy and having a great time, everyone getting some new best times, and the coaches apparently pleased with the road trip.  Can't do better than that!  Swim Swim CSC!  Click here for a fun song for the swimming kids today.

 

Jingle Bells

       Well, although it is not a "one-horse open sleigh," some of the swim club's swimmers embarked on a team travel trip over the rivers and through the woods for swimming late this afternoon and will return on Sunday, hopefully with some new fancy swim times and some fun memories of good times out of the water as well.  Matt and Mike boarding the bus, get to be roomies for the weekend...the two motor well together, so they will have a great time no doubt.     

      Matt and Matt F. riding down together as seat buddies, always a good time as those two motor about well together also.   

      And, just for fun...because he is always about the fun, Charles arriving just in time to hop on the bus and head out, toting pillow, cereal, and juice.  Charles always makes my day...always a smile for me, always a bit of chit chat, always fun with Charles around.  Rhiannon and Michael likewise...always fun. 

      Matt called about five and a half hours later and said they were all safe and sound and getting ready for lights out as they have early warm-ups tomorrow morning.  It feels very strange to be staying here while they are away as I usually go along...definitely going to be missing all that this weekend, but there are things to do here, so hopefully the time will pass quickly and I won't have time to be sad that I am not there with them all...these years are passing quickly.  

      And, last but not least, a little Christmas listening for you today, click here.

Angels We Have Heard on High

       Another concert this evening for Matt's choir.  Tried to get a good photo of them, but I am hopeless.  I have no idea how to get the singers' eyes not to look like they are possessed...each year in these church concerts, this happens and if anyone knows how to prevent this from happening, please let me know.

      It was a very nice concert...kids sang nine songs and then four sing-along-songs with the audience which was a lot of fun.  My favorite song tonight was Angels We Have Heard on High as it was the first time they had performed it for an audience with the new arrangement by Martin and it was very very good. 

      While I don't have a recording of them singing it, you can click here and hear Angels We Have Heard on High as the Christmas blog song for today.  (In the photo, MTS...My Tall Son...is in the back row, left, tallest one, and note that Matt and Matthew, Thing One and Thing Two from our carpooling days are singing side by side for the first time ever, and Greg is right in front of them so they form sort of a triangle which is nice as usually the three of them are spread out all over the stage.)      

      The singers had all been at rehearsal at Butler all afternoon, eaten pizza together for dinner, and then changed into their concert wear and drove the ten miles to the church to perform for a 7:00 concert. 

      Various singers were driving and various ones were riding...I tell you...I am still a little nervous about this as this is major city driving for a new driver, etc. 

      Matt and Ali rode over together and then after the concert, Rachel and Ashley, requested a ride back to campus where they had left their cars, so I made them all line up here, Alea, Ali, Rachel, Matt, and Ashley and had the girls hold up their right hands as I said,  "Repeat after me...I (insert your name please) will ride nicely in Matt's car.  I will not distract him when he is driving in any way, shape, or form.  I will not play the radio loudly so that he cannot hear approaching vehicles.  I will not squeal and shout and scream for any reason whatsoever while riding in the car.  I will go to the bathroom before we leave so that Matt does not have to stop in some questionable area of the city so that I might use the ladies' room.  I will not shout out the windows at anyone passing by.  I will not reach over and honk the horn while Matt is driving.  I will not put my hands anywhere near Matt or the steering wheel while Matt is driving.   I will wear my seatbelt at all times.  I swear that I will obey all these things, so help me God."  Everyone in the vestibule of the church got quite a kick out of it, but hey, I was serious!   Matt was laughing the whole time and the girls were giggling but they knew I was serious.  I am thinking of drawing up some sort of document for future use in this regard.   

      Am pleased to say everyone arrived at the appropriate places without incident.  Thank God.

O Holy Night

      Hawks were lookin' good last night against Bryant...that Tucker can shoot those threes!  Gotta get Tate remembering that he is the senior dog and acting like it, and those Hawks could possibly be a force this year.  Couple of Hoosier guys on that Iowa team, one from Carmel, and, of course, a Hoosier native as coach, so that makes it extra fun to cheer for the Hawks. 

      The Hoos were looking very fine today...okay, they lost, but the score does not reflect the effort those baby Hoos were putting out against the number 5 team in the country today, Gonzaga.  Considering the Hoos are sporting a brand new coach, only two players from the return roster, and one of the best players today for them was a walk-on from Carmel who is a state soccer player...this was a pretty good showing and much better than anyone had predicted. 

      Splitting our time between basketball and concerts this weekend...oh yeah, and the Colts game tomorrow.   We were watching the IU game at home today since we needed to go to Matt's concert, so no trip downtown to watch the first basketballs dribbled in the end zone of the new football stadium and all.  Matt had gone off to pick up Ali for their concert...this was Matt's first time to drive with someone other than just himself or one of us in the car (in Indiana you need to have your driver's license for 3 months before you can drive with someone else who is a minor in the car with you and his three months was up last week), so we had a bit of chat about the seriousness of driving someone else in your car, etc. (Matt is a good driver, but these types of discussions are written in The Parent Handbook in italics and underscored heavily...or so I told him). 

      About 45 minutes before Mark and I were ready to leave for the concert, we got a call from Matt in a panicked voice saying, "Mom, we need your help."  I tend to go from calm to panic in less than a half a second and said, "WHAT?"  I had envisioned Matt and Ali in some sort of accident or something.  Matt says, "Ali forgot to eat, and we can't get her parents on the phone, so can you bring her something to eat before the concert?"  Geesh...teens!  Scared me to death and all they wanted was food. 

      Relieved, I packed a yogurt, a granola bar, a napkin, and a spoon all neat and tidy and lovely looking in a ziploc and we headed out.  Mark looked at the bag and teasingly said, "What, no after dinner mint?"   Ha ha very funny.  The guys around here have no appreciation for my chick ways in matters such as these...they would have shoved something in their pockets and handed it to Ali that way.  Seriously, they would have. 

      They met us at the door, grabbed the food, gave me thanks and hugs, and ran back to the rehearsal room as I was reminding them that I would like a photo of the two of them after the concert.   

      They remembered...sort of...as before I could get a photo, they had gone out to the car, changed half of their clothing, and came back in with everything else in their arms racing to the changing room to see who could get changed first.  Believe it or not, Ali won.  

      Photos are them semi-dressed still (we put Ali in front so it wouldn't be as obvious that Matt was missing most of the upper part of his tux; next photo is the full shot with each of them sporting footwear NOT worn for the concert; next  photo is of the two of them afterward munching on the brownies Laurie and Buddy brought for them as they received a text saying, "Bring food."  Swimmers...are...always...hungry.     

