Grandma's Kitchen Table

Sunday's Snippets (A Little Late This Week...Oops)

READING:  The Reshaping of Everyday Life 1790-1840 by Jack Larkin.  This is a very good review of the material culture during America's early Republic days.  It reads fast, and even though you might have a good grasp on most of this if you read a lot of history, there was still a lot to learn.  Very enjoyable.

SWIMMING NEWS:  IU Men's Swimming and Diving swim meet this past week was the Big Ten Championships and was hosted/held at the IU pool in Bloomington.  IU came in second to Michigan's first this year...if you know anything about the conference, you know Michigan is hard to beat in Men's Swimming, they have a depth like no other Big Ten team and they are big and strong and fast and numerous and just keep coming at you.  We were very happy with second place.  Standing room only crowd on hand.

      The Wolverines totaled 899 points over the four-day event. Indiana finished second with 664 points and Ohio State was third with 470 points. Minnesota tallied 378 points, while Purdue compiled 328 points to round out the top five in the final team standings.  Wisconsin finished 6th with 277 points, Iowa finished 7th with 245 points, Penn State finished 8th with 212 points, Northwestern finished 9th with 161 points, and Michigan State finished 10th with 126 points.  Illinois and Nebraska do not have Men's Swimming and Diving teams, so in Men's Swimming and Diving at least, the Big Ten is still the Big Ten, meaning there are just ten teams participating.   

      Matt had a very good meet, he swam 50, 100, 200 Freestyles and the 800 Freestyle Relay.   He had a new best time in his 800 free relay leg, a new best time in his 200 Freestyle (finishing in the Top 16 and achieving a B cut for NCAAs), and in his 50 and 100 freestyles he had close to his best times.  His 800 Freestyle Relay broke the school's record and achieved an A cut for the NCAAs later this month.  Matt was awarded an All Big Ten Award for that relay swim (which he was really thrilled with).  His sophomore year ended on a great note.  (Of course he wanted to have new best times in everything, so that's the goal for next year.)  Here's a connect to the meet story from Day 1 from Day 2 from Day 3 from Day 4 and from there you can go to each day's Meet Results. 

      Here are some photos, not all that great because frankly it was very crowded/noisy/nuts and hard to get my camera out/focused/inline with anything remotely resembling a clear shot.

Coach Looze leading the men in the opening cheer.

Enthusiastic yells for the IU swimmers in the water winning the race, taking 1st and 2nd.

The 800 Freestyle Relay lining up to swim the first night of the meet. Eric in red cap ready to get on the block, Matt in black cap, Steve in white Indiana cap, and Jimmie in fourth position with a red cap.

Matt on the block and ready to swim his fastest leg ever in the 800 Freestyle Relay.

And, he's off, swimming as fast as he can trying to beat Michigan.
The school record-breaking Men's 800 Freestyle Relay:  Matt, Eric, Jimmie, and Steve.  Second place finish, enough for All-Big Ten Awards for all four of them (Matt and Eric are holding their awards.) 

Matt's Second Place medal for the 800 Freestyle Relay (Darn that Michigan...lol...first place was theirs!)

Sometimes when you aren't swimming, you have another important task for your teammates who are distance swimmers:  Lap Counter.  Matt putting the board in with the number of laps his teammate is on during the distance swims.  This requires a great deal of focus to be on the correct lap and can be taxing when you are upwards of 38 laps.  Especially if you are a sprinter and 8 laps only seems to be manageable without a counter.

There's always a bit of additional fun when someone you have known your whole life shows up as a student worker at the meet and is assigned to be a timer in the lane you are swimming in...Miss Molly O'Malia with a big smile (Molly is our Godchild and Molly's parents are Matt's Godparents).  They had a good time chatting and cheering...Molly being one of Matt's best cheerleaders always.

This year Mark and I were in charge of the Big Ten Goody Bags for the Men's Swimming and Diving teams.  I vaguely remember volunteering for this in the heat of the moment at last year's Big Tens. lol Anyway, this is the scene in our dining room the week before Big Tens...38 Swimmer/Diver bags, 6 Coach bags, 1 small Secretary Thank You bag, and 1 very large bag for the staff working the meet...all ready for assembly.
All assembled (except for Secretary and Staff bags).  Mark and I did it together and it was actually quite fun.
This was the main gift...a big swim towel individualized with each swimmer or diver's name on it.  The swimmers got Indiana Swimming on theirs and the divers got Indiana Diving on theirs.  The rest of the bag was filled with healthy (and some not so healthy) treats donated by the parents for inclusion in the bags.  Big Ten Goody Bag job, not such a bad deal at all.

COOKING BYTES:   Think I am down to blogging in just one group, Wednesday with Donna Hay, for the time being and then just venturing out on my own with various things as with The Swimmer away at college, we can't dispose of food as easily as has been the case in the past and I am finding that matching all the groups with what is needed/wanted here currently isn't working as well.  So, guess for the time being, my solution is to jump in the groups whenever I can make something work menu-wise, and sit out when I can't.  Except for WwDH, which I can always make fit in around here. 

FAV NEW FIND:  I try to keep this positive, but for this week I will say what my Favorite New Find WAS NOT:  the huge snowfall that appeared out of the west two days ago and dumped several inches of the white stuff covering everything and leaving no blade of grass (or my emerging crocus flowers) in sight.  Spring can't come soon enough.

FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  We were at the Big Tens this past week and it was just a wonderful time.  Although it was in Bloomington (about 72 miles away), we stayed the whole time and made the most of being in B-town.  Matt, Ian, and Steve were required to stay with the entire team at a hotel (so hometown swimmers don't have advantage of being in their own beds, etc.), so Matt offered his house for our lodging and it was great as they have a really nice little house on campus. He was very appreciative that I did all his laundry while I was there.  It was thrilling to watch all our IU swimmers and divers compete in the meet.  
WEEK IN REVIEW:  Not much going on except the Big Ten Men's Swimming and Diving Championships all week, if there were other things happening, I missed them all.

LOOKING FORWARD TO:   If you did not get to see IU Opera's production of Akhnaten when it was in Bloomington, you have another chance as it is guesting at the Indianapolis Opera venue here in Indianapolis at Clowes Hall for this weekend only.  Go see it...it is wonderful!  Historical in content (obviously), stage and sets are fantastic, performances top-notch. Read more about it here.  At the ISO:  Son Lux and Shara Worden, click here for details and Sunday a special Dance to the Music performance, click here for details.

Sunday's Snippets

   READING:  Lighting Out For the Territory:  How Samuel Clemens Headed West and Became Mark Twain.  This is a fun read, tells of the time that Mark Twain spent out west in the years of his early manhood.

SWIMMING NEWS:  IU swim meet this past Saturday was a big success.  IU Men prevailed over the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Ohio State Buckeyes, so that was nice.  Matt had a very good meet, he swam 50, 100, 200 Freestyles and the 400 Freestyle Relay.  If you would like to hear what the coach had to say about Matt, click here and listen to the little video.  Go, Matt!  Here are some photos from the meet.
Front Row:  Donovan, Ryan, Murray, Matt, Assistant Coach Ryan; Back Row:  Ian (side view walking), Nolan, Grayson, Daniel showing off the Candy Stripe Swim Trunks, and Seth lining up to cheer on their teammates swimming.
Photo:  Matt poised for action.
Photo:  Matt...off the block and into the race.
Photo:  CANDY STRIPE SWIM TRUNKS!! You've all surely heard about the IU Men's Basketball Team wearing the candy stripe warm up pants since the '70's, so this year the Men's Swimming and Diving Team now wear candy stripe swim trunks.  I love them...they are so much fun.  You might need to be a Hoosier fan to get this, but even if you aren't, what's not to love about these candy stripes?  Left to right:  Eric, Matt, Daniel, Jimmie (red cap), Tanner, and Michael (back to camera).
Photo:  Mike V (friend and former CSC teammate of Matt's) swims for the Hawks these days, so I managed one photo (above) of him walking across the bulkhead and one (below) after the meet where I caught up with Mike, his father, and his brother Jimmie.  Was so fun to see Mike swimming for Iowa!

COOKING BYTES:   Roasting cauliflower has become a passion, cannot believe how many ways one can use roasted cauliflower.

FAV NEW FIND:  Downton Abbey...I am way late to the party (as I am with all matters television), but my friends have all been talking about this for the past couple of years and I was feeling totally left out of the conversations, so I have borrowed the first two seasons and am busily catching up on all things DA.  I'm hooked.  

FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  IU swim meet and Men's Senior Day and Banquet.  I took my camera to the banquet...and promptly forgot to take any pictures.  Oops.  However, here is the poster announcing the meet and Senior Day from this weekend, and yes, the swimmer featured on the poster is Matt, so that was fun to see. 
WEEK IN REVIEW:  Besides working, I've been spending a lot of time sorting through things in the house to get ready for the big move later this year...I'm getting better at it as I go along.  I'm almost ready to sort through Vashie's things but not quite, maybe next week.  The silence in the house without the pitter patter of little puppy paws is deafening.   

LOOKING FORWARD TO:   At the Eiteljorg...National Geographic:  Greatest Photographs of the American West, click here for details.  At the ISO:  The "Organ" Symphony, click here for details.

Stepping Back From Blogging a Bit For a Time

Photo:  Matt, Mark, Alex, and Vash in the front...definitely more guys than gals in this household.

      The guys were all home this past weekend to help celebrate Mark's parents' 61st Wedding Anniversary on Saturday.  Wow, 61 years is an amazing amount of time. 

      Unfortunately, Mark's parents have both been experiencing some major health concerns and were not able to enjoy a true celebration, Mark's mom has been in the hospital since last Thursday for emergency surgery.  We hope to celebrate the anniversary at a later time when they can both enjoy a bit of family gathering to celebrate all those wonderful years and memories. 

 

Sunday's Snippets

 

View from the deck of the vacation beach cottage...lovely, quiet, relaxing, restful.

READING:  I loaded up my book bag for vacation and threw in books, magazines, pieces of things I printed off or hoarded away, etc., and it was full...I returned with the library books, all the rest I had read and disposed of in one way or another. Whew, that feels good to be caught up with the bits and pieces of things I had around.  I did not get to the 1493 book, so that is up next.

SWIMMING NEWS:  IU swimmers have a small break this week so they can get settled and prepared for classes, etc. for the upcoming year.  I think they are adding some mid-distance into Matt's lineup, along with his sprinter events, so that will be interesting as Matt has always been a sprinter...the swim joke being that Matt would need a lane counter for a 400.  If you aren't a swimmer, you won't understand this, just know that Matt's usual events for the past 13 years are 50, 100, 200 distances.  That said, this year they have worked on changing his physique a bit...he did weights for the first time this year, running, etc. and as you can see in the photo right...it has added a bit more in strength, kind of a goofy photo, but it shows you what I am talking about with changing his physique. 

COOKING BYTES:   Usually this refers to what's been cooking around here, and this past week it would be "not much" as we were on vacation and while I did rustle up some pancakes for breakfast and salads for lunch, we ate dinners out...lots of seafood, great shrimp, etc.  On every menu they had the seafood listed with "blackened, grilled, fried, broiled or boiled" as the choices...you can get seafood about any way you want it in the Gulf Shores area.  You can also get anything you want FRIED in the Gulf Shores area...I had no idea there was that much fried food available. Yikes. I'm not the biggest fan of fried food...the occasional french fry or fried chicken a few times a year about sums that up for me...but I did try these Fried Pickles (pictured below) as they were everywhere and pickles happen to be one of my favorite foods...so we shared these and I have to say, I could eat a few fried pickle chips throughout the year, better than french fries any day! 

FAV NEW FIND:  Well, it isn't what you think probably...as we were returning home from Gulf Shores,  and somewhere south of Louisville, Kentucky we got a call from Mark's brother saying that their mother was out of the hospital but feeling really ill and wanted her children to come home to visit with her...a bit of a scare since she is not one to request this ever.  So we hurried home and when we arrived she was feeling a bit better after a blood transfusion.  Whew.  Scary moments there for a bit.  Anyway, since all the siblings were home, I snapped a quick shot for the scrapbook...goofy smiles on each and every one of them.  So fav new find was that all was well and we had a chance to see all the sibs. 

Back row:  Al, Phil, Mark  Front row:  Nancy, Luke, and Brian.

FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  Mark, Matt and I went to Gulf Shores...10 days of vacation...and it was all wonderful.  We hadn't been on a family vacation of any sort together for the past 7 years...life got busy, most of our travel and vacation time is spent with following swim meets, so this was fantastic just going somewhere to relax and do nothing much and not be at any sort of swimming competition.  Not that we don't love going to swim meets, because we do...it's just nice that for once Matt didn't have to "work" and could just enjoy the time at the beach...doing what? Swimming, of course...lol. Photo at right:  Had to have the corny photo of Matt with the Big Fish at the Tacky Jack's.
WEEK IN REVIEW:  We vacationed at Gulf Shores, Alabama...had a lovely "beach cottage" right on the Gulf, the view from the cottage was wonderful (photos below), the beach was private so no crowds, Matt enjoyed swimming in the Gulf (within the first 5 minutes 5 Auburn 20 year old girls had "picked him up"...they were staying with one of the girls' parents down the beach a mile so he had a tour of the area from the girls who had all been coming there for years), there were movies, dinners, site-seeing adventures, beach walks, star-gazing with Night Skies ap, and Matt even worked a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle with me, despite it's "sewing" theme.  We read a lot...all of us were curling up with books all week...so nice to just have the time together.  That said, I am sure you are all saying...what is wrong with this picture? I'm not a beach person (although it was a killer view from the cottage day and night, I quickly tire of just seeing water everywhere, sand, and heat)...I was happy to come home, that was a perfect amount of time to be gone, another week and I would have been stir crazy ready to head north to my green lawns and trees, etc.  If truth be told, I always think of our home as a vacation destination...I love being in it and our yard/pool/etc. is very pretty and I never tire of it.  So, all in all, a great time because I was with my guys and we enjoyed just not having any commitments for that time, but I am happy to be back in the swing of things here.  I hope we can find a time in the swim schedule next year to do it again...different location, but just to have the time away together and relax  would be lovely.  I don't do beach relaxing well, because I like to go and do things like museums and such and time on a beach over 5 minutes bores me to tears (but I was more than happy to go there because my guys loved, loved, loved it), so maybe somewhere museumish with a beach...let's see...where would that be do you suppose? 
Each day Matt would be the first to head out to the beach and set up camp. 
Mark would walk Vash out to visit Matt...Vash didn't want anything to do with that water, however, Tibbies are not swimmers...but Vash did like the little beach friend he made and they would romp around having a good time...photo:  Mark, Matt, Vash, Vash's doggie friend, Owner of the doggie friend...this guy was very interesting as he had been coming to this area since after WWII and had build a house to live in year round two doors down from the one we were in, he said nothing was in Gulf Shores back then, just the beach and the water. 
Puzzles are a great thing to do with your family...just sitting down together for prolonged periods brings out a lot of fun and information you wouldn't necessarily hear about otherwise. The guys even let me pick out the puzzle. 

LOOKING FORWARD TO:   At the IMA, Musha (Warrior Prints) (Japanese), click here for details.  At the ISO:  Classical Mystery Tour: A Tribute to the Beatles, click here for details.

 

Sunday's Snippets

 

READING:  Loaded up my library card with a new stack of books for a final "I'm on Vacation Plan" as school starts back up soon enough and gone are the days of swimming and reading and calling it vacation time.  My favorite book in the lineup being a book by Charles C. Mann 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus and am eager to get going on that as Mark has the follow up book by the same author 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Discovered and I'm in line for it next so I don't want to miss my shot at it.   