      Last photo is Buddy, Ali, and Laurie before we all departed for new television shopping and dinner out.  Buddy is holding two pairs of the three pairs of shoes Ali brought for the concert...Ali has a thing for shoes and does not travel lightly in that particular arena...we still tease her about being limited to 50 pounds of luggage on the Italy trip and packing seven pairs of shoes!  Since I have only guys around here, it is tremendously lovely to have Ali in my life to bring in the pink and giggle factors. 

      The concert was great, and our favorite was O Holy Night, for which they received a standing ovation...they did an awesome job!  On the way home, Mark and I heard  it again on the radio and decided that would be today's blog song, so click here for O Holy Night.

Uplifting

       This is Anna.  Anna is one of my favorite little pink people.  She has three sisters and three brothers, and Anna holds second in line at home. 

       Anna is just 9...just 9.  Anna loves to sing.  She has a beautiful voice.  Not only does she have a beautiful voice, it is natural and she has had no voice training, voice lessons, etc. 

       Anna gave her grandmother the gift of song, at her 75th birthday at a Mass for her recently, and someone there recorded it.  It's not a polished recording, just something done at the moment. 

       If you have three and a half minutes, I invite you to give a listen to Anna, singing the Ave Maria in Latin.  Remember, she is only just 9 and has no voice training.  Prepare to be amazed.     Download Ave Maria   You will need to maybe turn your volume up fairly far as it is just a rough recording done at Mass for her grandmother's birthday.   Kudos to Anna...what a beautiful gift!

Weekend Updates of Threesomes

      The three amigos at the meet this weekend:  Daniel, Mike, and Matt.  Three nicer guys you will never meet.  Seriously. 

      We are thinking that perhaps three concerts, three rehearsals, a three-day swim meet, and three days of finals (last Friday, this Monday and Tuesday) all sort of collided in a Bermuda Triangle of Disappointing Swim Times over the weekend.   

      I am just saying...there was way too much going on for one single sixteen year old this weekend.   

   

      The Boy swam the 200 Butterfly at the meet...not the ideal swim for someone with rotator cuff problems at the moment, but he gave it a try...said it was a big mistake, that the shoulders just gave out before the first hundred. 

      The concerts were great.  (Photo is of Matt at the last of the three...the Brahms' Requiem with the GCHS choir.) 

      The finals we don't know about yet, but we will assume those are going fine as he is doing well in school. 

      The swimming times...let's just say there was a lot of room for improvement over the weekend.  A. Lot. Of. Room.

      Here are some fun photos from the meet...not too many, just a few of some of the guys enjoying their chances to compete at the first meet of the season.  The middle photo is of Matt and Mike getting ready to swim the 200 Backstroke.  They don't often swim side-by-side, so it was nice to get this photo of the two of them. 

Re-cruiting Up-Coming Freshmen

       Two years ago we were anticipating high school and wondering exactly where that adventure would lead us. 

       This week at Guerin, it was wonderfully fun watching the 8th Grade students from various schools shadowing the Guerin students with the same anticipation and excitement as they now have the opportunity to determine where their own high school adventure will lead.  

       Without a doubt, my favorite Upcoming Freshman shadowing this week was Sydney, pictured here with her Guerin name tag in place and looking ready for a full day of exploration at a school where she already has many experiences and loyalties:  big sis Samantha is a senior this year, and Mom works there as well. 

       She looks ready...this past year she seems taller, looks more like a girl on her way to high school, and is definitely able to handle any challenges ahead. 

       When the time comes to see Samantha vacating the halls to pursue her college dreams, it is lovely to think that maybe, just maybe, I will get to see Sydney realizing hers in high school at Guerin.  I am so looking forward to it. 

       As further note, if your path includes Guerin, plan to get your applications in early as the available spaces are filling up quickly!  If you aren't certain yet of your high school choice, attend the Guerin Catholic High School Open House on Sunday, November 16th from 6:00-8:30 p.m. and find a home with Guerin...it's absolutely lovely there.  Prayers for all parents and children as they discern the paths of their futures, please join me.  And, seriously, think about becoming a Golden Eagle!

 

Re-hearsals

        The gaathering of the guys as Mr. D gives them a pep talk about tackling the difficult choir piece last evening.  The Boy is easy to spot as he is still the tallest one around.

      When Matt returned from the retreat on Sunday, I picked him up as we didn't want to leave his car unattended up at OLMC for the weekend.  After he hopped in the car, his first words were, "Mom, can you drive me down to Butler as I can make the last hour of IYC rehearsal if we leave right now?"  I have grown very accustomed to Matt driving himself everywhere...he tends to go from one activity to the next with not much time between...I am getting way too old for that sort of schedule on a regular full-time basis, but this was an exception, so off we went for rehearsal.   

      Yesterday he went from school, to swim practice, to another rehearsal for his school choir, and since it was located down in Indy after dark, I figured I would drive him there as he was getting out of swimming too late to make the bus and then he could just ride the bus back with his friends if he wanted, I would pick him up at school, drive him over to CHS to get his car, and head home at that point.  Am I ever happy that The Boy has his driver's license...it was close to ten before the dust settled! 

      While I was down at the rehearsal location, I decided to just sit in on the rehearsal as it was Brahms' Requiem and I knew I would enjoy listening to it...now I am beginning to think I might be missing out on too much with him driving everywhere himself.  Always a tug this way or that on the issue of independence.  I always think I am ready for it, but then I think maybe I miss all that carting about to and fro much more than I realize.

      And, I also miss getting to see all the other kids, like these two in the photo above...two of my favorite pinks...Kristin and Samantha...I had better enjoy times with them now as they are both seniors this year.  Even if their parents don't cry at their graduation, I know I will!

Re-turning from Re-treat

       Matt, Jack, and Stephen at OLMC after the Knights retreat weekend.  Looking tired, but happy.  (Jack swims with Matt at CSC and Stephen goes to Guerin.)

      The young Knights group, about 70 boys from various parishes, had a retreat in southern Indiana (gorgeous this time of year with all those lovely leaves turning all those lovely colors) this past weekend.   

      They had a great time and here are a couple of photos from when they returned...I had intended to get all five of Matt's group of friends in one shot, but Colin headed out before I could round them all up, and I couldn't corner Marshall until the very end (pictured in photo to the right).  Teenage boys are like that...you really need lassos to keep them in one spot. 

      They attended Mass three times over the weekend, and each of the leaders for their parishes got to serve in some capacity, so Matt got to do that as he is the leader at SEAS. 

      He enjoyed meeting Knights from the other parishes and came home with a list of new friends which is always nice.  A lot of them were from a neighboring parish in Zionsville, just miles down the road, so that seems close enough that they will see each other from time to time.  Marshall is a member of that group actually.  He is a friend Matt has known for many years. 

      All in all, Matt was extremely delighted with the entire weekend and said the paintballing was absolute chaos with that many guys!  This, I take it, was a good thing.

Friday's Favorites Fare

      Since Ali arrived too late for the group photos of the swimmers on homecoming, Buddy sent over this one that was taken on Ali's camera that night at Sarah and Scott's of Matt and Ali before the dance.  No, not dating, just good friends posing for a photo together.   So, today's type print color will be in Ali's signature color of pink...she redid her room in her signature colors of black and pink and white...so nice, and so Ali! 

READING:  Knitting patterns...I know, not my usual, but I am trying to arrive at something I am capable of knitting so that I can knit mittens and scarves to go with the coat donations this year for Coats for Kids.  With our pool open, my knitting time has been drastically reduced, but I can see the writing on the wall here...and Bill will be showing up within the next several weeks to close it.  I am about to embark on new tangent of historical reading, just need to get to the library! 

LISTENING TO:   Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen...I know, don't ask.  Lately I have been in the mood for sets in threes...I am pretty sure Dante's trilogy is up for reading again this winter...I have it carefully laid aside for November beside the fireplace. 

COOKING THROUGH:  Le Cordon Bleu at Home (Le Cordon Bleu School of Cooking); Baking:  From My Home to Yours (Dorie Greenspan)

FAV NEW FIND:  Whatever I was thinking of putting here, it will not be as exciting as the wine harvest, the wine tasting room gig, the olive brining, and the new beekeeping undertakings of my friend Sara in California!  She is always undertaking the most interesting of things in life.  So, this week my favorite new find is just anything Sara is up to out there.   

FAV THING TODAY;   I think just sharing newsy bits with friends.  It's always fun to catch up and be included in different undertakings in which friends are involved.

GOING TO:   Well, 'tis football season and all...Hawks play Pitt in Pittsburgh at noon; Hoos take on the BSU Cardinals down in Hooville at 7 on Saturday night.  Tonight Guerin lost to Ritter; CHS (currently ranked first in 5A play) beat Lawrence North.  Alex has a scout camping trip up at the Dunes; Matt has a full day of choir retreat and enough choir, church, swimming, school, and social commitments to fill up the entire weekend.  I am thinking this would be a great weekend to swim, cook my entries for TWD and WhiskW as I have a very busy week out of the house coming up, luxuriate at the library for a bit, and generally just fill in some gaps around here. Definitely some movie watching in the works.  What's up over there? 

PRAYING FOR:   Teens struggling with finding their way into adulthood, please join me. 

Happy Thoughts

      A quick giggle here from last week.  A small circle of us take turns fetching things each week for elderly shut-ins who have no family nearby and are still able to live on their own, but do not drive anymore.  This is immensely satisfying as these people are truly appreciative of anything you do for them. 

      Last Wednesday, I ran some errands, pharmacy and library, etc. for Helen and I usually take a little lunch and maybe a flower when I go.  I was cooking that day and had some extra chicken and decided to use it to make a Mexican Wrap for her as she likes to try new things usually...she says it keeps her on the cutting edge.  Cute. 

      When I arrived, she excitedly said, "Oh, is that lunch for me?  What's in there?"  I replied, "It's a Mexican Wrap, a deviled egg, some sliced plums, and a few cookies."  She looked a bit shocked and said, "Oh, I don't think I can eat that."  I thought she might be thinking the wrap was too spicy or something, so I said, "Oh, Helen, that's okay...I will run out and get you something else...what would you like?" 

      Helen:  "I don't want you to have to run out just for me, but I just don't think I could eat any rat."  She had clearly misunderstood what I said...so I said, "Helen, it's not rat...it's called a wrap (pronouncing it very clearly with the accent on the "p" part) because you wrap a tortilla around it.  It's chicken."  Helen:  "Not rat that tastes like chicken?"  Me:  "No, no...real chicken.  Chicken Chicken, no rat." 

      Helen:  "Well, I could eat that if it's chicken.  I didn't think you looked like a person who would cook a rat."  At which point, I sort of burst out laughing thinking to myself, "I wonder what a person looks like in her mind who could cook a rat and eat it.  Thankfully it seemed that I was not such a person." 

      She was delighted with the wrap once we got it all straightened out.  The lovely thing was that even when she thought I had cooked up a rat, she was trying to be very gracious and accommodating to me.  There's just not enough of that in life anymore...the elderly have much to teach us.  And, note to self:  speak slower, and more distinctly next time.

Happy Families

 

      "Happy Families are all alike...."  One of Tolstoy's most remembered lines.

       And, because Lauren was nice enough to share her homecoming photos with me, I thought I would share some really nice ones of Lauren and her happy family who live just across the way from us and are mentioned frequently here at GKT. 

      Lauren, Josh (JJ), and Matt all swim together at CSC, Lauren went to the fancy pants swim camp in Arizona with Matt and Mike this past summer, and both Lauren and JJ are Junior National Swimmers.   

      Larry, Sherry, Josh (aka JJ), Jesse, and the beautiful Lauren...a nicer family you will never meet.  (Photo 1:  Larry, Lauren, Sherry; Photo 2:  Jesse, Lauren, JJ.)

 

Happy Days: CHS Homecoming 2008: The Swimmers!

      Friday night was CHS's homecoming football game, which they won handily (Guerin being not so fortunate this week), and Saturday night was the CHS homecoming dance.    

      The CHS swimmers invited Matt, Ali, Harrison, and Daniel to go since the four of them attend other schools. (Photo at left is Cameron, Mike, Harrison, and Matt.)  The kids all went as a group, with quite a large turnout, and Sarah and Scott had dinner and a nice party at their house before the dance, so here are a few fun photos of that, compliments of Lauren and Sue V.  You are on your own with names...too many to list them all.   

First off are the Freshmen swimmers; followed by the Sophomore Swimmers, followed by the Junior Swimmers; followed by the most senior of the Senior swimmers.  (Of course, not all the swimmers went to homecoming, and some, who shall remain nameless, Ali, arrived too late for the group photos.) 

 

 

  

After the dance, Jessie's parents hosted a party at their home, and I think Matt finally arrived back home somewhere around 12:30 p.m.  He drove himself to all of it...this is just too nice to not have to drive him places and then go fetch him back again, even though the high school is only five miles away and Sarah and Jessie both live less than a mile from us.  It's particularly great not having to wait in long lines for the fetching process.  It is amazing how much time you free up when you aren't chauffering!

      And, the last photo, with no need of any accompanying words because after all, they are who they are when it comes to photo ops:  Michael, JJ, and Charles with Daniel in front.  It's always Happy Days when the four of these guys are around. 

   

The Happy Girl

 

     

       By request, readers have been asking about Ali..."How's Ali, What's Ali been up to?  We have had no news of Ali for awhile."  So, here is a little catch-up of The Happy Girl. 