SWIMMING NEWS:  This weekend was the last of the long course season meets for Matt here in Indy at the Nat with USA Senior State.   He did well, posted some new best times, and swam a new swim for him with a fairly decent showing, the 400 Freestyle, which puts him the beginning of a mid-distance swimming addition to his lineup.  IU swimmers are now training tor the U.S. Open Swimming Championships (in Indianapolis August 7-11) or having a small break before gearing up for college swimming (short course) which starts back up August 11.  Matt is on break for this week and next. Will train this week yet, but next week taking a vacation...his first since April 2011. Some photos from the swim meet today.  First up, one of the guys hanging out waiting for their swims:  Top row:  Matt and Ian watching the action; Middle Row: Ryan listening to music to psych up for his 1500 Freestyle and Mike just relaxing; Bottom Row: Murray texting and Daniel concentrating.

Go Ryan! Lots of team encouragement for Ryan in the 1500 race...and Ryan wins.  (Left to right: Stephanie, Sara, Matt, Guinevere, Murray, and Coach L)

100 Freestyle race...Peter (fellow CSC swimmer all those years), Matt, Daniel, and Hunter.  Mike is further down the line in Lane 7.  Ready to race.
And they are off and racing...Peter in Red, Matt in White, Daniel in Red, and Hunter in Black
The Finish...very very close...a 3-way touch out finish with Matt getting caught between strokes and finishing third...Mike finished fourth, the IU guys showing 100 Freestyle Power. (Hunter was IU as well this past year.)  A very fun race for them all, and a great way to finish the meet.
And what they were all looking at in the above photo: the scoreboard.

COOKING BYTES:   Okay, I actually posted some things. Not nearly enough to meet group requirements, but some things.  The hot weather probably has something to do with wanting to fire up the grill and not the ovens and stove.  Probably.

FAV NEW FIND:  Every so often there comes about A Thing that makes me wonder how I ever lived without it.  This would be One of Those Things.  A new app for my phone called Meet Mobile.  I am absolutely giddy even typing it.  It has USA swim meets listed, you click on it, has each and every swimmer entered in the meet, has their rank, the psyche sheet, the times they are seeded, the time and event they swim, the times they post for swimming their entry, the rank going into finals, all the finals information, the meet information, even has a map on how to get there.  Times/locations/results for all the sessions.  You can mark your favorite swimmer and it alerts you as to when that swimmer is swimming and when his/her next swim will occur.  And you can get this for every single swimmer in the meet. At a touch of a button. You don't need to bring pen paper pencil, etc. ever again.  You don't need to write down your swimmer's time as it is right there seconds after the swim, and it even lists the splits!!  And it is FREE!  I have gazed upon the face of Agamemnon and this is it!  For a swim family, there is no greater gift...pure genius.

FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  Matt's swim meet, of course...swimming, it's what we do.  We just ended our 13th year...starting on the 14th now.
WEEK IN REVIEW:  A lot of swimming here at home because it has been dry and hot here and the pool is the best place to be in times like this.  Swim meet started Thursday so Matt came home to stay and motor between here and the meet venues in town and at the Nat.  It's great having Matt around as I have really missed him this year while he was at college, even though we got to see him a lot, it still isn't the same as having him live here and it all takes a bit of adjusting.  He will be around until August 11th so we are looking forward to having the time to just hang out and do fun summery vacation-like things before it's back to the team and college classes.

LOOKING FORWARD TO:   At the IMA, Printmakers in the Cafes in Paris (if you haven't seen it or want to see it again, go now as it leaves August 22), click here for details.  At the ISO:  40 Years of American Pie: An Evening with Don McClean, click here for details.

Sunday's Snippets

READING:  Abby's book group was reading People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks, she thought I would enjoy the history bits in it and mentioned it to me, so I read through that, excellent, and then started on another book, March, by the same author,  again, excellent, and now the group is reading The Buddha in the Attic, by Julie Otsuka,  also excellent and I read that quickly in two days. (Click on book titles to see descriptions.)  Abby's book group is widening my reading horizons with novels.  

SWIMMING NEWS:  IU swimmers are busy training for various USA summer meets and quite frankly I have lost all track of who is swimming where when as they are all over the country and some out of the country swimming in meets.  Matt's roommate, Steve, did quite well at the Olympic Trials, as a freshman he finished 11th in the 400 IM, and Cody made the top heat of the 200 IM (finishing 7th overall), swimming with the top guns for a spot in the Olympics (only the top 2 in each swim go to the Olympics with the exception of freestyle relay positions, top 6). Cody managed to make additional national news with this little wardrobe malfunction, click here.  (From the insider's take on that little story, Cody needed a suit and James wasn't swimming in that event, so James did a quick deck change as well and handed over his suit for Cody to wear...of course the IU guys were all saying that it was James' new job at the meet to "cover Cody's a _ _, literally.") Nick is swimming in the Olympics for the Dominican Republic, Margaux is swimming in the Olympics for France, Dorina is swimming in the Olympics for Hungary, and Kate is swimming in the Olympics for the Ukraine, all having dual citizenship from their parents.  You can read about it here.  Lots of other swimmers did lots of other impressive swims, for further information check the News button here.
I love this photo of Matt's roommate, Steve (far right with the white cap) swimming at the Olympic Time Trials.  He did such a great job...11th as a freshman...wow, wow, wow. Congrats to Steve.

COOKING BYTES:   Well, well, well...it remains to be seen if I am going to keep posting to my food blogs as I keep thinking I will fire up but summer is busy and we are grilling and eating a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables so I'm not looking in the recipe books coming up with things new and different.  I am also cooking quite a bit from Pinterest as I'm using my boards there as recipe storage.  We shall see what transpires.  Hopefully my blog groups haven't given up on me completely.

FAV NEW FIND:  I'm finding that I am enjoying reading novels again after a long bout of not.  When the boys were growing up I found I had limited time for reading so my first choices were history books...still my first choices...but now that I have a bit more time for reading, I am adding novels back in again and enjoying reading new authors. Send me your recommendations!

FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  This week we celebrated some major milestone birthdays...Mark's dad turned 90 July 16th, Mark turns 60 on July 19th, and Matt will turn 20 the last day of the month.  Rolling over the "0"s this year.  Celebrating three great guys always a favorite thing.

MONTH IN REVIEW:  The summer has been speeding by with lots of swimming, a trip to Boston, Symphony on the Prairie is in full swing, lots of swimming here at the house, friends/family/fun. Here are a few photos to catch up...Clarice crashed and I had to get a new hard drive for her, so I am busy hunting to see which photos I have lost and which ones I haven't in that whole process.
Hightlight of Boston Trip for Mark was a trip to Fenway Park to watch the Boston Red Sox.
Matt and fellow IU swimmer Nick S, at Taste of Bloomington trying to decide on what to eat at the food festival...swimmers/food/choices, what's not to love on a summer night.
Alex and Matt at Fourth of July Symphony on the Prairie (no fireworks with the 1812 Overture this year due to dry conditions here in Indiana, but oh, well, music was great anyway).  17 years of tradition and they are still loving it.
Matt, Mark, Alex...badly in need of haircuts but enjoying a hot summer day nonetheless.
Matt loading up Clarice after the big crash.  It's good to have someone around who is happy to fix all computer related incidents.  I'm happy to cook for him, he's happy to computer for me, a great trade in my mind.

LOOKING FORWARD TO:   At the IMA, Snapshot:  Painters and Photography:  Bonnard to Vuillard, read about it here.  At the ISO:  The Best of Broadway, click here.

Sunday's Snippets

READING:  I would really like to know the answer to this as I have about ten things going at once and bits and pieces of other things I keep delving into.  This is not good...by next week I promise to whittle it all down to my standard four books going at once and pick my favorite one to post. I think I need more focus in my life at the moment.

(Photo: Matt at Panther Quarterback's locker while touring facility in Charlotte, NC.)
SWIMMING NEWS: IU swimmers headed out to Charlotte, NC for the Ultra Swim Grand Prix last week Thursday through Sunday, Matt's flight came in on Monday morning, he was tired but happy as he had a wonderful time in Charlotte at the meet.  The IU swimmers were all hosted by various families volunteering for such in Charlotte and Matt was super-excited about his host family, who he just loved.  The father in the family is a marketing executive for the Charlotte Panthers football team and he arranged for Matt to see the facility and the locker rooms, etc. during session breaks.  The family was just wonderful to Matt, very supportive...they went to his swim sessions and cheered and filmed him, which was so very nice since we were not able to be there.  He had great meals, rides to and from the pool and airport, wonderful accommodations at their beautiful home, and just a whole lot of extra fun besides enjoying the swim meet.  Here are some photos from all of that.
(Photo:  Matt and his host family at the Charlotte Grand Prix meet, "Best Host Family Ever.")
(Photo:  Student and Teacher:  Matt and IU Swim Coach L.)
(Photo:  Indiana! Where did my little guy go...look at those shoulders...a lot of changes from swimming this year.) 
COOKING BYTES:  My goal is to get back on the path to proper posting (this is for my benefit primarily as it keeps me interested in trying new things each week and gives Mark more of a variety...left to my own devices, soup and salad always look like viable options for every meal).  Back to committed food planning and blogging this week...I hope.
FAV NEW FIND:  I now know how to use a flash drive.  Keep your laughter to yourself...I was only tentatively moving into the 20th Century when they somehow switched it to the 21st. 
FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  Getting Matt and his roommates (Ian and Steve) settled into their rental house at college was definitely my favorite thing this past week.  It was fun to be a part of all of that and see them so happy with their choice.  Swimmers and dorms are not a good combination.  Swimmers sleep 10 p.m.-5 a.m., most dorm residents do not follow such hours of quiet and sleep, so the goal for the new place for the next three years for the boys, from their viewpoint, was to rent a house rather than an apartment so there would be no people above, below, or beside them who might quite possibly like to play loud music and be active for a good many of those hours between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.  The house they found is close to campus and pool and is quite comfortable.  It comes with three bedrooms and three off-street parking spots for the three roommates.  It has two bathrooms, a lovely kitchen with a counter that accommodates bar stools (especially good as they see no need for a kitchen table to "clutter things up"), a most generous sized living room, and a nice little porch out front for bikes and lawn chairs. Since so many have asked about this, and requested photos...here are some from move-in day (since Ian and Steve are not quite as compulsive as Matt about their rooms and closets, I didn't shoot photos of their rooms at this time).  So here's a bit of where Matt will call home these next three years.
(Photo: Steve, Matt, and Ian in front of the new digs in Hooville...home for the next three years.)
(Photo: Front door enters into entry and living room off to right side. Ian, Matt, Steve on move-in day, i.e. you have a couch each, a tv, a bedroom/bed each, and you are moved in. Girls might be slightly different in this regard.)
(Photo:  Kitchen on move-in day, all cabinets loaded, miscellaneous junk sitting around but basically doing great on neatness and organization through the whole moving process.)
(Photo:  Matt's bedroom...yes, it will probably always look this neat.  And please don't sit or put anything on the bed, he's not fond of that, just so you know. I have no idea where he got all these compulsive tendencies.)
(Photo:  Matt's bathroom...and yes, it will probably always look this neat and orderly. Again, I have no idea where he got that tendency.)
(Photo:  Matt's Closet...and yes, it will probably always look this neat and organized.  And again, I have absolutely no idea where he got these compulsively neat tendencies.)
WEEK IN REVIEW:  Spent a good deal of time in Hooville getting the boys settled, Mark's firm also moved offices after 40 years of being in the same place, so that was a lot for Mark to get his office packed up for the movers.  His new office has a lovely view of trees and greenery, something other than just downtown buildings and rooftops, so he is looking forward to that...the all-cement view from his former office not being his favorite by a long shot.  Too bad it didn't look out over a golf course!
LOOKING FORWARD TO:   There is an art "sculpture" exhibit in Bloomington (ends in October) which honors the human brain called Brain Extravaganza.  Sounds a little strange, but is rather fun as there are 22 brains located all over town and on the IU campus which detail/showcase different aspects of the brain.  Each has a little pedestal of written information describing that particular brain's focus.  I've seen half a dozen so far, but hope to get to them all before October.  Here's a photo of Matt with Brain #21 a couple of blocks from his house.
You can read (and see photos) about Brain Extravaganza and the brains here.  Nothing at the ISO this week...come on...this is Indianapolis and it's Race Weekend coming up, nothing else is going to attract more than a handful of fans.  It's May, It's Indy, It's The Race.

Sunday's Snippets

READING:  Still reading this as it is very long and I don't want to skim over any of it in a hurry.  I keep having to stop to look up locations of battles, and then get distracted by other accounts of same battles, etc.  -- Ulysses S. Grant's Ulysses S. Grant: Personal Memoirs.  Yes, the one that Mark Twain published all those many years ago.  It's a wonderful read, Grant is a very good writer and battle after battle is recounted in a manner that keeps one interested and moving through the pages quickly, as well as the more personal bits. 
SWIMMING NEWS:  IU swimmers in training for the Charlotte Grand Prix May 10-14th, their next stop on the competition circuit.  Not sure what Matt is swimming in that, possibility that they are adding more distance events to his freestyle lineup and resurrecting some of his backstroke events. 
COOKING BYTES:  Have I mentioned how much I love the return of grilling season?  I happen to be married to a man who is absolutely useless in the kitchen but absolutely a genius at the outdoor grill.  Very nice. 
FAV NEW FIND:  Matt finished his last final today, so we can now say that we have a sophomore at IU...where did that year go???
FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  Watching the IU swimmers compete this past weekend. Over the year I have come to know the swimmers, identify each one on sight, and even know some of them in the water by their swim styles/strokes...it feels like home again after watching the CSC swimmers all those years and knowing them all so well in and out of the water.   I didn't take a single photo all weekend...left all electronics at home to just unplug for a bit.
WEEK IN REVIEW:  Working every day last week made the week fly by, being gone all weekend for the swim meet made the weekend fly by...I can't remember a week that passed so quickly...but fun, all of it.  Weather has been so great...all the greenery and the flowers just make my heart sing every day.  Pacers Playoff game tonight...Mark and Matt headed there.
LOOKING FORWARD TO:   At the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site (House): Victorian Theatre By Candlelight's last weekend of Amusing Ambiguities.  Click here, still a few tickets left.  This is what's happening at the ISO this coming week:  Berlioz Requiem, click here for information.

Sunday's Snippets

READING:  Still reading this as it is very long and I don't want to skim over any of it in a hurry.  I keep having to stop to look up locations of battles, and then get distracted by other accounts of same battles, etc.  -- Ulysses S. Grant's Ulysses S. Grant: Personal Memoirs.  Yes, the one that Mark Twain published all those many years ago.  It's a wonderful read, Grant is a very good writer and battle after battle is recounted in a manner that keeps one interested and moving through the pages quickly, as well as the more personal bits. 
SWIMMING NEWS:  Swim meet coming up this weekend in B-Town at IU, so we are eager to go down and watch the swimmers compete on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  
COOKING BYTES:  Received GdL's newest cookbook, Weeknights with Giada, as a gift for my birthday and it is filled with lots of interesting and delicious looking quick and easy weeknight meals. 
FAV NEW FIND:  They called to say they were opening the pool tomorrow...what's not to find favorite in that??!!  (Yes, I know that these Sunday's Snippets are actually posted pretty much whenever I get around to it and not necessarily on Sunday...will try to do better in the future.  Try.)
FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  So much fun to see all the GCHS students preparing for prom last week...girls sharing photos of their dresses, shoes, jewelry, hairstyles, etc., and guys chatting about things they don't normally chat about, i.e. corsages and tuxes and colors of shirts/ties/hankies, etc.  Just fun to see them all growing up and becoming who they will become someday.  
WEEK IN REVIEW:  Same old schedule of work and play, but with my birthday thrown in there on Saturday, so some extra fun with family and friends to celebrate that, which was very nice indeed.  Matt even came home to spend some time celebrating, bringing a little bundle of flowers and a lovely card with him.  Not every college boy would come home for his mother's birthday...I am very lucky, it made the day that much more special to me.  I made the cake in the photo...will be blogged when we get to the proper timing on the NM group, but let me just say that it was one very delicious Raspberry Cream Cake, a fine way to celebrate a birthday.
LOOKING FORWARD TO:   At the Indiana Historical Society:  If you haven't seen this link and checked it out, give it a go...it's just wonderful:  Digital Images Collection of the Indiana Historical Society, click here and explore from the comfort of your own home!  This is what's happening at the ISO this coming week:  Andre Watts plays Grieg, click here for information.