       Before the new football stadium here in town opened for the public, there was a nice little tour and here are two fun photos, one of Ali touring and the other of Ali giving a press conference like where TD usually gives his post-game press conference.  Too cute...and I can so see Ali giving her own press conferences for something or other in the future. 

      Ali is swimming with Matt in the senior group, singing with him in the IYC choir as she made the move up this year, so we are all thrilled that Ali and Matt are back together in the same choir group again...just not the same with Ali in another group.  They will be going to Spain next summer for the eleven day singing tour.  Ali's loving school, a sophomore this year, she and Harrison took driver's ed together at the end of the summer, and last night, Ali, Harrison, and Matt (who all go to Catholic high schools) were all invited to Carmel's homecoming dance by the kids on the swim team so they went as a group, Ali looking cute in her black dress and pink headband (can see photos from homecoming post later today).  So there's your update on The Happy Girl.  She's having a great time living life...and still the sweetest thing going.  Life is just a whole lot more fun with Ali around.

The Countdown Continues: 20 Days Until that Driver's License

       Not a lot of swimming news from yesterday.  Matt swam the 200 Free and added time, so he didn't make it back for finals in the evening in that swim.  Hmmm....last evening was the combined birthday party for The Lovely Tess and the Heroic and Inspirational Hannah, beginning at 7 and ending at 11 p.m. 

      I said to the The Swimmer..."Well, there is some consolation in all this, Matt, now you will be able to arrive on time for the party tonight."  His reply (and I am thinking this is somewhat of a giveaway, let's see if you might agree):  "I know, I thought for a minute that I had somehow managed to qualify for finals and then I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that two kids in my heat beat me by just a tad." 

      My guess is that there was not a whole lot of effort being expended upon that 200 Free yesterday due to wanting very badly to be at that party with all his friends.  (Matt gives up a lot of things with friends to always choose swimming first, so we were not at all unhappy with this, I have to say...just found it amusing is all.) 

      He had a great time at the party, and while I sent Dixie with Mark to get a shot of Matt and Tess and Hannah to mark the occasion, he returned saying that Matt stood still barely long enough to say, "Good Evening, Mr. K., thank you for inviting me to your home," before he was off and running with some friends to join the party gathered in the lower level.  Rounding up the three at the end was no easier, so here is what we have from the evening's festivities:  one very cute fun photo of Matt and The Lovely Tess.  Happy Birthday, Girls!  You are both beautiful, inside and out! 

 

What's Going on Around Here? Well...

       Good golly...I took a few days off here just to regroup a bit and there has been no end to the calls and emails asking if I am okay...you are all very sweet to think of me.  Really, I am fine.  I just wanted a few days of quiet and reflection...one just needs to do that sometimes.  This was one of those times.  And, now  I am back, and ready to roll out of town for sectionals tomorrow. 

       Before heading out of town, however, the CSC Summer State Swim Party was tonight and CSC had a lot of state qualifiers as you can see from the group photo.  I can't begin to tell you the names of all the little ones, but Matt's group is composed of, by and large, the swimmers sitting in the front row.  (Michael and Elliot are in the second standing row, the first two boys in; Ali is up on the right in front of the boy with the red bandana.)  Here's an attempt at the ones who appear most often on the blog and in conversations.   Sitting in the front and reading left to right:  Mike, Johnny, Mickey, Rhiannon, Jessie, Trish, Carly, Daniel, Megan D., Matt G., Matt F., Harrison, and Andrew.  Then in front of them are Lauren S., Matt S., Samantha, Megan J., Josh, and John.  In front is Charles. 

     

      The swimmers are always a lot of fun and when I was circling around, camera in hand, there was the great cry of "I want to be on the blog!"  So, here are some tables

of swimmers who are at their photogenic best and humoring me with nice snapshots of them that I will treasure forever.  (Left:  Trish, Daniel, Rhiannon, Matt S., Megan D., Jessie, and Mickey.  Below are Matt F., Matt G., Johnny, Ali (wet hair), and Caroline I.

 

At left:  Harrison, Andrew, Mike, Charles, and John.)  And, for those I didn't get, sincere apologies as we needed to leave early this evening to get Matt to another meeting at church that was scheduled for the same time. 

       And, lastly, the bad news.  After shooting the above photos, I headed back towards Mark, saw him chatting with Rock (Matt's Guerin high school swim coach), and thought, "Oh, great, a chance to chat with Rock and see how everyone at his house is faring this summer."  Rock has been coaching with CSC over the summer and I have been kidding Chris about "stealing Guerin's swim coach." 

      The first thing I heard after "Hi," was this:  Rock:  "I have some bad news."  My heart sank...bad news always seems to come in little pockets of pairings. I definitely didn't want any more bad news.  Mark:  "Rock has brain cancer and only a year to live."  OMW, the look on my face must have been really devastating because they both quickly chimed up and said, "No, no, no...really, it's not that, but the real bad news will seem much better now." 

      Rock has accepted an offer from a school in Alabama and will be leaving Indiana in a month.  While we are, of course, very happy for his promotion, which is a big deal and comes with a big paycheck, we are also very sad at losing such a great role model, coach, friend, etc. not only for Matt, but for all of us.  

      Oh, and you would all be very proud of me as a few sad tears did not come until I was talking to Laurie and Buddy about it later, when I looked over and saw...well, this next photo, which is Rock telling Matt.  Matt handled it all pretty well, but he was so looking forward to motoring with Rock on the high school swim circuit again this coming year.  We were very lucky to have had everything work out for last year the way it did, and Rock indicated that it would all work out....Guerin is all about providence, after all.  

      Okay...so, once again...we are In. Search. Of. A. High. School. Swim. Coach.  Anyone?  Anyone at all?  It will need to be someone very special and terrific to fill Rock's fins.  After all, his current team set all new swim records at Guerin and had 100% attendance at Indiana State Swimming this year! 

      It just seems I find wonderful people, and before I know it, my time with them is up...it's all just a little overwhelming when it happens.  But to Rock: we are very happy for you and it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.  Best of wishes in your new adventure...they are very lucky to have you!

Rounding Out the Weekend's Bits

      Hope you all had a great 4th of July holiday.  Here are a few photos from the weekend, nothing earth shattering, but I have all sorts of email this morning asking where I have been and why I haven't posted anything for days on end.   First photo is Matt helping Steven with his fireworks at Grandma and Grandpa's on Friday.  Alex, David, and Jonathan were all busy looking after their own rockets and what not, but Matt has a soft spot for Steven, and vice versa, so the littlest often gets a helping hand from Matt.  

      After the pre-show in the driveway, the boys headed down to the school grounds in Elwood for the town fireworks show, as they do each year, and light even more sparklers and things while waiting for the show to start.    (Left to right:  Alex, David, Matthew, Jonathan, and Steven.)  I don't know what it is with little boys and fire, but they are all just thrilled with the idea of playing with all these things each year.  They scare me to death...I try not to be around watching as I am more likely to keep saying "Oh, be careful," and the first rule of lighting fireworks is for a certain amount of danger to be present, or so my husband tells me it is with boys.  It's better if I just don't even peek while they do it all. 

      So, we had fireworks in Elwood on Friday, then on Saturday there were fireworks at the end of the Symphony on the Prairie, pictured at the left here, which are always a big hit and much anticipated each year, the boys never tiring of this from year to year and aghast at the thought of ever missing it, like last year when Matt and Mark were in Italy over the 4th.  (Photo courtesy of Alex who is using it in his 4-H scrapbook this year.)  The stage is lit very attractively and since Conner Prairie is a historical venue, depicting a farm in 1836 Indiana, there aren't any lights to interfere with the fireworks display out in the middle of the farm fields.  They shoot the fireworks off to the 1812 Overture, of course.

      And, finally, last night at Buddy and Laurie's party, Buddy had a stunning display of fireworks that Matt is still raving about as he just thinks Buddy rocks with all his crazy fun ways.  It was the perfect day to sit around their pool and chat and eat barbecued brisket and just enjoy the day.  Here is a nice photo of Matt and Ali before everyone else arrived and Ali changed into her swimming suit as I figured this was a better shot that one of Ali in her very pretty bikini looking oh so lovely, being shown on the Internet and all.  Since the butterfly is Ali's stroke of choice, we requested a swim off between her and Matt in the butterfly, but she declined saying it was her "only day off of swimming competitively," so we will never know if she can take him on that stroke or not...it's not his best and I think she could do it.   This morning at practice, Laurie was picking Ali up and I said, "I can't believe you are up, dressed, in full makeup, and functional after that very late evening last night..." She just chuckled and said, "Well, it might look like all that, but I am tired this morning."  It was a great party. 

      In other news, no photo currently available due to the sensitivity of the subject to be discussed, all skateboarding has been called to a halt for the swimmers.  Coach Chris arrived back from the Olympic Trials in Omaha to the news that JJ was sporting a wrist brace and 'fessing up to the apparent cause, i.e. skateboarding dos and dares, and while I don't know the whole story, apparently all the boys have decided that one Junior National championship swimmer injured is one too many and skateboarding will be sidelined.  Raising boys certainly helps one understand one's husband a lot more, let me tell you.  

      Okay, this makes two posts today (only because I am a lightening fast typist and I am doing laundry, pumping off the pool cover from the rain earlier so I can swim, and fielding various requests for transport to and from various venues)...and now there is a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich calling my name, with a side of cantaloupe and a nice glass of ice water properly condensed and wonderful looking with the water droplets running down the side...Yahooo...it's summer!  Have a great week! 

5 Swimmers Posing as 5 Skaters

      There have been some recent complaints observances by the younger set that I have been featuring "too much cooking and crafting" and not enough of "us" on the photo sections of this blog.  So, here's a post today featuring last night's street fun in front of our house. 

      Daniel, Matt, JJ, Michael, and Nick (back to front in photo) decided to take up skateboarding and learn "some cool tricks."  (If any of the parents and/or coaches are reading this, I went totally unheeded in my pleas for them to consider they had sectionals, state, and junior nationals all coming up and that a sprained ankle, wrist, arm, or broken anything, etc., was not going to be adding any advantages to the quest for swimming superiority.  I tried.  They ignored.  I tried again.  Deafness amongst them all.  They are all taller than me, so I pretty much just had to call it a day.)   

        Daniel making a run, Matt managing to stay on and stay forward, JJ figuring out the best way to get injured (indeed, the only injury of the evening, requiring admistration of Bandaids over bloody parts), Michael for the most part, at least at this juncture, just cruising nicely with not a lot of super fancy work, and Nick showing off some fancy moves zigzag fashion up and down the street doing way too many fancy bits for me to get anything close to a good photo.  Nick, I have to say, hands down, clearly the winner of any sort of award for daring, drive, and determination resulting in dazzling us all with his new moves out of the water. I say "out of the water" as he has been dazzling us with moves in the water for years...as have the rest of these guys.

      And, because he is a favorite among many of the young ladies who check-in here at The Table, a nice photo of Daniel cruising with a good deal of grace and ease. (For those of you who don't know Daniel, you might remember Daniel's blog photo from December when he and Matt went with Daniel's parents and sister to the Christmas Spectacular all dressed up in suit coats, etc.)  Daniel, also known as, "the blonde god of swimming," by many of these said young ladies, is quite a nice gentleman as well.  As are the rest of these young men.  Always proud to know them.

      No real serious injuries from the night, so let's hope they have that out of their systems and all stay healthy and injury-free for all their stellar swims in July.  You hear that, boys?  No?  Well, I tried.

     

Allison is 18...How Can That Be?

      A nice photo of our friends at their daughter's graduation party this past Saturday.  Roger was the boys' first cub scout leader, Adam is the boys' good friend who appears in countless posts and many photos, Pam is a lovely friend to have and very entertaining always, and it is just plain difficult to believe that the beautiful Allison is 18 (we have known her since she was about 8) and this fall will be heading off to Purdue University (hmmmphff...I tried my best to win her over to the Cream and Crimson, but her orchestra professor at Purdue will be the one she has had at Carmel these past years, so I lost whatever voice I might have had). 

      Just kickin' around this evening doing this, that, and the other, eagerly awaiting the time we can drive to the airport and pick up Matt from his Arizona trip.  Midnight.  People are actually up and doing things at midnight...it's not all that common with me these days, but I can remember days past when midnight seemed a logical hour to be doing things like that. 

      His meet in Arizona went really well.  He swam these freestyles:  50, 100, 200, 400; these backstrokes:  100 and 200;  and the 200 IM.  Seven swims, 5 new best times...qualified for finals in all 7 swims (even the 400 Free which I thought he had not on Friday, my mistake), and finished way higher than he ever thought possible...the highest being third one and fourth in another (but had to pull from finals on Sunday as Team Indiana needed to head to the airport).  The 100 Back Jr. Nat. cut...still elusive...but all in all, a wonderful meet.  He loved the chance to swim with many of the top swimmers in our state as well as other top swimmers at the meet.  He brings back a new excitement and drive for his sport...nothing like a lot of like-minded swimmers to spur one another on.  He made many new friends with the swimmers and coaches, and he had a really wonderful time in Arizona doing the fun bits the coaches had planned for them while they were there.  With opportunities like this, you always bring back a whole lot more than just new best times.  We are very thankful he had the opportunity to have this chance to experience it all.   

      I cooked my Whisk Wednesdays meal tonight for posting on Wednesday...I won't say anything further until Wednesday, but I will say that I am thinking of changing Blue Bernice's name to Blue Bearnaise...it was THAT good. 