Sunday's Snippets

READING:  Ulysses S. Grant's Ulysses S. Grant: Personal Memoirs.  Yes, the one that Mark Twain published all those many years ago.  It's a wonderful read, Grant is a very good writer and battle after battle is recounted in a manner that keeps one interested and moving through the pages quickly, as well as the more personal bits.  I know, I know, you aren't going to probably read it, but trust me, it is worthy. I was able to get the movie called The Conspirator, directed by Robert Redford, that was based on the book I was reading last week about Mary Surratt and the assassination of Lincoln...the movie was good but did not follow the book very closely...told from the point of view of someone who was not featured greatly in the book.  The book is much better and truer to fact.
SWIMMING NEWS:  Plane tickets are purchased and swimmers are gearing up for another swim meet in the Grand Prix series with the Olympians, this time in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Matt swam in this meet last year as well, with his high school team, so now he will enter the meet with his college team.  A nice progression.  Until then, I believe they are just working very hard and training long course after all those months (August to March) of short course swimming. 
COOKING BYTES:  Caught up with my Wednesday with Donna Hay group this week...if you have not made any of her recipes, you are truly missing out.  Fresh ingredients, lower in fat and calories for the most part, no fake ingredients, simple, easy, and most of all, delicious.  Check out her website here and make something!  Don't be put off by the metric measurements as you can google: "how many ounces is 200 grams" and have it in a flash.  After doing it over and over you don't even need to google it sooner than you think.
FAV NEW FIND:  Mark cleaned out the mechanical room...I was always afraid to go in there as it was filled with guy stuff and there didn't seem to be any particular order to it, and it all looked scary and unidentifiable most of the time.  Voila...no more...all the old scout projects, home school projects, bits and pieces of project projects (or whatever) have all been hauled out of there and a trip made to the chemical wasteland place made.  Whew.   A favorite new thing around here indeed.
FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  A dear friend made something very special for me that she knew I would absolutely love and it arrived on my doorstep in a big box of most interesting proportions as she said she was sending me a little something.  It was definitely my favorite thing this past week.  
WEEK IN REVIEW:  A busy work week, some fun time this weekend, some working around the house this weekend, time with friends, a nice phone call from Alex who has a new job, and I leave you with a photo of Steve, Kiernan, and Matt at Xavier as Matt and Steve took a drive over to Cincinnati to visit Kiernan this weekend, to see the campus and where Kiernan hangs out these days, etc.  A fine time was had by all. 

LOOKING FORWARD TO:   At the Indianapolis Children's Museum:  I was talking to someone this week who had no idea that we have a permanent exhibit of the glasswork of Dale Chihuly called Fireworks of Glass, click here for information and go check it out if you haven't...it's all lovely.  This is what's happening at the ISO this coming week:  Vive la France! click here

Sunday's Snippets

READING:  Kate Clifford Larson's The Assassin's Accomplice:  Mary Surratt and the Plot to Kill Abraham Lincoln.  It's April...April is my favorite time to read Civil War Era history and this was a good read...I knew the basics, of course, but this takes it all just a little further so nice to have a wider view of all that now.  There is a movie called The Conspirator, directed by Robert Redford, for those of you who favor the movie version over the print...I haven't seen it, but have it on reserve at the library, so perhaps soon.
SWIMMING NEWS:  Several members of the Indiana University Women's Swimming and Diving Team participated in the Grand Prix swim meet here in Indy the week before last.  Matt swam in his first scheduled event, took ill (had a 101 degree fever) and had to pull from the meet as you can't swim with a fever or for 24 hours there after...still had the fever the next day.  So much for that meet...and I didn't get many photos, but I thought you might enjoy seeing MP's little "camp" at swim meets.  As famous as he is, you do expect there to be little things here and there...this is one of those little things.  At the meet at the Nat, he has all his things set up on one of the diving boards not in use, with a guard to make sure that no one messes with anything or approaches him unnecessarily, etc.  I like the little bed...I guess this is the equivalent of those movie star trailers on film sets.
Photo:  Ian, Matt, Daniel at the Grand Prix swim meet in Indy, discussing and watching swimmers.
Photo:  Daniel and Matt shake hands before the 100 Freestyle.  After the swim, it was evident that Matt was ill, so that was the first and last swim of the meet for him.
Photo:  MP's camp at the meet behind the privacy curtains/warm-up pool.  MP is by the clock in the white top, blue swim trunks, his guard is in the red, and another in the blue...all on the private diving board set-up. Such great fun watching MP and the rest of the Olympians at the meet swimming. 
COOKING BYTES:  With Matt and his swimmer appetite at college, the amount of food things needing to be made/baked/eaten around here has lessened considerably, so my blogging for my blog-alongs is going to reflect that schedule...will make/blog when it fits in around here, so please check with the main groups to see the posts in between my selections. 
FAV NEW FIND:  Spring is here to stay...it has been so beautiful these past couple of months...winter is definitely not coming back...I was a little skeptical but I now I have moved my indoor herbs back outside onto the deck, reflecting my confidence in this weather.  Oh, happy days.
FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  Matt was home for Easter weekend...love having swimmers around lounging about and chatting about college.
Photo:  Big guys still like to dye the Easter eggs...Steve, Matt, and even Mark.  
WEEK IN REVIEW:  A very quiet week in the city here as CHS was on spring break so it was like a ghost town, no lines for anything anywhere.  Easter was good for all of us with family, friends, time together. 
LOOKING FORWARD TO:   At the Eiteljorg:  Steel Ponies exhibit, click here for information.  I wasn't thinking that I was originally interested in seeing this exhibit...I mean, motorcycles?  However, there has been some press about it and I am intrigued. This is what's happening at the ISO this coming week:  Pink Martini & The ISO, click here.

Sunday's Snippets

READING:  Timothy Egan's The Worst Hard Time re the dust bowl years of the 1930's in the Oklahoma Panhandle and surrounding areas.  (The same author who wrote The Big Burn that I finished a couple of weeks ago.)
SWIMMING NEWS:  The Indiana University Women's Swimming and Diving Team finished 13th in the NCAA Championships.  The Men's Swimming and Diving Team finished 10th in the NCAA Championships.  Very good, both...the ones finishing ahead of them were the huge swimming powers that be, so IU held their own and we are so proud of all of them.   You can read the Women's news here.  You can read the Men's news here.  Next up for Matt is the Grand Prix swim meet here in Indy this week.  He will swim the 50, 100, 200 Freestyles and the 100 Backstroke over the course of the meet.  Extra fun as it's a big-time meet with the Olympian swimmers participating.
Photo:  Steve, Ian, and Matt (otherwise known as The Three Amigos) during a weekend home -- Ian is Matt's roommate this year and in May the three of them will be renting a house together for the next three years at college as swimmers stay in Hooville for the summers to train. 
COOKING BYTES:  Way behind on blogging and posting food group blog-alongs.  Sigh.
FAV NEW FIND:  Spring showed up really really early this year and we are completely green here with blooming flowers.  It is so gorgeous and inspiring.  All the green right outside my windows just makes the day seem special and wonderful.  It's a joy just to drive to the store or the five miles up the road to work at GCHS.  Very nice.
FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  NCAA Men's Swimming & Diving and NCAA Basketball...definitely a favorite around our house.  We all love to watch the basketball games, March Madness is something we look forward to each year.  IU made it to the Sweet 16, a complete surprise to everyone, and a whole lot of fun along the way.  Win or lose, it was just great to be there!  Next year is going to be even better for the Hoos...there are "We are BACK!" signs everywhere!  You probably have to live here to understand...this is a team that can sell out their seats on years when they don't win anything.  Seriously.  On Saturday, GCHS won the State Boys' Basketball Championship for Class 3A!  Very very exciting for all of us...GCHS just 8 years old, and this is the first year they moved up from 2A to 3A, so they did a really great job.  On Friday we wished them all well and told them to "Bring home the trophy!" as they left...such fun that they did it!
Photo:  Guerin Catholic HIgh School Boys' Basketball Team 2012 State 3A Champions! 
WEEK IN REVIEW:  There has been a whole lot of basketball watching here the past couple of weeks, the usual round of activities, and a lot of working days...all making the time speed by.  Mark and I went to visit Matt at college yesterday and had a nice lunch and walk around in Nashville, IN.  It was a beautiful day and it was just really nice to be out enjoying it and catching up with all Matt's news. 
Photo:  Kiernan, Lauren, and Matt gracing my kitchen during a weekend home.
LOOKING FORWARD TO:   At the IMA:  Looking West exhibit, click here for information and inspiration to go see it. This is what's happening at the ISO this coming week:  Urbanski Conducts Smetana, click here.

Sunday's Snippets

READING:  Bits and pieces that I could cart about with me to Iowa, from my stack of things I set aside for just such occasions.
SWIMMING NEWS:  The Indiana University Women's Swimming and Diving Team won second place in the Big Ten Championships in Iowa City week before last, scoring 651 points, second only to Minnesota, scoring 680 points.  Great show by the girls' team, although they were a bit disappointed as they were hoping to recapture their 2011 Conference title...next year, girls...next year!  Here's a recap of the swims and stats, and as Coach says, "...on with the training for NCAAs coming up...."
Photo:  Guys waiting patiently on the sidelines for their swims. Front Row:  Daniel, Ian, Cody, and John; Back Row: Tony, Steve, Matt, Mike, Patrick (standing), and Ryan. 

      The Indiana University Men's Swimming and Diving Team won third place in the Big Ten Championships in Iowa City this past week, finishing only 3.5 points behind Ohio State, who finished second, the University of Michigan finished first.  Had it not been for a few mishaps during the meet, that second place crown would have been sitting securely and then some on the IU team.  Ah, well, next year...oh, yeah, next year they are going for the Big Crown...and it will be definitely feasible.  Go Hoosier men!  Our divers are terrific, and while the swimming and diving teams practice separately, they come together at meets for a combined effort.  Very few times have I seen the swimmers line up and watch their divers at a meet...except for IU...Coach RL has all the swimmers line up and watch and cheer for our divers, beginning to end...a very classy thing to do in my opinion.
      Matt had a wonderful meet, he took of big chunks of time on all three of his swims, so he was feeling pretty good about all that all four days.
Photo:  Doesn't hurt to have a little extra help as you step to the block for the race...Matt always makes the Sign of the Cross before mounting the block...at one meet a swimmer we have known through the years from another team came up to me and asked me why Matt always did that little "voodoo good luck thing."  I explained that Matt was Catholic and he was making the Sign of the Cross and saying a short prayer for a good swim.  The swimmer turned to me and said, "I'm gonna try that as Matt has beaten me every swim I have ever swam with him, it must be good luck and it must work!" 
Photo:  Stepping up to the block in all seriousness before the 200 Freestyle...result:  he took off 3.5 seconds, got a new best time, and a B cut for NCAAs. 

      Here are results and various links to other bits of press coverage, here, and  here, and here and here, and here and here and here.  You can click on the little "Results" tab on each day's recap to see the heat sheets and results for all the swims.  All in all, a really good freshman year for Matt.  What's next...training begins immediately for Olympic Trials in June.  There's always something! 
COOKING BYTES:  I have cooked/baked almost nothing in almost two weeks...between being ill and being gone...nada on the baking/cooking. Very unusual.  Hope to change that this week...I am certain Mark is hoping that as well. 
FAV NEW FIND:  One of the reasons Matt chose to go to IU to swim for college was that he loved the feel of the IU Men's Swimming and Diving Team. They were welcoming, fun to be around, encouraging, and made no secret of wanting Matt to join the team.  Recruiting is one thing...anyone can say anything to get someone to want to be in their program.  This year Matt learned first-hand that IU was true to every single thing they represented on recruiting trips.  He had the opportunities to swim, improve, compete, and challenge himself that he wanted.  He had a respected place on the team.  He had a good relationship with each and every coach, respecting them and they in turn respecting him as well.  He had teammates who were good and honest and kind and encouraging.  He had upperclassmen teammates who gave generously since the first week...generously with their time and commitment to helping the freshmen succeed as fast as possible.  The coaches and upperclassmen have included the freshmen swimmers every step of the way.  The upperclassmen took the newbies under their wings and carted them around (they don't have cars their freshman year on campus), they invited them to their places for video games and ball game watching and meals and pretty much just any time the guys wanted to get away from the dorms and just hang out.  When the college buildings were closed for breaks, the upperclassmen let the freshman dorm guys bunk at their places so their parents wouldn't have to pay huge hotel bills for them.  They have been most generous with their friendship and guiding the new guys through the rigors of the swim program as well as the academic programs.  What a deal for them and what a deal for us as parents who have been able to say, "Child okay at school socially, academically, and swimming-wise: CHECK."  Indeed, a favorite find.
Photo:  Coach RL is one very wonderful coach, no one disputes that at all.  He is also one very wonderful person.  Each time his swimmer finishes a swim, he walks over to the lane they swam in, shakes the swimmer's hand, gives him a cup of Gatorade, and walks him back to the bench chatting about the swim.  This seemingly little gesture, means a lot to the guys...a sign of respect and honor to have your coach treat you so well in front of thousands of people and swimmers.  Very nice. 
FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  Going to Iowa for the Big Ten Championships for Men's Swimming and Diving.  I had hoped to go early, but was still ill and ended up heading out of town on Wednesday, the day the meet started, so basically it was mostly a "working" trip as with two long sessions of swimming each day, there wasn't a whole lot of time for extra curricular activities.  It was fun just being back in Iowa City and running around on all the favorite streets...so much has changed, and so much has stayed the same.  We had a wonderful time.   One of our favorite things was getting to spend some time catching up with this guy!
Photo:  Mike and Matt...old teammates and friends at CHS...with their new college teams at Big Tens.  Sorry for the poor quality of the photo...it was a dimly lit restaurant and my phone camera is dying a slow and painful death. 

      Mike goes to U of Iowa and swims for the Hawks, so it was fun to see him on his new "home turf" and just really nice to sit down to dinner with him and hear about his life at Iowa now.  
WEEK IN REVIEW:  Trip to Iowa was great...45 degrees on one day, in the 30s the other days, one day a skiff of snow...this is not the Iowa I remember from my youth, but there were no complaints.  I'd like to say how well-rounded my week was, but frankly, almost all of my time was spent watching the Big Ten Championship swim meet.  And, yes, that was a lot of fun for us...many swimmers on the other teams are kids we have known throughout the years through swimming.
Photo:  Swimmers would line up by their bench and start a cheer for the parents to echo back, or we would start one for the swimmers to echo back...we had a great time cheering for the guys and they loved every cheer, crazy or not, that the parents put out there for them.  So proud of all of them...a great group of guys.  Left to right:  Steve, James, Daniel, Matt, Patrick, Mike, and Ian.
LOOKING FORWARD TO:   Heartland Art - Selections from Your Indiana Collection opened at the Indiana State Museum in October, here's a little preview to entice you.  It features 140 years of Indiana art created by Indiana natives. This is what's happening at the ISO this coming week:  Copland's Appalachian Spring concert, click here.