3+3=6 Hours at 2 Museums Today

     A cute photo of Mickey and Taylor after swimming today.  And, the next one of Jonathan, Harrison, and Matt raiding the frig in my suite for Gatorade (I keep treats for the kids that drop by).        

      Swimming is going okay...just so/so, but we didn't really expect much else with the shoulder problems, so I think we are doing really well.  He was back for finals this evening in the backstroke (no Jr. Nat cut on that, but we still have most of the summer left, so here's hoping...).  Somehow he missed signing in for the 400 Free this morning and was not allowed to swim that...so that was a bit of a disappointment, a few choice words from Coach Brian, rightly deserved and all.  Harrison beat him in the 50 Free, which thrilled Harrison as the two of them go back and forth with that swim together...they are good buddies, so Matt would always rather lose to Harrison than anyone else in that swim. 

      Once again, I was MIA at the pool.  Really, honestly, no one even notices...Matt says he swims what he swims whether we are there or not, and the truth is that at all the other meets we are always there, and this pool is not really a pool.  It's a QUARRY.  A quarry, mind you, with very little seating, absolutely no parking because this quarry is in the middle of a very old established neighborhood which grew up around it more than a hundred years ago.  In my four attempts to actually locate it, I have managed said task once...and by the time I arrived, the nearest parking was three miles away.  This is the 80th Annual whatever... of this meet and you would think in the previous 79 years someone would have figured out a parking plan.  Today it rained, so the meet was conducted between outbursts and everyone was standing around in about an inch of mud...whereas at the museums, I was nice and dry.

       Anyway, Lakeside in Louisville means that I say, "Good luck, Matt," in the morning and "How'd it go, Buddy?" in the evening.  Today I was even back during the break between swims...he lounged in my room for a bit chatting and then off he went with his friends and off I went for my return visit to The Speed.  I spent the morning at The Frasier and I will spare you all from ramblings as you were so nice to let me get by with it yesterday.  (Besides, I am storing up as I hope to be back at The Frasier this fall with the Shakespeare group and I can bore you all senseless then.) 

      One more day...one more museum...one return trip home...and one exciting venture being unveiled that Shari and I are cooking up...you will have to wait to hear about it, but I will say that it involves moving Craft Day Wednesdays to Craft Day Fridays.  Wednesdays are going to be something new...previewing this week.  Because I don't have enough going on and all.

5 Hours -- 1 Museum Down and 2 to Go

    This post was written yesterday, so just pretend you are reading it then.  Typepad has a feature where you can write up a post and then have it post later, so I thought I would give that a whirl to test it and see if I could actually figure that out...I don't know what I did, but it didn't post at all.  It's a good thing I have other skills is all I can say. 

      This is a photo from last evening after the swim sessions as I was not at the pool to take any there...more on that in another post.  So, here you have, starting in the corner with Matt, Jonathan, Chris, John, and Harrison, all famished from a full day of swimming and eating more pasta than you can even imagine is possible...can you believe those blues on Chris?  He has the bluest eyes I have ever seen on anyone.  I had to take six shots as they were all goofing off and Harrison was trying to go for "studied" poses...this was the best of the lot, believe me.  So...here's yesterday's post:

      5 hours at The Speed Art Museum today...be still my heart!  I mentioned to Nancy and Jeri (other swim moms here) that I was going and they both looked horrified that I might insist they come along...they need not have worried as Nancy's claim to fame is that she did the Roman Art exhibit last year in 5 minutes (or less) and Jeri's similar claim is that she did the Louvre in 45 minutes...sort of like my idea of shopping.   Last year I spent the whole of one day at The Speed seeing most everything in depth (they have really nice exhibits and no one rushes you along at all...very important in my mind).  I did, however, run out of time in the last four rooms and had to rush a bit...much to my dismay as that is where the Dutch artists' works hang and The Speed has a particularly great collection of those. 

      Since watching the movie The Illusionist, I have been haunted by thoughts of getting back here to The Speed to spend more time with this Dutch collection as the Dutch portraits are so like the filming of the entire movie...it is like one Dutch painting after another in hue, contrast, lighting, silhouette, mood, etc., etc. 

      I was there when the door opened and headed straight for those last four rooms...they did not disappoint.  The portraits were as I remembered and I spent three of my five hours in those four rooms as they have not only the portraits I was so keen on seeing, but also the Dutch landscapes, and the Dutch still lifes. 

      I fell in love with a painting called Still Life with Fruit and Flowers by Jan Van Os (painting was signed, but no date, however, JVO lived between 1744-1808, so you can roughly do a quick guess as to time frame).  I can never decide if I like still life flowers better, or still life fruit better...with this painting, one does not need to choose as it has both (with a few little animals and a secret cherub thrown in for good measure).  The fruits and flowers are swizzled about in "S" shapes throughout the painting...it is amazing the way the "S" shapes do so many things and yet it all looks cohesively harmonious...I looked at it for an hour...seriously, don't even think I am kidding.  I can't wait to find a reference on it and read something about it and the painter (I don't know that much about him, so if you do, share...please share).   Life is great, isn't it?  Just full of amazingly wonderful things.  (And, yes, I know, I so don't deserve it.)

      Van Os leads your eyes down "S" shaped paths in the painting that wind in and out, up one side, down another, across and back again.  The paths follow colors of brights along one path, pastels along the other, and each color group has its own "S" curve while somehow blending with the others...reds, greens, oranges, browns, yellows, pinks, all wooing you into absolute love; and sizes of all the larger ones leading to paths of the medium ones and the smaller ones still another way; and shapes with rounded and pointed subjects leading you around the painting each on their own curved path and sometimes intertwining; darling little flies and a tiny mouse munching on the meat of an open walnut, a cat with its paw resting on the very edge of a bird nest filled with tiny perfect eggs; and the most absolutely wonderful renditions of water droplets on the petals of the flowers and skins of the fruits that you will ever see...EVER.  Gorgeous.  I am going back tomorrow. 

      There was also a special little hallway exhibit in the basement...OMW...the basement of all places, well the "lower level" which is essentially a basement, OMW again...where they had lined up drawings by these artists:  Picasso, Matisse, Constable, Degas, Whistler, Durer, Delacroix, Winslow Homer, John James Audubon.  ALL IN ONE SMALL HALLWAY...unbelievable artwork to the left of me and then to the right of me as I proceeded down the hallway...ALONE AS NO ONE ELSE WAS THERE at the time and I had all these guys all to myself...one hour and 15 minutes and that was rushing it.  Amazingly beautiful drawings...just me and them...how lucky was I on this day at that time?  (And, I did not touch a single one...can you believe it?  I am behaving extremely well under these circumstances!)

      I was running out of time as I still wanted to see the special exhibit of Werner Reiterer called Raw Loop (modern art and I so wish Vanessa had been with me as Vanessa and I do modern art so well together).  I laughed and giggled through the entire exhibit...he is a humorist, as well as an artist, so you are actually supposed to do that.  He is an Austrian and this is his first solo show in the United States.  Some of it was print (one of my favorites being a drawing entitled Jesus at Home which consisted of a coat hook hanging on the wall with a halo draped over it, a white tunic hanging on the hook, and a pair of sandals neatly residing on the floor under it all...I chuckled the moment I saw it) and some of the exhibit was interactive sculpture. 

      I loved the interactive sculpture (Oh, Vanessa, you would have loved these!).  My favorites were a bank of 8 very large loud speakers that when you approached you could hear whispering coming from them, however, the closer you got, the louder the voice became until it was VERY LOUD when you were as close as you could go, sort of the opposite of life where you hear a whisper up close and the louder stuff far away, I suppose; a mannequin man dressed and sitting on the floor leaning against the wall, very human-like, and when you neared him, he began to "breathe" and it was quite haunting actually, sort of like approaching a still figure to check to see if he/she is actually breathing and alive when it is pretty clear he/she is not, and then having it breathe deeply when you are right next to it, made you pull back and gasp in surprise; and a room where you were supposed to yell with increasing loudness so that the lights would brighten and dim according to the volume of your voice...and on and on as I know you have all probably quit reading when you realized this was me on another museum tangent...yes, I know, your eyes immediately began to glaze over and you thought, "Uh, oh...here she goes again...." 

      And, for those of you still reading, I had the best time today and it ended all too soon.  Tomorrow The Fraiser Museum...and a sneak back at The Speed to have one last look at the Van Os painting...The Speed Art Museum is, by the way, FREE, so go...really, just go...you will love it!  And, take me with you!

2 Sad 4 Words

     We all arrived safely in Louisville.  Coaches took the swimmers to Churchill Downs for a tour and a chance to watch a race or two. (They schedule some fun event or tour each year.)  Matt loved it.  Dinner was at an Italian restaurant...pasta for the swimmers, don'tchaknow.  On the way back we learned that the father of two CSC swimmers had passed away unexpectedly, so everyone is very sad and sober this evening...all of us in shock. 

      Chuck will be missed.  He was one of those very involved dads who seemed to be everywhere his girls were...as referee, swim official, board member, father, coach, cheerleader.  We have known Chuck and Jane for nine years through swimming...Libby was with Matt at Guerin this year.  We are all very sad tonight.  

      Photos are Margaret and Lacey...Lacey in the pink and pearls...can you stand it?  So fun...she is such a girl and I just love that about her.  Beautiful, beautiful girls, these two...inside and out!  The other photo is Mickey playing doctor this evening taping Matt's ice packs on his shoulders...we needed a very tall guy to do this and Mickey is always willing to help out with anything that needs to be done.  A lot of chuckling and laughing, but they got it eventually. 

     Enough posting tonight...no one is really in the mood to party or take a lot of photos, etc.  In your charity, please pray for the repose of the soul of Chuck; pray for his wife, Jane, and their daughters, Libby and Tori.  Thank you.

       

The Goodbye and The Legacy

      Yesterday was the Memorial Mass for Kelly.  Not a "funeral," because Donna and the kids wanted it to be a celebration of Kelly's life, and it was that:  a chance to gather together,  to celebrate Mass and the wonderful person that left us all too soon.

        The thing about watching someone suffer for a prolonged period of time, and I can't think of too many diseases that come close to ALS in this regard, is that when the release finally comes, there is a great sense of sadness, but also one of intense relief that your loved one is no longer bearing the burden of earthly suffering.  I do not think that I have ever witnessed a family who demonstrated more grace than I did yesterday seeing Donna, Scott, Sarah, and Katie at the service, dinner, etc.  I don't have a clue how much endurance and fortitude it took for them to present the loving, joyful, compassionate demeanors that each displayed throughout the entire day.  Kelly was everything to this family and I don't know how they managed to handle such a great loss so beautifully...grace had to be fully present is all that I can believe.

      I was doing fairly well in the emotion department, greeting people as we went into the nave, carefully choosing to sit in the very back row, at the very end, so that hopefully none of my weepy friends would want to sit that far back, thereby enhancing my chances of getting through it all dry-eyed.   Krystal and Jay (Harrison's parents) sat with us for the same reasons and we all managed to keep dry-eyed (Jay and Mark sat side by side and Krystal and I sat on either side of them so that further enhanced the chances). 

      I was good until the carrying up of the Offertory gifts...Donna, Scott, Sarah, and Katie chose to do this themselves, and as they walked down that long center aisle toward the altar, I was feeling a little teary...when they reached the altar where Father and Matt (as the altar server) were standing, it was all over.  There was a family we all love dearly, our priest who we love dearly, and our son, standing in front of Kelly's photo on an easel.  Too much.  As Father and Matt proceeded to the altar and Donna and the kids to their seats, the hanky was out, and it was a few minutes before I could see clearly again, pictures of years and years of seeing and talking and laughing and working and sharing life's moments raced through my mind.  It's hard to say goodbye. 

      Jeff, Kelly's best friend from his childhood and throughout life, spoke beautifully about the legacy that Kelly leaves behind.  He summed up his favorite parts of Kelly (besides the "pearly whites" as Kelly had the most beautiful teeth and smile...Kelly was always happy, always smiling) as being these three:  First, Kelly was always ready to forgive and forget and encourage others to do the same; Second, Kelly always gathered people together, brought people together who you never thought could ever be brought together...always the loving link between people and groups of people; and Third, Kelly always looked for the best in people, he always found the good in people and celebrated those aspects.  Jeff is so right...all these are a great legacy...one we all share and will remember when we think of Kelly in the years to come.  It's a legacy for you, too...share it around.

The Hero: Rest in Peace, Kelly

  In Webster's Dictionary a "hero" is defined thusly:  "a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities; one that shows great courage..."   If you asked my two sons who their hero was, they would say, "Kelly." 

 

  Hands down, Kelly has been the hero around here for the past four years.  Maybe longer, actually, as we have known Kelly and his family for the past eight years: our children swim together with CSC, we attend the same parish, we live on one side of our church, they live on the other, separated only by one of the few remaining farm fields left in Carmel. 

  Through all these years, Kelly's devotion to his family was first and foremost the very definition of his life.  Where his kids were, you would find Kelly.  If the kids participated in something, Kelly was not only there, he served on the board, he volunteered, he shuttled his and everyone else's kids to and fro, he balanced work and play like it was a picnic every single day.  Cheerleader extraordinaire for not only his kids, but all of our kids.  Always.  The support and encouragement each person gained from knowing Kelly was continuously present, the very essence of himself. 