Sunday's Snippets

READING:  Mr. Blue by Myles Connolly.  The juniors at GCHS are reading it in religion class so I snagged a copy and read it as well.  Here's a bit about it...it is a book I had heard referenced over the years and just never saw or read, so finally my chance came to do so.  A good read.
SWIMMING NEWS:  The Carmel High School Girls' Swim Team won their 26th consecutive state title this weekend.  Hugely exciting.  Congratulations to all, especially Alexis who took first in the 100 Back (and is headed to IU next year to swim for the women's team) and to Margaret who took first in the 500 Freestyle (and is headed to Harvard next year to swim for their women's team).  The IU Women's Swimming and Diving Teams head out to the Big Ten Championships this week, starts on Wednesday, looking to defend their Big Ten Title.  Go Hoosiers, you can read about it here.
COOKING BYTES:  Only three more recipes left in the Bread Baker's Apprentice book and then my bread baking cohorts and I can move on to making whatever the wind blows our way that sounds inviting to us.  Learned so much from that book and am ready to tackle most anything bread these days.
FAV NEW FIND:  Working on downsizing and finding that things are a lot easier than I thought they would be...a great find indeed.
FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  Matt came home after swim practice on Saturday and stayed 24 hours until I needed to drive him back to Hooville.  We had a great time just hanging out as a family and then he and I had lunch here on the return trip and time to spend a couple hours just chatting about school, classes, swimming, friends, life in general, which was incredibly nice.  
WEEK IN REVIEW:  Was really fun to watch Sarah B. on college tournament Jeopardy, seems like just a few years ago we were waiting for her arrival (Mike hoping she would be a tax deduction by the end of the year and Sarah taking her sweet time to arrive on the 2nd of January) and here she is a junior at IU already (fits in the category of Time Flies), there were some great ballgames over the week, nice outcome to the CHS girls' state swim meet, wonderful to have Matt at home hanging out and he brought a fellow swimmer for lunch on Saturday before they went to the girls' state meet...Logan is a also a freshman on the IU swim team, I also got to enjoy Ian's company on the ride back as he rode with us, and then to see Steve on the other end when we ran errands for the guys as they don't have their cars at college this freshman year.  Slowly but surely getting to know the guys on the IU team, so that has been fun and makes watching the meets a whole lot more exciting.

(Photo: Logan, Matt, Mark...and yes, the kitchen always looks this crazy when feeding swimmers massive amounts of food...lol.)

LOOKING FORWARD TO:   Looking West opened at the IMA on February 3, here's a little preview to entice you to go see it before it leaves in August. This is what's happening at the ISO this coming week:  Spectrum:  The Magic of Motown concert.

Sunday's Snippets

(Photo:  IU guys watching from the sidelines, obviously a swim that the team did not win...wanted you to have the whole experience of winning at a meet, and not winning at a meet.  Next time!)
READING:  I've been subbing a lot and the history students are all preparing for History Day with projects and papers and documentaries and websites and such, so I have had a great time reading their submissions...yes, I know, you can barely contain the envy.  It's been fun for me to read how they view various historical information.
SWIMMING NEWS:  Before I get to this week, let me just say that Steve was selected as Big Ten Freshman of the Week the week before, this was his second time, so here's the information on all that, congrats to Steve! The swim meet this weekend was a home meet...against Louisville.  The IU/Louisville rivalry is alive and well...and enough that the Louisville guys tapered for the meet, which did net them the big win, our guys saving any tapering for the Big Ten Championships in February.  IU girls' team, however, won over the Lady Cardinals.  Here's a recap of the racing.  Matt swam the 50 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle, and the first position in the 200 Free A Relay.  Results for each swim are posted and you can find them here.  He's doing nicely for his freshman year.  (Photos below:  This is the difference between guys and gals.  We wanted them to line up for photos, the girls' team immediately got into photo-taking position, the guys' team did their cheer and that was the best we got. lol. Lauren is far right front row in girls' photo, Matt and Steve are far right in boys' photo, there are no rows, lol.)


COOKING BYTES:  See "Favorite New Find."  Yikes. 
FAV NEW FIND:  Despite much encouraging from many friends, I had managed to just say "no" to the Pinterest craze.  Well, that's no longer true.  I am now happily pinning something most days.  Right now I am just using it as a sort of recipe storage board, pinning recipes that look good or useful in one instance or another...it is a whole lot easier than copying down a site or blog and posting it in a folder in my email.  And it has nice photos.  And it is fun to see what others pin.  So while now it is just mostly for recipes, when we move, I may get into pinning decorating ideas on my boards.  Come and find me so I can see what you are all pinning as I haven't a clue (no surprise) how to find others...I'm listed here.
FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  Definitely the favorite of the week was going to Bloomington to see Matt swim and spend some time with him there.  We did get to go eat here as we were all in the mood for Greek.  
WEEK IN REVIEW:  Pretty normal stuff with working and life in general last week, but I will comment on the lovely temperatures we are having today, tomorrow, and Wednesday, yes, indeed, looking forward to all of that! 58 degrees outside in January is definitely a great deal. 
LOOKING FORWARD TO:  At the Indiana State Museum, Jim Irsay's eclectic collection (here until the end of May but don't go this weekend as there is a little thing called the Super Bowl going on here in Indy and it will be a mad crush and limited hours), read about it here. This is what's happening at the ISO this coming week: Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2. 

Sunday's Snippets

(1st photo:  From the sidelines cheering on the team, Ian and Matt are on either side of the gray hooded swimmer.)

(2nd photo: The final Victory Cheer after winning the meet, both boys and girls were victorious...Matt is center toward the back but facing camera with a bare chest...he's tall so one can easily find him most of the time.)

READING:  Tackling my stack of bits and pieces I've marked and set aside to read.  It was growing deep.
SWIMMING NEWS:  Before I get to this week, let me just say that Steve was selected as Big Ten Freshman of the Week the week before, so here's the info on all that, congrats to Steve! The swim meet this weekend was finally a home meet...the guys had not had a home meet since October, so we were very happy to be able to cheer from the sidelines in our home pool...against Purdue.  For the first time, BTN aired a live dual meet, so that was exciting as well.  Lots of huge cameras, etc., and they break for commercials, interesting at a swim meet. We watched it when we got home and it was fun seeing them all on camera swimming, etc.  It was also senior recognition day with the banquet at night, so that was a bit of extra fun as well...we stayed the night as Boomington was iced over from the time we hit town until the time we left the next day, which made for some interesting navigational issues, both in the car and on foot.  Matt's times were okay, he did get to swim on the A Relay again (and he had the fastest time of the four guys swimming it, so that was a good high note for him).  It was just a very enjoyable time with the meet and getting to spend time with Matt and his friends at the banquet.  Here's the recap of the racing.  Matt swam the 50 Freestyle (7th place), 100 Freestyle (6th place), 200 Freestyle (6th place) and the second position in the 400 Free A Relay.  Not all the results are posted there, but you can find them here.  He's doing nicely for his freshman year.
(Photo:  Ian, Steve, Tyler (one of the seniors), and Matt at the Senior Recognition Banquet Saturday night.)
COOKING BYTES:  Determined to finish that Bread Baker's Apprentice book, I think I have maybe half a dozen to go yet. 
FAV NEW FIND:  Last week was final bid week for the sororities so it was fun finding out where all Matt's friends and the GCHS friends pledged.  IU Swimmers aren't allowed to pledge fraternities or sororities so Matt wasn't involved in any of that...just as well, he has enough going on with the swimming and school. 
FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  The swim meet and getting to spend a couple of days in Hooville. 
WEEK IN REVIEW:  We went from lovely temperatures to horribly cold ones, not my favorite thing, but now there is promise of other bearable ones on the horizon and for that I am rejoicing.  How far off is spring?  It was a good week to stay inside and read in front of the fire after work. 
LOOKING FORWARD TO:  At the Eiteljorg, a film series called The Urban Indian:  click here for the schedule for the remaining ones.  This is what's happening at the ISO this coming week: Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2, here is the calendar for it. 

Sunday's Snippets

READING:  I didn't quite make it to the library last week to get books by James Fenimore Cooper as the weather was a bit nasty and I contented myself with a new book that was already here...well, new to me, not new as in copyright date as that is 2009...the book is The Big Burn by Timothy Egan.   I happen to be on a late 19th/early 20th Century kick at the moment so this one fit in nicely...about a huge fire out of control in the summer of 1910 in Washington, Idaho, and Montana.  Lots of excitement and people like Theodore Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot popping up constantly and the movement for public conservation in the nation with national parks, etc., what's not to love about that?  JFC will need to wait...maybe this is why I have never read JFC before:  I get distracted easily with historical bits.
SWIMMING NEWS:  Matt and the team had no swim meet this past week, which might be good as the boy has had a cold which has been hanging on for a bit too long, so a week of not having a competition meet might have been nicely timed for him.  As of today, he says he is on the mend and almost over it all.  Just in time for the IU/Purdue meet this weekend.  Fingers crossed.
COOKING BYTES:  Caught up a bit last week for the blog-along groups, doing more of it again this week, maybe soon I will feel like I am where I am supposed to be with the rest of the group...although, truth be told, most of the groups are all over the place with where they are in keeping up each week, so I'm actually doing pretty good.   With the exception of the Flavors group, that one may have to be a just read-along participation at this point.  Sigh.
FAV NEW FIND:  Lately my favorite new finds have been people-related instead of material-things-related.  Just as well actually.  This week I came in possession of a photo that just warmed my heart...it's a photo of Daniel's mother and Matt at the Yuletide concert over Christmas break.
It's my favorite new find as in all the years of Matt and Daniel's friendship, I don't think I have a photo of Matt and Kathy like this and Kathy is just such a big part of Matt's swimming years, always so encouraging and always bringing her mother along to the meets to help in that endeavor for the CSC kids...the swimmers always knew they could look up in the stands and get a big smile and thumbs-up from Grandma and Kathy no matter what their time or placing was in the event. Kathy got Matt out to California for Nationals this past year and made sure he got to celebrate his birthday with a nice birthday dinner and little cake with a candle in it since he was away from home that day.  She's just that thoughtful always.  It's a very good photo of the two of them, Kathy as lovely as always and Matt as happy to be included always with Kathy's great plans for the boys over the years.  Kathy is one of those moms who is always looking for ways to brighten the lives of everyone around her and Matt and his CSC swimming buddies have benefited greatly from those ways over the years with invitations to concerts, meals, various house invasions for food, games, movies, hanging out, and trips to their lake house for boating weekends.  Over Christmas break she had all the college swimmers over for breakfast after swim practice on the day before they all had to leave to go back to their schools. Fun times, a fun photo for me to have for Matt's scrapbook. (Below is a photo of the Christmas break breakfast at Kathy's house, this was the dining room group, there was a whole other group eating in the kitchen...unfortunately I only have a photo from the group Matt was sitting with: hint to you swimmers out there who were in that other group, send me a photo of you all for the scrapbook!)
 
FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  It was a great weekend for watching Big Ten Basketball.  Okay, I know those Hoosiers did not win either of their games this week, and we were a bit disappointed, of course, as that removes us from the top ten in the national rankings, but one was a road game no one thought they would win and every team has growing pains...no one ever thought we would be as far as we are this year, so this didn't particularly devastate anyone.  There were some great games and wonderful surprise endings to a lot of games this week...which is what makes it all terribly exciting.  When it is cold and snowy outside there is always NCAA Basketball to keep one warm and happy. 
WEEK IN REVIEW:  This was a very slow week in printable news around here...a nice week, but nothing particularly noteworthy at all.  Mark and Alex went up to Grandma and Grandpa's to make sure they had everything they needed, help with a few household chores, salt the driveway for them, and have a nice little visit on Sunday.  The guy-time portion of the visit, i.e. ride to and from, went reasonably well, giving them some time to chat together.
LOOKING FORWARD TO:  Checking this out because it leaves in February:  Flow: Can you see the river?  It all looks so different in the winter! (click here) at the IMA.  This is what's happening at the ISO this coming week: Mozart, Symphony No. 40, here is the calendar for it. 

Sunday's Snippets

Photo:  If you ask this guy (Vash) what his favorite thing was this week, the above photo would be it...his buddy Matt home to spoil him rotten with tummy rubs and attention, even for just three hours.

READING:  In all my reading, I have never read a single thing ever by James Fenimore Cooper, so I am rectifying that by going on a Cooper binge in reading.  Sometimes I run across someone major that I haven't read like this and it amazes me that I haven't stumbled across some assignment or some reading urge to read his/her works.  Going for this one now.    
SWIMMING NEWS:  Matt and IU the team traveled to Ann Arbor for a swim meet yesterday.  The girls team won, the boys team had to acknowledge the superiority of UofM's men's team this meet.  I think UofM's men's swim team is rankled like 4th in the nation, so if one has to yield a victory to another team, it makes sense that it would be such a good one.  Matt didn't have any new best times, but he is right on his old best times, so that is good considering he is dealing with his new physique, a bit of changing by the coaches to his starts, turns, and strokes...all good and his times being this good in the midst of all of that is encouraging.  His favorite part was that he got to swim the A relay in the 400 Freestyle Relay as he thought he was going to be on the B relay, so he was excited to be moved up to that first one in such an important meet. All in all, a very good freshman year so far.   Here's the link to the wrap-up at the IU swim site and Matt gets a few mentions in the article so that is very fun to see.  Go IU!
COOKING BYTES:  Last month marked the end of the Tuesdays with Dorie blog along as all the recipes had been chosen, made, and posted.  Here is a nice link to the Washington Post article discussing such.  What a lot of fun these past four years baking with this group...I made a lot of wonderful friendships baking and discussing each week with so many of them.  The group starts a new challenge in February...yep, I'll be there...we are going to be baking our way through the Baking with Julia book.
FAV NEW FIND:  On New Year's Day Mark and I went to Bloomington to take Matt out for New Year's lunch and we rounded up Ian, Steve, Ryan, and Joe to take with us as well.  Such fun getting to know Matt's teammates as this was the first time we had gotten to actually sit down and converse with Ryan and Joe, both of whom Matt enjoys hanging out with at IU.  Since the dorms are not open over break, Ryan graciously housed Matt, Ian, and Steve at his place for those days as the swimmers all needed to be back on campus for practice the by December 27th.  A fun time was had by all, as they say in my hometown newspaper, nothing to do but go to practice twice a day and hang out with no classes to attend.  Anyway, it is fun getting to know some of the other guys on the swim team. 
FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  Of course, it was great seeing what Matt could do at the swim meet this week, so that's a given.  Other than that, I think the near 60 degree temperatures here this week in January has got to be my favorite thing.  I am not a winter-loving person.  Enough said on the weather. 
WEEK IN REVIEW:  GCHS was back in session this week so it was nice seeing the students and hearing about their holidays/gifts/fun times over break; some of the college kids came around to visit while on break, so that was great seeing them; IU's win over OSU this week was huge, as was today's win over Penn State on the road, making the basketball team 15-1 for the season feels great, and having Matt home for a bit today was wonderful.
LOOKING FORWARD TO:  Checking this out because it leaves in February:  Art of American Indians: The Thaw Collection (click here) at the IMA.  This is what's happening at the ISO this coming week: Hello Dolly in Concert, here is the calendar for it. 

Merry Christmas!

      Merry Christmas...hope this finds you all enjoying a day of relaxation, good times, good food, good cheer, and good health.  Just a quick photo from here...Matt opening gifts by the tree this morning...and if you need explanation of the Candy Stripe Pants gift, you aren't watching enough IU Basketball.  Not nearly enough. 

Yuletide

Photo:  (back) Scott, Kiernan, Matt; (front) Daniel and Harrison

      Each year Daniel's family treats the boys to the Yuletide Christmas Concert that the Indianapolis Symphony performs making a full evening of it with dinner out, a visit with Santa (this year the photo is taken with a reindeer instead), and the concert.  The boys all look forward to dressing up and going...Nik was sadly missing this year as BU didn't get out for the break in time for him to make it.