  In life, each person has a moment when they learn of something that suspends them in time, a reference point from which they can always and forever draw from that moment on.  My first experience with this was seeing my father alive for the last time when I was 5.  From there I remember my First Confession, My First Communion, the day JFK was assassinated, and on and on throughout my life with various other things.  And so it was, that such was the case when I stood beside our friend Kelly chatting about the day-to-day bits of life and he turned to me and said, "Kayte, when I went to Mayo Clinic, I found out that I have ALS." 

  My father's sister had just died from ALS, so I was not unfamiliar with the disease...my heart sank.  I don't remember what I said, but I know there were tears in my eyes as I looked at him.  He said, "You know, I don't care for myself as I have had a wonderful life, a full and rich life, experienced all the joys that one could hope to experience.  But, I do care for Donna and the kids.  Donna will need to be a single mother and my kids are just so young.  I will miss so much with them.  That's the part that I just can't come to terms with yet."  His kids...Kelly was always all about the kids. 

  These past years he has spent in progressive decline with the ALS, but he still attended as many of the activities as he could, for and with his kids.  In the early stages of ALS, right on through his last days, he was intent on making each and every day count, really really count.  We all learned much from this.  My boys learned how a hero handles a life lived in preparation for something completely out of one's control with grace, dignity, and joy, and with extreme love and concern for everything around him. 

  Late last night, Kelly lost his battle with ALS and slipped quietly away surrounded, as he had so hoped, by his family, at home.  All these years, I knew eventually that the call would come, that the loss we would all feel would be great, but when the phone rang at midnight (never a good sign when our phone rings at that hour), and I heard the words, "Kayte, Kelly has just died and we need you to help with the arrangements, can you do that,"  I still could not register the words and what they meant...sleepiness or denial, I am not certain, but I never ever think things like this are actually going to happen, and I am never prepared.  Is anyone? 

  I always think the sensible, practical, organized side of me will instantly spring to life, but it never happens like that...I am always a little dazed and groping before saying, "Yes, yes, what do you need me to do?"   After an hour or so, things well in hand, I hung up knowing what I could do, and more frustrating, knowing what I could not do...I could not bring my boys' hero back to life. 

  Today, as I move about the motions of helping where I can, I know that I don't need to bring him back to life...that once a hero, always a hero, and that Matt and Alex will remember this man always and that his life will have affected theirs in a way that will honor his memory for as long as they live. 

  Please join me in praying for the repose of the soul of Kelly.  Please pray for his wife Donna, and their children, Scott (16), Sarah (15), and Katie (12).  And, if you are able, May is ALS awareness month, please donate $1 or $5 or $10 or $100 or whatever you can in Kelly's memory.  http://www.alsa.org/  Thank you...your donation makes you a hero, too. 

  Rest in Peace, Kelly, you will be dearly missed by us all.

The Market Bag Addiction Continues

      My goodness, these Tuesday craft days at the Table come around quickly each week.  I made three more market bags...for Shelley, Karen, and Susan as they expressed so sweetly how much they really would love to have one.  Shelley's was the pastel color combination of the one I made for The Lovely Tess last week. The ones for Karen and Susan are like this one pictured at the right...a blue, purple, turquoise, pink combination that I just loved working with and may need to make one in that color combo for myself.  Yep, may need to do that.  The handles on these bags are different as I did a little experimenting and decided I liked the way these carried better for Karen and Susan's bags for the way they wanted to use them.  Who knew I would be able to alter and adjust a pattern and have it turn out?  It just gets better and better, I tell you.  Love it, love it.

      I am also working on the golf club head covers, but do not have one completely finished yet, so that will need to wait for a peek next week. 

       The second photo here is of Meg and Sunny today at Book-It.  Meg had entered the dishcloth giveaway (and I couldn't give one to Meg without giving one to her sister, right?), so I wrapped them up all girly-like and gave them to them today.  They were so thrilled...this is my very favorite thing about Meg and Sunny...they are the sweetest things going, always respectful, fun, and always so appreciative of anything that comes their way.  Truly, very sweet always.  I think it took Meg about 10 minutes to talk herself into opening the package as she kept saying, "Oh, I just love a package, and it is so pretty I hate to rip it open."  (Me, too...I am always that way with a package.) 

      The last photo is evidence of the grief to which I am being subjected to from my non-crafting friends.  At Book-It Shelley sketched a little "sign" for me on a napkin about opening up a crafts boutique of some sort...all in jest of course...so here's her little sign, complete with the country painted flowers, wooden-look lettering, and dressed up goose (with extra long legs just for me).  They were all teasing me about being "really scared" of this new part of me and threatened that if I took up macrame that they would call the men in white coats.  Can you believe I am being subjected to this sort of abuse?  I can...I figured it was coming...but someday, when they are all thinking, "Hmmmm...maybe I should learn to (fill in the blank with a craft).....," I will be very kind and just smile sweetly.  Do you hear that Shelley, Katie, Margaret, Debbie, Jerri, Anne C., Anne G., Kimarlee, Gloria, etc.?  Sweetly...I will smile nicely...because when it hits, it is addicting!

plAN a ANd plAN b

      Didn't take any photos today, so this one from a few days ago will need to suffice to show you that we are finally happily green and blooming here in Indiana!  Our lovely front pear tree in all her spring glory.

      I was counting the days, listing them off, anticipating the actual arrival of the BIG DAY.  No, not my birthday..."BILL" DAY!  No, not the kind that comes in the mail and you pay and return, but rather, the day Bill comes to open our pool for the season...Monday was to be THE DAY! (Plan A) However, it rained on Monday.  So, instead, Bill came TODAY! (Plan B) 

      Each year Bill kindly puts us FIRST on the swimming pool opening list and LAST on the swimming pool closing list.  I think it might be a toss up as to how much he thinks of our friendship and/or how much whining he knows will probably ensue if he doesn't. (I am really only kidding about the whining part...I truly do hope it is in friendship that he does so as he knows how much I love that pool). 

      Anyway, each year, on the last Monday in April, Bill arrives with all the tricks and tools of his trade, and each year I do a little song and dance for him that goes like this (think Wedding Bell Blues here):  "Oh, Bill, I love you so, I always will.  I look at you and see the sunny skies of May...oh, but am I ever gonna see my swimming days?  I never scheme or lie Bill, there's been no foolin' but kisses and love won't carry me till you open that pool...I love you Bill, I always will..." 

      Bill loves silliness and laughs each year and sings back, "K-K-Katie...K-K-Katie...."  I think that he comes here first for the song and dance, and then, maybe most of all, the killer brownies I make for him.  It's important to let people know how much you appreciate them, after all. 

      Let the outdoor swimming season begin!  (Well, as soon as it warms up a bit.)