Photo:  Kiernan, Matt, and Daniel, with Harrison in the front...so nice to see them all still together enjoying fun times on college breaks.

Might Be Vacation...Might Be

Photo:  Daniel, Matt, Kiernan

      Might Be Vacation...Might Be.  Matt is home for semester break until next Tuesday, at which time he heads back down to IU for two weeks of winter training before classes start again in Janaury, so I am thinking that I probably will not get a lot of posting done for my blog-along groups as I am making all his favorite foods while he is here and doing a whole lot of running around doing Christmas things that we enjoy.  (Posting is probably going to be sparse, then again, I might go on a posting tear if I find myself with some time to spare while he is out running around with his friends, i.e. I have over 20 things made and not posted from the past couple of months.) 

      While he is on break from school, this does not include swimming as he is practicing with his USA team at CSC.  This morning Daniel (Princeton) and Kiernan (Xavier) dropped by for a little breakfast after morning practice.  The kitchen table was laden with yesterday's shopping waiting to be wrapped this morning (couldn't wrap last night as I needed to watch the IU basketball game, and yes, thank you, 11-0 to start the season does feel very nice), but they didn't mind...they just moved it all south and made room for pancakes and bacon (note to self to buy decent maple syrup as I never have that on hand since none of us eat it, I think the rest of the world eats syrup on pancakes). 

      It feels great having them back and seeing them...they are all very much missed.  It's going to be a lovely week.

Sunday's Snippets

READING:  Continuing with Paris from 1872, focusing on John Singer Sargent and August Saint-Gaudens.  
SWIMMING NEWS:  The IU swimmers did not have a meet this past weekend and head to Penn State for a Big Ten 2-day meet this coming weekend. 
COOKING BYTES:  Continuing on with the persimmon saga...they never did get really squishy soft.  They softened a bit and took on a sort of "glowing" appearance, so I sliced one and tasted it...I'm in love, persimmons just sliced and eaten are juicy and soft (even if they feel hard) and lovely in fruity goodness, sort of mango-ish, sort of not, hard to explain.  Persimmons are coming home with me a lot more often just to eat out of hand like that, oh yeah.  I did peel them first.  They are very pretty inside with little slits that make it look like a star (I should have taken a photo for you...next time).
FAV NEW FIND:  Apparently in college towns, one needs to find accommodations by way of apartment or house for the next year early in this year's schedule to have the best choices for the prime locations (in our case, somewhere between pool, stadium, and classes as Matt's day is spent entirely on campus from early morning until late evening between classes and swim practices).  Ian's mother and I (Steve's mom lives in Colorado and couldn't fly in for that but we were busy texting and sending photos to her) headed down to B-Town Saturday to see what we could do about that, The Three Amigos in tow so that they could choose something they found favorable.  We had a wonderful time with the three boys, they are all three just such fun and just so nice to be around...we feel very lucky that Matt has made such good friends on the swim team as he spends a great deal of time swimming, training, studying, and rooming with these guys.  It's a good thing they all get along so well.  I think the secret is that they are all pretty much the same personalities and they all have other friends and interests on their own so they have a nice balanced way of life.  We sure had fun with them while we looked for houses and had lunch, etc.  Now for them to decide between their 3 favorites and we are set for 2012-2013.  Rarely am I this organized this far ahead on anything, so that feels great.  The fact that they stayed within their budget also feels great.  (Photo right:  Ian, Steve, and Matt)
FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  Fall is lasting way longer than I thought it would...last week was really lovely and pretty with sunshine every day and the red maples showing off their bright red leaves.  It was a joy just to be out and about every day all week. 
WEEK IN REVIEW:  Not much going on this past week:  work of course, also getting some things done we hadn't the past few weekends when we have been on the road, going to Hooville for the house search for the boys, and going to Elwood to spend some time with Mark's parents today...just the right amount of busy for this time of year.  We did find a new counselor to help Alex discern what he wants to do with his life and work toward going in that direction, Alex liked the counselor and seemed willing to be focusing on that, so that will feel good if he can find something that will inspire him.  The Hoos did not play football this weekend, the Hawks managed to pull out a win over MSU after a hugely disappointing start.  The Hoos' basketball team opened Friday night and looked REALLY good...the excitement was obvious for hopes for this season and bringing back the Hoosier Hysteria that IU is known for...oh, yeah.  They played again today, another big win.  That means we are starting out 2-0!  Hawk's basketball opened with a big win as well, their lineup also looking a little more stellar than in the recent past seasons.  Looking forward to a great year of NCAA basketball!
LOOKING FORWARD TO:  Checking out museum talk on Friday/Sunday re Ancient Art of Mediterranean at the IMA click here.  This is what's happening at the ISO this coming week:

• Aaron Jay Kernis (b. 1960) 
  Musica Celestis
• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
  Piano Concerto No. 3
• Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)  
  Symphony No. 3 "Scottish"

Sunday's Snippets

READING:  Various sources on the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) and the end of the Second Empire in France.

SWIMMING NEWS: Friday we left for Tennessee to attend Matt's first college swimming competition meet at the University of Tennessee, a 3-way meet between IU/Tennessee/Kentucky.  The meet was Saturday and we stayed an extra day, driving back Sunday. The IU boys beat both Tennessee and Kentucky while the girls beat Kentucky but fell to the Tennessee Lady Vols.
Photo: Matt swimming the backstroke at a meet for the first time in about a year and a half...he did well with a nice finish time.  Watching Matt swim was so much fun, he did really well, no new best times yet as it is early in the season, but he was very close to his best times, so that was encouraging and he was chosen to swim on the A relay, so he was very happy about that, a great deal for a freshman.
Photo:  Matt in white cap with red "Indiana" in lane 5. 100 Freestyle, Matt finished first in heat 1 of 2...was so much fun to see his name up on the board with that "IU" affiliation and that number 1 finish...let's hope we keep seeing a lot of that through the years!
He swam the 50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Back, and on the 200 Free A Relay.
Photo:  IU guys getting fired up, Matt is at the top.  Coach Mike at the left, Coach Loos at the right in the white shirt, Coach Donny seated.  Matt really likes all his coaches, which is terribly nice to hear as a parent!

Photo:  Matt seated in red towel...just in case you thought I was kidding last week about how much his body has changed with the weight lifting...look at those shoulders...he did not have those two months ago!

Here's the connect for the college swimming site with the article about the meet, girls at the top (Lauren did a great job but I unfortunately did not get a good photo...next time!), boys further down in the page, and Matt's name is mentioned four times, so that is fun.  

Photo right:  Matt and Ian (Ian is Matt's roommate)

Anyway, we all had a great time and Ian made the travel squad as well so we enjoyed sitting with Ian's parents at the meet and getting to know them better.  The Tennessee pool is just a few years old and it is gorgeous, a wonderful place to watch swimming. 
COOKING BYTES: I still cannot find fresh persimmons at the market.  They are fast becoming the most elusive thing to locate and I am going to need them soon for the Thanksgiving round-up post the Twitter pals are participating in.  The search continues.  Where are these things hiding out?  Anyone?  I am figuring they were/are in season as Mitchell, IN had their big persimmon festival a few weeks ago, surely they were ripe by then, right?  It's a mystery.
FAV NEW FIND:  Nick Malgieri's The Modern Baker:  Time-Saving Techniques for Breads, Tarts, Pies, Cakes, and Cookies cookbook has been reissued and is now out in very nice paperback book with beautiful photos.  This is a wonderful book of recipes and I was so happy to hear that it is available again for order.  You might want to put this on your Christmas list as the recipes are delicious, well-written, and, best of all, you get successful results on the first try, so here's a connect for you, nice and handy, click here.
FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  Going to Tennessee was very nice.  The drive was lovely with all the changing leaf colors and the beauty of the mountains of eastern Tennessee.  We had terrific weather all three days.
WEEK IN REVIEW:  The week went really fast with work, getting ready for the trip, driving to Tennessee, etc.  All fun.  The Hawks beat the Hoos in football in IC, no surprise.  It's a win/win when one is a HooHawk fan...I like either team to win...this does not, however, hold true when it is basketball season...I'm Hoo all the way then, except when Hawks are playing the Boilermakers, then I'm definitely on the Hawk side of the blacks and golds.  Big Ten Basketball season cannot get here fast enough. 
LOOKING FORWARD TO:  Checking out this Heartland exhibit at the ISM.  This is what's happening at the ISO this coming week: Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony.   
PRAYING FOR:  Stuart, a 16 year old boy at GCHS battling cancer for the past 17 months, please join me.

Sunday's Snippets

READING:  Another of Tessa Kiros' books, Venezia.  Food, travel, life in Venice, Italy. Lovely.
SWIMMING NEWS: College swimming is gearing up for swim season with some intrasquad meets to showcase the talent.  Matt's team has one this week and it will be great to see him back in the water competing.
COOKING BYTES: Embarked on a new cooking blog-along this week, Flavors, and my copy of The Flavor Bible arrived so I have been reading through that trying to figure out how it all works, etc.  It's not a recipe book.  It lists ingredients and flavors that go well with them, best pairings in  bold capitalized letters, lesser in bold non-capitalized letters, least but still acceptable in no bold print at all.  The object of the group is for each person to come up with her/his own recipes (can be based on recipes one finds with their own interpretation of it all).  So far I made a couple of recipes for the blog posts, and used the information in the book every single day since it arrived to give different flavors and takes on foods I make normally around here.  It's fun and I am learning a lot.  This is going to be a good thing.
FAV NEW FIND:  All week we had warmer than normal temperatures and it is continuing a bit for this coming week.  Keeping winter at bay as long as possible, always a favorite thing with me.  Outdoor swimming still an option.  The trees might be losing their leaves, but the pool is still open...until the end of the week, that is.
FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  Spending time with friends, always a nice deal.  
WEEK IN REVIEW:  The week had ups and downs (I had the flu for a couple of days), subbing was nice, the swimming this week was nice, we had a nice visit with Mark's parents on Saturday to check on them and do a few things for them around the house, etc. Mark and Alex spent a couple of hours Sunday afternoon playing Frisbee golf (Alex, photo left), while I opted to swim on this day of 78 degrees.   Matt was busy at IU with recruit entertaining, practices, going to the football game (photo right taken by Reyn at the game) and cheering for the Hoos, even though they lost, as did the Hawks this week out in Happy Valley.  All in all, a nice week.

    
  Photos:  Alex (left) and Matt (right)  
 

 

 

 

LOOKING FORWARD TO:  Checking out this Brian McCutcheon exhibit at the IMA.  This is what's happening at the ISO this coming week: Beethoven, Biss, & Bartok.   
PRAYING FOR:  Lots of weddings this time of year...prayers for happy and long marriages for them all, please join me.  Also, in your charity, please continue to pray for Bill as he and Margaret got both good news and not-so-good news this week and Bill will need additional surgery.  

Sunday's Snippets

READING:  Four of Tessa Kiros' books, although they are recipe books primarily they have great travel photographs and stories:  Apples for Jam, Food From Many Greek Kitchens, Twelve, and Falling Cloudberries. 
LISTENING TO: Indianapolis Symphony featured Mahler's Symphony No. 1 this week, so carrying that forward. 
SWIMMING NEWS: Matt had an exciting week around the pool, the team got all their new team clothing, etc. and he also got an IU parka, so he was pretty excited about all that.  He was moved up to the fastest practice group, a very nice thing for a freshman.  A parka and a move up probably translates to traveling varsity team.  (A more inspiring thing heading into swimming season in two weeks, I cannot think there is for a young swimmer.)
COOKING BYTES: With the beginning of the Tessa Kiros recipes at IHCC, after looking through four of her books, I have marked a dozen recipes that I may try just for the pure fun of trying to make something I haven't made or am not sure we will even like...ingredients we don't always have readily available (like maybe trying to cook an octopus) and some that we have readily available but I just have not really utilized (beets, fennel, etc.), and one or two that I don't like and maybe I will give a try because I just need to update the taste buds perhaps (pumpkin, anchovies, dried salt cod).
FAV NEW FIND:  Alex has a job starting this week, so we are hoping this is a nice start to good things coming.
FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  The anniversary party for Mark's parents brought all the siblings, etc. to town and we all sat down to dinner together and enjoyed catching up with everyone's lives.  We have been extremely lucky to have Mark's parents close and in fairly good health all these years.  At ages 85 and 89, celebrating these anniversary occasions is always a big deal! While the original party at the restaurant had to be changed due to Emil's health right now, we all had a fine time at their home after moving the party location there...and, as the younger generation put it, "Great! We don't have to dress up now, do we? No suits and ties, we can just wear regular clothes?"  It was decided a fine casual relaxing day was in order and everyone went the casual route and had a wonderful day/evening.
Photo: Dorothy, Brian, Phil, Luke, Emil, Al, Nancy, and Mark...the parents and all six of their kids.
WEEK IN REVIEW:  The anniversary gathering was the biggest thing this week, having Matt home for that part of Saturday and Sunday was wonderful, having Alex come to the party for Grandma and Grandpa was a big deal and very nice, Reyn came home from IU to come to the party as well, the IU football game was another "near win," always encouraging (although in Indiana football is just something to pass the time until basketball season begins, right?).    Matt and Reyn wanted to stop at the pumpkin patch to get pumpkins for their dorm rooms/to carve for Halloween, so we did that on the way back to IU, and "one of the greatest things ever," according to Matt, is that I did all the laundry he brought home from college.  Apparently there is great appreciation for this sort of thing as doing one's own laundry at college isn't part of the lineup of things he enjoys all that much.  The pumpkins were very small and when I inquired why that was, they both said at the same time, "These are DORM SIZE, we don't have a lot of extra room."  Ah, yes, silly me.  Mark and Alex went here for the afternoon while I was driving to Bloomington and back, and they had a nice day of walking and exploring  a good bit of the 100 acres as it was a gorgeous day for an activity like that, and they enjoyed spending some time together outdoors. 
PRAYING FOR:  Prayers of thanksgiving for Margaret and Bill...enough said, they have had a horrendous year battling Bill's cancer, prayers answered, Bill got the "cancer free" report last week, please join me in praying for thanks for all the answered prayers in your lives.

 

A last shot of the guys at the anniversary party...Alex, Mark, and Matt.  

Sunday's Snippets

READING:  End of summer finish to my novel reading of a particular author, Susan Vreeland's Clara and Mr. Tiffany (set in late 1800s-early 1900s in NYC, story of sorts of Clara Driscoll, a Tiffany glass cutter and designer, who in 2005 (this part is for real) was discovered by art historians to have been the artist behind the famous Tiffany lamps, not Louis Comfort Tiffany himself as originally thought and was credited with all these years.)  Also finishing The Greater Journey:  Americans in Paris by Daniel McCullough.
LISTENING TO: Def...it's rainy...it's been rainy...it's a little gray out...definitely need some Def to cheer things up and get things lively around here.
SWIMMING NEWS: Matt finished with swim practice Saturday morning and I was there to pick him up and bring him home for a bit of a rest and relaxation time, very nice for all of us.  We are amazed at the change in his physique already from all the weight lifting and running for college swimming.  My goodness that happens quickly.  He says practices are harder than he ever envisioned but that he loves the team and that his coaches are great so he is just hoping to get to the point where he doesn't feel like he is going to collapse after running the football stadium and all the steps up and down that they run when they do all that, i.e. up one section, down the next, up the next, down the next until they cover them all. Yikes, see below, although you can't really see all the sections very well.

COOKING BYTES: I know, I said I was not going to join any more new blog-alongs, and technically I'm not because this is one I have blogged in before, but I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC) is cooking from Tessa Kiros' books for the next six months and I could not resist.  Figure since Tessa has traveled so extensively and learned so many different cuisines along the way, it would also qualify for my worldly bits on Wednesdays, so Tessa it is on Wednesdays for the next six months.  Here's a link to learn more about Tessa, click here.  Here's the link to IHCC if you would like to cook along, everyone chooses their own recipes each week that fit into a theme, so we aren't all cooking the same things each week.
FAV NEW FIND:  The road construction in Bloomington on the bypass is further along than we hoped and it isn't as bad getting through it as we thought...of course, disregard this on football weekends.  We had been taking alternate exits to enter town, but this weekend I went through the construction and it wasn't bad at all.  It's going to be very nice when it's all finished.  Same deal with Keystone Avenue in Carmel, except disregard the part about it not being bad at all right now.  Sigh.
FAV THIS PAST WEEK:  No doubt about this one:  having Matt lounging around the house this weekend was really nice.  Isn't it fun when they (college student children) come home to visit? They are just so happy to be doing all the normal every day type things around the house and he kept saying, "I love college, but it is great to be home!"  What more could a parent want to hear about all this?  (Photo right of Matt and Reyn in IU shirts...The Adorable Couple...Reyn stayed at IU this weekend, decorated her room for autumn, and did her homework on Saturday night since the boyfriend was out of town!)
WEEK IN REVIEW:  It rained most all week. All. Week. It's still raining. Wait, there was one day when it didn't and I was able to swim.  One day.  I can see the days for swimming are few in number now.  Besides work and everyday things, not much new around here.  While Matt was home we watched movies (my favorite was Michael Clayton), grilled dinner, and since he had to be back at IU before study tables at 5 on Sunday, not much else, especially since he went to bed at 11 p.m. and got up at 12:30 p.m. -- 13.5 hours of sleep is not something he ever gets to do with early morning swim practices and all.  I did all his laundry (which he appreciated very much), baked cookies/brownies for him to take back with him, and he and I went to an apple orchard in the pouring down rain to get fresh apples, cider, and caramel apples for him to take back.  Matt and I found a new little place to eat in Bloomington, called Soup du Jour and it features soups and salads (our favorites) and big cookies.  Mark isn't all that fond of soup, so it was a good time to check it all out since he wasn't with us on the jaunts to and fro this weekend.  They have 12 different kinds of soup each day, spanning everything you can possibly imagine, and the soups change every two days.  Check it out...just north of the corner of College and Kirkwood downtown Bloomington across from the courthouse.  It was all fun all weekend. 
PRAYING FOR:  Let's pray for all the dads this week who go to work each and every day and never complain about doing that and for providing the finances for their families...I don't think we ever show enough gratitude for all of that...please join me.

Missing this:  Swim guys hanging around our Men's Den:  Jani, Mike, Daniel, Nik, Harrison, and Kiernan...miss all you guys...see you at Thanksgiving!

Sunday's Snippets

 

       READING:  Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland. There is a bit of a dreamer in me for all things historical, something magical happens when I read history or things of the past:  it transports me to another place, another time, another world.  I usually prefer reading factual (non-fiction) accounts of history as I enjoy the reality of it all. 

      Sometimes a book comes along that sounds intriguing that isn't non-fiction and I delve in with great enthusiasm, knowing that it will drive me insane with the inaccuracies and freedom of artistic expression that often happen with such books, but am sometimes willing to put up with all of that if the story line is well done.   Nicole was reading this book for her book club and while she wasn't actually enthusiastic in her endorsement, it intrigued me and I went to the library in search of this author. 

      I first read Vreeland's Girl in Hyacinth Blue which is rather fun as it traces a painting through its owners throughout the years from the 1600s to present, how the painting began, how it was sold/traded/acquired by the various owners, what it meant to them, etc.  Totally fictional, totally fun for me, so onward I headed to Luncheon of the Boating Party which fictionalizes the painting of that title by Auguste Renoir.
       It fictionalizes the artist, the people in the painting, and the time period in France.  Again, absolutely delightful. A good author to visit before I head back into more serious reading.

LISTENING TO:  The Indpls Sym Orch was performing Elton John and Billy Joel tunes this weekend, so certainly it is my duty to carry this over around here for a week, don't you think?  Good, I think so, too.
SWIMMING NEWS:  Matt went to Nationals (that's him left in the middle diving in for the start of the 4x100 Freestyle Relay and he and Daniel in photo below watching Harrison swim his leg of the relay)  out in California and had a great time, no real new gains in swim times.  There reaches a point in every season when that's all that season will net for a swimmer, so looking back in total, there were some great moments, new best times, and a lot of fun, all that one can ask.  

      Speaking of "all that one can ask," here's another photo of the 4x100 Freestyle Relay team at Nationals, again, Harrison is in the water swimming his leg of it.  The guy adjusting his swim cap is the person who makes it possible for the boys to have a National entry in this relay, Coach Chris.  Since CSC did not have four boys able to qualify in the last couple of years, Coach Chris (who happens to be 36 and definitely able to keep up with these 18/19 year olds) trained and was able to qualify with his times to swim so that the boys could have a fourth man for the National relay.  Not sure how many coaches would do that for their team, but we are awfully happy that this one does.  It started last winter at Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, and who knows how long it will continue!  It's been a great ride for the boys to have Chris swimming with them.

      Now they have two weeks off from formal swim practice, a time I like to characterize as "when Mermaids and Mermen grow legs and feet and traverse the earth for a bit before returning to their watery world."  Next up:  college swimming for IU!

COOKING BYTES:  Rebecca and I are having Pickle Up Weekend this weekend...she mentioned on Twitter that she was going to make pickles, I had seen a couple of recipes here and here and am a huge pickle fan, so I decided to join in and she sent me a recipe she was going to use as well.  Since I haven't a clue how to do processing/canning, I made refrigerator pickles that don't require that.  I might get around to posting them this week.

FAV NEW FIND:  I found an interesting little melon at the market today, something called a Lemon Melon.  It's rather smallish, smaller than a cantaloupe.  It is cantaloupe colored on the outside and light green on the inside, sort of a honeydew color but doesn't taste like a honeydew melon.   It tastes like citrus (lemon), hard to describe, but very lovely.  Just perfect for a lemon-lover like me!

FAV THING THIS WEEK:  It's been rather fun having Matt around to enjoy these summer days before he heads off to college...no practices or real commitments when he returned from California, just so nice to have him hanging around doing silly kid-like things like making smiley faces on his burger bun with the ketsup bottle...it's the little things I'm going to miss the most.  

WEEK IN REVIEW:  Mark and I did great with Empty Nest practice...we were married 14 years before the boys came along, so I guess we have that part down pretty good actually, so maybe it will all be fine and I will adjust quicker than I imagine.  Maybe. 

PRAYING FOR:  Bill and Jim, two great guys whose gals are depending on them to recover quickly.  I know I mentioned this last week, but keep praying, we have a ways to go yet.

 

Pippin (September 24, 2002 - July 15, 2011)

      Matt and Pippin (July 14, 2011) enjoying their last evening together.

      When we lost our cat Sophie in January, that was difficult as we had her with us for 16.5 years and she was just a wonderful addition to the family.  The two Tibetan Spaniels left here with us after her passing seemed to take notice but quickly adjusted to by, oh, let's say, by the end of the next day as they moved into her choice spots of napping and didn't need to take turns at the water bowl waiting patiently (or not) while she ever-so-slowly took her small gentle sips.   (Photo:  The Two Cohorts:  Vash and Pippin)

      When we discovered that Pippin had inoperable cancer last month, we were totally unprepared for the diagnosis and the fact that he would have such a short time left with us.  Pippin was young...he would only be 9 in September, how could we be facing the end of the road with him so soon?  (One very nice thing about Tibbies is that are rarely ill, until the end.)  Neither Pippin nor Vash had even a stumble along the way, each year visiting the vet and getting a big smile of "all clear, all looking great" report, we were feeling very good about those Tibbies.  Until last month.  The vet was as shocked as we were that the diagnosis came so swift and with no chance of intervention.
(Photo:  Pippin in front; Vash at the rear lounging on the deck and making the most of a beautiful summer day.)

      For the past month we have spent extra time enjoying every moment with Pippin (whose name on his fancy paperwork is Pippin Lord of the Rings) and with Pippin and Vash together.  This past week we could see the enjoyable times were coming to an end, his favorite things no longer holding his attention, one by one we noted their disappearance.  It was terribly hard and sad to watch. 

      Pippin had always been my little buddy, so smart, fun, gentle, and sweet, following me around daily, always at my feet when I was still.  Oh how I will miss all of that now. 

      Friday night we said goodbye to the little guy and although it was good to know that he was no longer in any pain, I have been tearful at every turn since.  Can't even begin to guess how long this is going to last.  The guys are missing him and we are all just taking a little extra care with one another trying to cope with the loss.  

      I think the hardest part might be that Vash (photo left) is walking around looking for his buddy, not understanding where he could be and who he can run around like a crazy guy with chasing chipmunks and birds and barking at anyone who even looks like they might step on our grass or touch the fence.  Somehow, it's just not the same and in his eyes there is a great sadness...it's very hard to see that from him, Vash, the original Good Time Dog.  Getting hugs and caresses from us is just not the same as having a brother to tear around and wrestle with, to steal snacks from, and to cuddle up next to for a nap.  Just not the same. 

      Matt posted on his Facebook page, "R.I.P. Pippin, you were the best dog a kid could have. You will be missed very much. :-(" and I don't think I can say it any better than that.  The Best.Dog.Ever.

Pippin, Lord of the Rings (September 24, 2002 - July 15, 2011)

Grad Parties 2011 and Last IYC Performance

      Not a lot of cooking/baking going on over here this weekend due to the first of the high school grad parties...kids (really, kids no more but I still call them the kids) looking forward to seeing some photos, so here are a few (I was surprisingly forgetful with the camera this weekend, will try to do better in the coming weeks).
Harrison and Matt at Harry's party...Harrison heading to Princeton in the fall and will swim for them with Daniel hoping to be back in the water there as well.
Sarah and Katie.  Sarah heading out to Boston University in the fall with Nik already there and Ali going as well.  Katie heading down to IU and rooming with Devon in the fall.
Fun at Reyn's party. Jonathan and Matt in the back. Elizabeth, Rhiannon, Kiernan, Devon, and Reyn in the front.
Matt and Reyn at Reyn's party.  So much fun to meet so many of Reyn's friends, etc.  One thing was very clear:  Reyn is much loved by all who know her...including us!
Rhiannon and Carly at Carly's party...both are Pudue bound, despite our best efforts to encourage the Cream and Crimson path...will enjoy watching them swim for the Black and Gold the next four years.
Our Goddaughter Molly and her cousin and best buddy, Alyssa, at their joint party.  IU bound...Cindy and I will think of lots of reasons to go to Bloomington for lunch next year!
Through the years we have hundreds of photos of Molly and Matt who have grown up together, Molly is our Goddaughter and Molly's parents are Matt's Godparents.  In all the confusion at the party, Matt left to go to another party before we got a photo of the two of them, so Molly posed with her arm around a "pretend Matt who is so much taller" and told me to photoshop him in...I have no clue how to do that but it was a cute photo of Molly covering for the both of them.  They will both be down at IU next year, let the fun continue!
Matt and Lauren at Lauren's party...both swimming for IU next year so this won't be the last we all see of Lauren by a long shot.
The very last IYC performance was today.  Matt's very last performance, after 12 years.  Lots of goodbyes, some tears, some fond memories, some we will see again, some we won't...a lot of lasts this year.  (Matt is the fourth from the left in the top row.)
And the very last time we take a photo of Matt and Ali after a choir performance wearing their choir togs.  No, Ali hasn't suddenly gotten much taller, she's standing on a higher stairstep and enjoying being almost as tall as Matt.  This is a hard one...seeing Ali and Matt singing together for the last time after all these years.  She's headed to Boston University in the fall and there are no plans to lose touch with Ali and her family.  Hopefully plans to go to Boston to see Nik, Ali, and Sarah! 

CSC Annual Awards Banquet

      Each year our swim club has an awards banquet this time of year.  All the families are invited and the swimmers all get a chance to win awards and be recognized for various accomplishments throughout the year, both long course and short course seasons. 

      This was our last banquet...after 12 years, our very last one.  I only cried a little.  I had big plans to get all sorts of photos of everyone and wanted to make sure to capture the moments one last time.  "Had" being the operative word as one of us left the camera on all night, did not notice it until we got to the banquet and had a mere whisper of battery life left so I only have a few photos and I will need to go begging for photos other parents took today.  Here's what I do have...our yearly photo of Matt and Ali:
Our yearly photo of Buddy, Ali, and Laurie...Ali is heading out to Boston University for college next year so Buddy is going to need to head down to IU to watch Matt swim if he wants to continue to cheer for the other half of his favorite swimmers, i.e. Ali is not going to swim in college.
I tried to round up as many of the seniors as I could, but still missed a few key ones...the ones I managed to snag:  Lauren (going to IU next year), Kiernan (going to Xavier next year), Elizabeth (going to Dennison next year), Matt (going to IU next year), Rhiannon (going to Purdue next year), Devon (going to IU next year but not swimming in college), and John (going to the Naval Academy next year).
And, before the battery died, one quick shot of Matt on the podium giving an inspirational talk to the club about all that swimming has meant to him over the years...the bottom line:  "Was it all worth it?  Oh, yeah, it was definitely all worth it!"  We agree, we have gotten way more out of swimming than we ever dreamed possible.  That first year my thoughts were running something like this:  "Great, we have an activity that will allow them to be safe around water, gives them a nice little practice/workout, and they are clean afterward!" It's turned out to be a whole lot more, yes, it has.

CHS Prom 2011

      It's prom time again...where did that year go?  It feels like it was just prom time a few months ago...time flies, doesn't it?  Matt and Kiernan met their dates, Reyn and Devon at Devon's house for some pre-prom photos before going out to dinner...so here we go:

  

      Reyn:  "I have no idea what I am doing. I don't know how to do this!" 

      "Well, yeah, sure, Matt...you have the easier time of this as all  you have is slide it on and there are no pins involved."  And in case you can't see the wrist corsage well enough, here's a close up:

      "Okay, let's get some photos...where do we start?"

      "Funny, folks, now for the real shots...." Matt, Reyn, Devon, and Kiernan

     "Okay, seriously, it is cold out here, let's hurry up!"

     "Just how many photos do we actually need anyway?"

      "Who wanted outside photos?  It's windy and freezing cold out here, look how choppy the water is!  April in Indiana is not the place to be taking outside prom shots!  Are we done yet?  Thumbs up if we are DONE....YEAH!"

      Okay, one last shot before they head out...Reyn and Matt...Senior Prom CHS 2011.

Happy Easter!

      Happy Easter!  We've been in an Easter kind of mood around here this weekend.  It started off with a lovely bouquet of yellow tulips for me from Reyn...not sure which is prettier, the flowers or Reyn, both are gorgeous and such fun to have around.
      Reyn's family does not dye Easter eggs, Matt's family does, so Reyn came on over to help us color the eggs...Matt, Reyn, Mark, and I sat around the table coloring eggs...one is never too old to enjoy coloring eggs.  The first photo is proof that 18 year old boys are sometimes like 8 year old boys...here's a photo of Matt and Reyn holding their eggs up for a photo....
...and here's a photo taken a second later when I heard, "Oh, no, I dropped my egg!"  Some things never change.
      All Mark's siblings were at his parents' house at the same time as that only happens about once a year.  Worthy enough for a photo.  Mark, Philip, Brian, and Alan in the back; Mark's Dad Emil and his mother Dorothy in the front with Nancy and Luke.
      And Grandma and Grandpa with five of the grandkids...Matt, Alex, David, Jonathan in the back with Steven in the front.  It's definitely a guy-oriented family. 

     Easter Goodie Bags and Baskets after Mass.  Reyn was thrilled with a new cupcake cookbook...maybe we will have another guest post soon.         Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter and weekend in general.  I can't believe the boys are 18 and next year, although maybe home from college, our little nest will be empty for the most part.  Yikes, time flies.  Kids or not, there will be Easter egg coloring here again next year...it's something I look forward to each year.

They Did It! State Champs 2011

      The 2011 High School Boys Swimming and Diving Champions - Carmel High School with the Trophy (Matt is top left holding the trophy).

      They did it!  The Carmel High School Boys Swimming and Diving Team won the state swimming championship on Saturday.  

      The kid did well.  Matt got first in the 200 Freestyle, a repeat performance from last year, second in the 100 Freestyle (first in that went to one of his best friends, Harrison), a step up from last year when he finished third in that swim, second in the 200 Freestyle Relay, a repeat performance from last year, and first in the 400 Freestyle Relay, another repeat performance from last year. 

      What a day!  Very very happy boy, team, coaches, and parents.  So proud of each and every single one of these boys who have worked so hard to win this trophy and title...what a way to end the high school swimming years.  Time now for next year's team to step up and carry on the winning streak!  Go Greyhounds! 

CHS Boys State Team - Pre-State Dinner

Photo: (from left around the table) Mark, Max, Vic, John, Mark, Michael, Mitch, Kiernan, Matt, Nate, Mike, Jonathan, Roma, Oneil, Jack, Elliot, and Clayon (Cameron was not able to make it)

      The weeks leading up to swimming sectionals and swimming state find the boys enjoying various activities, meals, and fun times together, each milestone marked with a dwindling number of swimmers as they swim their way toward cut times, some making the cuts while some will try again in the coming years. 

      There are 18 out of the 55 boys going to state with individual swims and/or relay times. Tonight they met to eat a pre-state dinner and to hear encouraging words from one another and the coaches.  As the moms brought in contributions for the dinners, 4 very large lasagnas, three huge salads, 4 large loaves of garlic bread, 2 dozen yeast rolls, cheese, crackers, milk, chocolate milk, apple juice, water bottles, three angel food cakes, a huge container of strawberries, whipped cream, sherbet....I was thinking, "this is a whole lot of food."  How much was left?  I think Matt said maybe one or two slices of cake.  These boys can eat after a practice! 

      Two more days until we cheer them all on at state:  Go Greyhounds!  While they, of course, are hoping for another state title, we are all so proud of each and every one of these guys, and all the rest of the guys who make up the team just for being who they are in or out of the water.  Each of them is already a winner! 

CHS Boys' Turn: Lead-in to State Swimming 2011

      While the CHS girls' swim team has finished their season, the CHS boys' swim team is in the middle of their championship season.  The final high school swimmers' Saturday morning spirit breakfast was held two Saturdays ago to a reduced crowd of hungry boys after morning practice.  I thought we were cooking for the entire roster of 55 but when the boys started coming up after practice, realized that only the sectional swimmers were at practice that day...no matter, the boys were happy to eat up and enjoy what was offered.  

      Sunday the boys met and all dyed their hair blonde...this is a tradition I don't understand, but I go along with it anyway because apparently it is just something they do/have done forever and day, so at this point, it's tradition.  Surprisingly enough, it doesn't take me that long to get used to Matt being a blonde, shocking at first, but by the second day, seems fairly normal.  Don't know what that says.

      On Wednesday the entire roster of 55 boy swimmers showed up for the traditional night before sectionals Spaghetti Dinner and Hair Clipping.
The food line, seniors first...spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, and dessert...when one crockpot runs out, there are more waiting in the kitchen to replace it...these boys can eat!
Senior boys get seated first at the senior table:  John, Matt, Mike, Kiernan, Sean, Tyler, Fillipo.
The up and coming classes...I promised Jimmy I would put this photo in of them...Jimmy, Clayton, Elliot, all outstanding CHS swimmers ready to take over when the seniors depart.
Each year the seniors from the previous year send an encouraging letter for the team and the current seniors read these letters aloud, much fun and a great time for the boys.  Letters from Nik,  Daniel, Johnny, Matt F., Cheffy,  and Charles were read by (left to right) Eric, Tyler, Mike, John, Matt, Kiernan, Cameron, Fillipo, and Sean.

      Another tradition.  The senior boys man the hair clippers, giving the underclassmen very strange hair cuts, each unique, different, and without a bit of consent or not from the owner of the hair.  It's tradition.  The Seniors then hand the clippers over to someone they trust to clip their own hair, again, the person clipping gets to choose the new hairstyle.  Matt cut Jonathan's hair and in turn Jonathan cut Matt's hair.  I think you will agree that normally Matt would not let Jonathan anywhere near his head with a pair of clippers.
I knew when they started that nothing good would come of these two being let loose with a pair of clippers on each others' hair. The boys sported these fancy hairdos at school the next day and then to sectional prelims on Thursday last and by Friday morning, the hair was gone, and we have the official state haircut for boy swimmers:  the buzz.          Despite the silly hairdos, the boys were all very serious at sectionals and managed to take first in every event but one, ending up with 21 swims, a large number indeed, with 11 CHS boys going to state. 

      At Sectionals Matt placed 4/4 in first place finishes for his swims so he is looking good going into state this weekend.  All the same, keep the fingers crossed and the thoughts good and positive as we all know:  any swimmer can beat any other swimmer at any pool on any given day.  It happens.  Go, Matt, Go Carmel...looking for another state win for the team this year. Here are some photos from sectionals.  Let the serious busines of swimming begin...Matt getting ready to swim the 200 Freestyle, he won this swim at state last year so this is his goal to win it again this year.

Finished and waiting for the rest of them to swim in...a good start to the meet for Matt and also Kiernan and Peter...finishing 1, 2, and 3.
And the 100 Freestyle, again Matt, Peter, Jonathan finishing 1, 2, and 3, with Max in 6th.  (Although Peter swims for a different high school, he is in the CSC USA Swim Club and he and Matt joined the team at the same time, Matt was 7 and Peter was 6, so although he isn't technically a CHS swimmer, he is still one of "ours" from the swim club.)

And, at this point in the meet, someone just lost track of taking stills during the relays...that would be me.  The CHS 200 freestyle relay (Matt, Jonathan, Vic, and Roma) took first and the CHS 400 freestyle relay (Matt, Kiernan, Jonathan, and Max) also took first.  There should be photos but sometimes one just gets all caught up in the cheering at relay time and picture taking goes by the wayside.  Oops.

      I did get a photo of the guys with the sectional trophy, one very happy team! That would be Matt in the center holding the trophy.

      And, of course, the Lovely Reyn was around to help celebrate...Matt sporting his new Valentine's Day gift shoes from her, very wild and fun Nike customs which he is thrilled with, and because girlfriends are just so thoughtful and sweet, a package with balloons and inspirational messages to be opened one a day for this week leading to state (accompanied by candy kisses)...and Coach Chris, if you are reading this, Matt is saving all that candy for AFTER state...this week it's nutrition at its finest only this week, no candy for the candy-loving kid.  And, thanks for all you have done to get the boys this far...Go Greyhounds, or as my Louisiana friend Margaret says it, "Geaux Greyhounds!"

Four for Four

Photo:  Matt after the 200 Freestyle win, Gus to his right, Kiernan to his left.  

      It was a high school swim meet day, but with a little extra fun as it was the first time I had gotten to see Reyn (Matt's girlfriend) swim as her school was one of the teams swimming against Matt's school.  She swam the 500 Freestyle and the 100 Breaststroke and did very nicely. 

      Matt won his two individual events (100 Freestyle and 200 Freestyle) and his two relays also won, so he had a great day at the pool. 

      As I was watching all the CHS swimmers I was thinking that this is the last high school season Matt will ever have, next year it will be on to college swimming.  Shock waves still tear through me when I think of it all.  I was watching the other swimmers, some of whom we have been swimming with for 12 years now, and thinking how we have seen them all grow up over the years day by day, because swimming is pretty much a daily thing.  Lots of memories through the years.

      Mark was timing in one of the lanes that Reyn was swimming in so it was fun to see the chatting going on between the two while Reyn waited for her lane to clear for her swim.

      CHS won the meet, the swimmers retired to O'Neil's house for a victory celebration, and everyone is looking forward to swimming a USA meet next weekend because you can't have enough swimming going on...ever. 

Friday's Favorite Fare

READING:  My new Christmas gift cookbooks:  Ad Hoc by Thomas Keller, Thirty Minute Pasta by Giuliano Hazan, How Easy is That by Ina Garten   

LISTENING TO:  Billy Joel
SWIMMING NEWS:  Matt's enjoying the high school swim season. He had a great meet today and each senior boy got a blanket with his name on it (photo).  He was happy to get such a nice gift from the team. 

COOKING BYTES:  Need to get better organized in the new year to get all my blog-alongs on track...seems I have fallen behind here at the end of the year. 

FAV NEW FIND:  Hominy...who knew?  None of us had ever had it before the Ellie recipe this week.  Turns out, hominy is quite good.

FAV THING THIS WEEK:  Vacation time with Matt and Mark.

GOING TO:  Celebrate the New Year and enjoy this weekend just moving wherever the wind takes me...Monday will come soon enough and then it's back to school and back to work for everyone here. 

PRAYING FOR:  Safe travel for all those going near and far for the holidays, please join me.

Merry Christmas!

      Merry Christmas from all of us to all of you!  Hope your day is Merry and Bright...we definitely have the Christmas White taken care of here in Indiana.  We are enjoying the day, hope you are as well.  Holiday cheer to all of you. 

Friday's Favorites Fare

PHOTO:  Yearly photo of Matt and Ali at Angels Sing Concert.  The last one...at the end of the school year they graduate and will return to sing with the alumni for their annual yearly number at this concert, but it won't be the same ever again.  A lot of "lasts" this year.  I'm handling it tolerably well.  Sort of.  Okay, I admit, there were a few tears about this when they finished posing.

READING:  Christmas cards and letters!  While many a joke is made over yearly Christmas letters, I have to say, I absolutely love, love, love them.  All of them.   

LISTENING TO:  Christmas Music
SWIMMING NEWS:  Matt has an unprecedented three days off from swim practice...he is enjoying sleeping in and staying up late, a rare treat for him.  Three WHOLE DAYS...I wonder if he will still know how to swim at the end of it.  (Just kidding around about that part.)

COOKING BYTES:  We are officially desserted-out.  This happens every year actually, where the treats don't look like treats anymore.  It will pass, but I am not sure exactly when.  In the meantime, I am making dessert for tonight for Christmas Eve dinner here. 

FAV NEW FIND:  Matt and I went Christmas shopping on Tuesday and I didn't have one single panic attack about the crowds, the parking, the shopping, the whole business of it all.  It was nice to shop with Matt as he is very organized about it:  make a list, check it all off, don't browse around, get out as quick as possible, enjoy the moments, talk Mom into lunch out.

FAV THING THIS WEEK:  Matt's Angels Sing concerts.  Here's a few links for those interested, those who aren't, just skip over all this part.  Matt is in the back row, center (there are two guys standing there, Matt is the one on the right as you face the screen, there is a short girl to his left).  Ali is in the front row, 7th from the left side.  These links are not to the televised version of the concert but rather just from one of the other parents' video camera, so quality is not excellent, but it is nice enough since you couldn't be there and all for the real deal, which was very very nice indeed.  The Shaws focus on their daughter, of course, but Matt is near enough to her that there is quite a bit of him as well.  He looks good in a tux, doesn't he...that huge chest from swimming does wonders for one's ability to sing and hold notes for a long time!  Here are the links to four songs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzC50B1oasY&feature=related   O Holy Night; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HBqLFCPWPs&feature=related  Celebrate Chanukah; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADEcg5FBWRk&feature=related  Gloria Fanfare; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1oJn8U89Pc&feature=related  Winter Wonderland

GOING TO:  Celebrate Christmas...we host Christmas Eve dinner, Mark's folks host Christmas Day dinner, etc., and there is Midnight Mass in between the two.  I think the shopping is all complete and wrapped, but going to recheck all the lists this morning just to be sure.  It doesn't matter who has been naughty and who has been nice, it's Christmas and everyone gets gifts!! 

PRAYING FOR:  Safe travel for all those going near and far for the holidays, for First Christmases and Last Christmases, for those serving our country who will not get to see Christmas at home with loved ones, please join me.
Photo is of Reyn (Matt's girlfriend), Matt, and Ali at Angels Sing Concert last Saturday night.  Reyn and Ali had been swimming at a meet for two days straight.  Ali was swimming, singing, and taking finals at school.  Matt was only singing and taking finals.  They are all happy to be on break from school.  Singing is on break until after the holidays.  And, they will all three be back in the water for swimming on Monday.  For all they manage to do, our hats are off to all three of them.  It's a pleasure to know them and follow around in their wakes!

CSC Short Course Nationals Men's Relay Team

Matt, John, Coach Chris (and fellow relay swimmer), and Harrison at Short Course USA National Swimming in Ohio at OSU this past weekend.

      Since I wasn't able to be at Nationals, I didn't get my usual round of photos.  Harrison's mother send me a few, so thanks to Crystal, here is a great photo of the CSC boys' relay team at Nationals. 

      This is not just your normal every common day boys' relay team as you might have noticed.  The boys only had three qualify for Nationals with the appropriate time cuts needed, and since a relay needs four men, there was going to be no relay team for the CSC boys National team.  "Was" being the operative word. 

      In USA swimming, as long as you are registered with USA swimming, in good standing, and have the appropriate time cuts, you can swim in USA swim meets.  So, Coach Chris rose to the occasion.  (He's 35, incidentally, and I am allowed to say his age as it is on all the psych sheets from the meet, etc. where they list the swimmers and their ages...public knowledge.)  

      Chris trained, and trained, and trained some more, so that he could qualify to be the fourth man on the relay team.  The guys were loving it. 

      Chris qualified and they had their National relay team!  How wonderful is that?  Pretty wonderful.  The guys were so happy that they were going to get to swim relays because Chris made it possible for them to do so. 

      They did great...their times were really good for where they are all at and each one of them contributed in major ways to the whole team.  I think the three boys spent a good deal of time with their mouths open and their jaws dropping at how well Chris did and what a great swimmer he is...a whole new and deeper respect for hard work and dedication was born. 

      One very fun aspect of this particular relay team is that all the other relay teams were composed of four men, each specializing in their particular swims, all of them sprinters as relay teams are usually made up of guys who can sprint fast to the finish.  In the Freestyle Relays, you will have four really fast freestylers.  In the Medley Relays, you have four really fast sprinters in their swims, i.e. backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle because each leg of the Medley Relay is composed of a different stroke.  

      Because we did not have the appropriate qualifiers for Nationals to make up the relay team, we were operating with three freestyler sprinters (Chris, Harrison, Matt) and one distance (non-sprinter) breaststroker (John).  Try to make that work!!  For the Medley Matt swam backstroke, John his breaststroke, Harrison swam the butterfly, and Coach Chris swam the freestyle. 

      They did good...they didn't finish last and they had a great time...who knew?  It's a well-coached team that can even dream of putting that together.

      Congratulations to a great showing at Nationals, guys!  We are all so proud of you and all your talent and hard work.  And, Chris, Thank You for making it all possible.

Breakfast of Champions

      Each Sunday morning, after the CBS Sunday Morning news show, I make the guys something we call The Big Sunday Breakfast. 

      TBSB consists of things they do not have time to sit and eat of a week day when breakfast is usually portable food in hand as they head out the door so that they can sleep until the last possible moment before rising, dressing, and hitting the road for work, school, swim practice, etc.  Things like pancakes or waffles or scrambled eggs, with an accompanying side of bacon or sausage, and a variety of juice offerings. 

      Harrison's mother took the above photo this morning at the USA Swimming venue at OSU where the boys were having a bite to eat and waiting for their turn to swim time trials.  Matt (left) and Harrison (right) with their buddies in the box (far left). 

      Breakfast of Champions, or at least a bite to tide them over until more appropriate offerings can be scored...and if Mary is reading this, please note that John is not anywhere near that box and is probably off scoring yogurt and fruit and a bit of granola because he is definitely more trustworthy in the realm of scoring non-junk food than are these two! 

Friday's Favorites Fare

READING:  Got a whole load of new things from the library...reading bits and pieces trying to decide where to start.   

LISTENING TO:  Christmas Music
SWIMMING NEWS:  Matt is at USA Swimming Nationals (no, I am not there as I've had the flu since Monday).  They left on Wednesday after school and they return Sunday afternoon.  This is a big deal.  A very big deal for a high school boy.  He could hardly stand it knowing that he was actually going and would be swimming in the same meet, in the same pool, at the same time, as the big names in swimming.  The best swimmers our nation has to offer.  College guys.  Olympians.  Matt Gerth.  Pretty amazing stuff.  He didn't care that he was going to be one of the youngest, and one of the last time-wise, etc., he was just so excited to go and BE THERE and have earned the right to be there with a National time cut.  He's done well.  Gets to bring home a new best time for the 50 Freestyle and swam a 100 Freestyle faster than he swam it at state last year, just a hair over his best time for that swim.  He also had three relays and is having a really great time just being there and running into the friends, fellow swimmers, coaches, etc. he has come to know through the years.  He gets to see his future teammates and coaches (Indiana University) compete and compete alongside them for the first time (although not as part of the team yet, still very fun to be at the same meet), and he gets to see Ryan Lochte in his green shoes up close and personal.  What's not to love about all of that?  We are somewhat proud of him...can you tell?  Good.

COOKING BYTES:  Snowy days like this are perfect for baking and watching the snow falling outside my kitchen window (photo above is just such a view)...no swimming down in that pool anytime soon.  Twitterbakes Saturday and Sunday.

FAV NEW FIND:  Several of my TWD baking pals had the opportunity to go to a book signing in Connecticut and meet Dorie Greenspan in person, have her sign their copies of her new book, Around My French Table, and have a great time wining and dining together.  It happened the same week that all the college swimming signing hoopla was happening around here, so I did not get to join in all the fun out there.  Since I missed all the fun, Nancy found a way to have the fun come to me...she sent me a signed copy with a personal note in it from Dorie for me, and crazy silly that she is, she photo-shopped me into the photo of all of them with Dorie at the signing.  How much fun is all of that???  Almost as much as being there...not quite, but very special nonetheless.  Thanks, Nancy!

FAV THING THIS WEEK:  Well, I know what my not-so-favorite thing was this week:  I had the flu for five days.  I didn't think it was ever going to leave, so I have to say my favorite thing this week is that it has finally left and I am feeling well again.  I recommend you take a pass if it shows up at your place.  My favorite thing this week, is obviously, Matt swimming at USA Nationals for the first time.

GOING TO:  The guys are going to shovel snow and watch sports on tv, I plan to bake/cook, stay inside with a nice warm and cozy fire, watch Big Ten Basketball, watch Livestream of Matt at the USA Swimming Nationals, and do a few things around here that didn't get done when the flu was visiting and overstaying its welcome.

PRAYING FOR:  Two GCHS students battling cancer, Luke and Stuart...please join me.

Friday's Favorites Fare

READING:  Things on Sam Houston, don't ask...just got on a kick about something, his name came up, and I was off and reading on Sam Houston for some reason. Someone had to do it.   

LISTENING TO:  My friend Nancy doesn't care for some of my taste in music, so in her honor, it's all Mozart all day.  Better than Axl and Def?  Who's to say?

COOKING BYTES:  Tired of making desserts...it happens every year at some point, usually when everyone else is gearing up for lots of holiday desserts, and it has reached that point again this year...thinking this might need to be a dessert-free week or two. 

FAV NEW FIND:  Not necessarily a new find, but I love, love, love having Matt and Mark home for four days in a row...very relaxing and nice.

FAV THING THIS WEEK:  Believe it or not, today we managed to get the house all decorated for the holiday season, so that feels lovely to have all that finished before the busy choir gigs, swimming gigs, and holiday festivities have us all running to and fro.  Matt's friend Reyn came over and helped decorate...photo is Matt and Reyn in front of the tree in the foyer.

GOING TO:  Spend time with family as Mark's family is all in town for the Thanksgiving holiday, so that means some sort of doings each day.  Swim practice and choir practice and Mass serving for Matt as well.  I might get some time to cook/bake.  Lots of Big Ten sports to watch...IU/Purdue tomorrow at noon, the Oaken Bucket game, IU hoops tonight but delayed broadcast until tomorrow, Hawks tonight live.  Might actually do some Christmas shopping.  Going where the wind takes me this weekend.

PRAYING FOR:  Safe travel for everyone on the road this holiday season...yes, especially you...please join me. 

Friday's Favorites Fare: Signed, Sealed, To Be Delivered Next August

READING:  Various pieces on armistice for WWI...it seemed fitting for the week with Veteran's Day and all.

LISTENING TO:  Soundtrack from The Big Chill    

COOKING BYTES:  Getting caught up on various blog-alongs and guys are enjoying the food from it all.  It's my plan that when Matt goes off to college he wants to return home regularly for home cooking.

FAV NEW FIND:  Seven of the senior swimmers have committed to colleges for swimming and signed their letters of intent this week.  In photo at top:  Sam going to University of Kentucky; Lauren and Matt are going to Indiana University; Mike is headed to Iowa; Kiernan is going to swim at Xavier; leaving Rhiannon and Carly to apply their considerable swimming efforts up at Purdue.  I would say The Big Ten is being represented fairly well by this year's class of seniors with 5 of the 7 going to Big Ten schools.  Harrison committed to Princeton, and he is not pictured here as he goes to Brebeuf High School so his official signing was over there this week.  

FAV THING THIS WEEK:  Watching Matt sign his letter of intent committing to Indiana University for college.  The "real" signing took place in our dining room at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, the first day of signing...once signed, it was faxed to the IU athletic department, and the original copy was sent to them by US Mail. 

      Then today, Friday, the high school had a "fake" official signing ceremony where the athletes all "signed" a blank piece of paper and have their photos taken as if they were actually signing, etc.  It was fun...the swimmers really enjoyed it.  Now it all seems real.  (Photos below:  The Three Boys: Kiernan, Matt, and Mike at the signing; Matt and Lauren both going to IU.)

GOING TO:  Watch the opening game tonight for IU Basketball season, so we are more than eager to have that getting underway, another game on Sunday, with the IU football game sandwiched between on Saturday at noon.  This time of year when there is both Big Ten Football and Big Ten Basketball going on, we tend to watch a lot of ballgames...no complaints here. 

PRAYING FOR:  Please join me in praying for cancer patients going through chemo and radiation...that all that pain and suffering brings favorable results.

Friday's Favorites Fare (on Saturday)

Matt and fellow CSC swimmer, Lauren J, during half-time at IU Homecoming football game today.  No, not a date, just good friends, Matt was at game, Lauren was down at IU on swim recruit visit, and the two had a great time at the game with others. 

READING:  The Shadows on the Rock by Willa Cather (Quebec 1697-1698) and One of Ours by Willa Cather (WWI 1914-1920).  These are the last two novels of Cathers that our library didn't have available before when I was reading the rest.  I'd read them both in high school, so it was good to revisit them as an adult. 

LISTENING TO:  ...and watching the IU/Arkansas State football game on television, getting ready to watch the Iowa Hawk/Michigan game next.   

COOKING BYTES:  The season is changing...welcoming soup week straight ahead.  I love soup, could exist on that and salad and never be bored.  It's a simple thing, I am a simple person at heart.

FAV NEW FIND:  The changing leaves, the cooler weather, the return of Orion in the night's sky.   

FAV THING THIS WEEK:  We have had a wonderful week enjoying Matt's decision to commit to Indiana University for college swimming.  We tried very carefully not to express our preferences so that it was his decision and not ours.  That was incredibly hard as we are such IU fans.  You would have been proud, and astonished at our ability to display impartiality.  He flew all over the country for recruiting trips, looking at this college and that, getting offers from here and there, but in the end, it was IU who had his heart.  He got off the plane one Sunday and said, "I'm done with recruiting trips, etc. I just want to go to IU and swim there."  Absolutely music to our ears!  He will be going to college 90 minutes away from here and swimming where we can go and watch the meets.  Don't think we aren't excited.  IU's business school is ranked 10th in the nation, he loves the campus, the coaching staff (one of the coaches was coaching at CSC when Matt was 10-11), the team, and the city of Bloomington.  So excited!!!  You will all appreciate this.  We said, "Are you sure?  We want this to be your decision and not ours."  He responded with, "Yes, I'm sure...I tried to have it NOT be IU, I tried to NOT want to go in-state, I tried to have it be somewhere else, but it didn't work, I just love IU and want to go there."  This is the swimmer who won state last year with a swim he didn't want to swim and was determined to go to college out of state like most of his best friends, but in the end, home is where the heart is in this case, and about that swim, coaches can see further down the line than swimmers...we do what we need to do!  He has been just delighted since the decision and we are all looking forward to him being a Hoo down in Hooville.

GOING TO:  October 15th marks the day that NCAA college basketball teams can commence formal practice so Matt and Mark went down to Bloomington for the opening tip of practice, etc. (along with over 13,000 other people who attended) on Friday night, they stayed over for the homecoming game and festivities today, also taking in a swim meet at the IU pool, Matt hanging out with the swimmers and enjoying some friends who are down there this weekend on swimming recruit visits of their own. Besides that, there is choir rehearsal, etc. for Matt and some time for catching up around here with things that need to be done and enjoyed during fall. 

PRAYING FOR:  Please join me in praying for Bill, Margaret's husband, newly diagnosed with cancer who is undergoing all sorts of procedures and treatments now.

Some Traditions One Never Outgrows

Each October we take a little trip to a pumpkin patch/orchard to enjoy the lovely fall weather, to have a chance to be outside the city, and, of course, to score some pumpkins, apples, and fresh cider.  Usually we go along with or meet friends there...whoever is available on that day when the spirit moves. 

Saturday morning my friend Tina and I decided it was the day and after a little back and forth, decided on the time and orchard/pumpkin farm.  Tina has six children of varying ages, all of them more or less ages to really enjoy a trip to the pumpkin farm, to ride on the hayride, go through the corn maze, play on the playground, climb the giant haystack, and accompany wagons to the pumpkin patch to pick out the perfect pumpkins to take home.  She expressed concern about Matt being "too old" to enjoy going along, but I assured her that Matt would enjoy the outing as well, could use some family time, and just needed to relax and enjoy part of the day after taking the SAT in the morning. 

I was right, he had a great time, picked out our four pumpkins, took the youngest child, Ben (5), through the corn maze with him, and on the way home we discussed that this was the last pumpkin farm trip together before he heads off to college next year.  We had fun remembering all the Octobers past and I think next year there still may be a trip to the pumpkin patch come October, some traditions are just too much fun to abandon. 

Photo is thanks to Tina who said, "I didn't take any photos!  I don't have a single shot of them, I will get Matt and Caitlin to pose before you leave!"  And, thanks to Tina, here's a photo of Matt and Caitlin resting on the car trunk after picking pumpkins...friends that go back years and years to when they were both little tykes on just such field trips of days past, both high school students now...my how quickly the time passes.

A Week in Irvine - Junior National Swimming

They are back from Junior Nationals out in Irvine, California, some new best times, some records, and some disappointments, about par for any meet we have ever entered.  Matt's 100 Freestyle netted him a new best time, a new CSC club record, and a 19th place nationally.  Not bad considering he was seeded 58th out of 146 swimmers going in.  His 50 Freestyle netted a new best time and a 31st place finish. He went in seeded 63rd out of 118 swimmers.  There are no slow swimmers at this meet, every single swimmer is a champion somewhere, you don't get to this meet without being a champion, fast times! 

Let's see now, the 200 Freestyle I am not allowed to discuss, and the 100 Backstroke was a bit of a bust as he got the big DQ for being completely submerged at the finish...something about the sun and the breeze flipping the flags so he couldn't really see them going in and misjudged the number of strokes to the finish...probably best to forget about that swim as well. 

He did well in the relays and the club did great on the whole.  If not exactly what they all hoped, the best that could be had with illnesses and whatnot.  The important part was that they had a great time and they acted like a unified team.  We are all so proud of each and every one of the 16 swimmers from our club who got the chance to swim at Junior Nationals by qualifying by their stellar swimming skills.  It was on web live stream so we could watch it all, so much fun! 

Of course, it wasn't ALL about the swimming...well, actually it was, but there were some side trips in between the sessions.

San Juan Capistrano (above)...and some swimmers (below).
And the real swimmers, some at breakfast:  Lucy, Kiernan, Matt, and Alexis.

Swimmers packed and ready for the day: Colleen, Margaret, Lacey, and Lauren S. 

And, below, when the swimmers don't have an event, it is a great time to put on some real swim suits and get a tan while cheering on your teammates:  In front: Sam; Middle Row: Lauren S., Matt, Kiernan, Alexis; Back Row:  Rhiannon, Lacey, Lucy, Trish, and Margaret.

Of course, any city with a major baseball team is fair game for a side trip there...Go Angels, they won this night.  

The pool was fantastic, both for swimming and for watching!  What an opportunity for our swimmers to compete here.


Lane 4...Matt almost set and ready to swim.  The pressure was on!
Lunch by the ocean...you can't do this in Indiana!!
Beach bums...at every available opportunity Mark and Matt headed for the beach and walked for miles, because, after all, we don't have this kind of opportunity near enough.  

And, to all the swimmers who did not get a photo on here, you need to remember to tell Mr. Gerth to take photos as he was distracted by historical sites, beaches, ballgames, restaurants, and sometimes by the swimming...he'll do better next time!

Airport Photos Before Junior Nationals

Usually we get a group photo but Saturday morning swimmers were arriving at various times, checking in at various times, and going through security in stages, so this was all I got in the wee hours, i.e. 5:30 a.m.  Left to right:  Colleen, Rhiannon, Trish, Lauren, Mike, John, and Sam...all looking surprisingly wide awake as it is, after all, their usual swim time for morning practices through much of the year.  

Lacey and Margaret ready to roll, and Matt looking tired and eager to get going.  Good luck, Swimmers!  We are so proud of all of you.

Junior National Send-Off Dinner

It's almost here:  time for the 16 CSC swimmers qualified for Junior Nationals to board the plane and head off to California on Saturday for a week of competition and fun.  Before they go, however, Daniel's family hosted a send-off barbecue at their home this evening where the swimmers, their parents, and the coaches had a chance to eat and chat and the swimmers got gifted all sorts of goodies. 

All the time and work they have put into swimming to enable them to compete at a national level...we are so proud of them all!  Best Wishes, Safe Travel, and Fast Times to:  (front table beginning on left) Lucy, Lauren J, Trish, Margaret, Sam, Rhiannon, Lacy, and Lauren S.  (back table beginning on left) Harrison (green shirt), Kiernan, Daniel, John, Colleen, Matt, and Mike. (Alexis wasn't able to stay for the dinner.)

Happy Birthday, Boys!

Happy Birthday, Boys!  Three of the boys had birthdays this week, so I managed to get a photo before the party tonight...Harrison, Matt, Mike, and Nik.  Harry, Matt, and Nik are the three with the birthdays.  Matt is 18 today!