Diving in
My kids attended a swimming carnival this week. It was held in a very pretty little town not that far (in bush terms) from our home on an unseasonally cool October day.
I had rung the teacher supervising that day, as I knew I had one child (*cough* DASH *cough*) who puts the brakes on pretty hard when it comes to cool weather and swimming. Its a shame as I do think he has SOME natural talent in the aquatic department – we are even starting ‘proper’ lessons next week to try and get some actual skill happening. Lord knows his father and I didn’t hand on too many land speed genes to he or his sister. The teacher agreed to help encourage our reluctant man into the cool water should I not be there to do it myself (as I undertook the 4 1/2 hour journey home from my previous day’s engagement).
I arrived in time to see some action from the littlies.
Violet actually handles the cold better than her big brother, and even she was turning a bit blue waiting poolside for the little one’s ‘races’.
She was most frustrated at not being able to race ‘properly’ and being guided by some high school students across the pool in each event. I think she may have been actually towing this young lady in an effort to go faster.
My little competitor!
Before I arrived at the pool from my four hour journey from the bull sale, Dash had already competed once. And despite a lot of protests that week that he WASN’t swimming at ALL, I discovered he had been the only one of his age group to compete in the 100 metres individual medley. I nearly fainted. That was a blue ribbon for completing 25 metres each of butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle… I didn’t even KNOW he could do butterfly…
And then he went and fronted up for the 50 metres butterfly event… dear Lord.
I know I cannot do even one length of butterfly… and how LONG does that pool look from this angle!
He almost appeared to be sinking but kept on going til he made that wall…
And he was sucking in some BIG gulps of oxygen once he made it. In second place.
However, after competing in all but one race (during which he was playing too hard to heed the call to the marshalling area) he had collected quite a colourful array of ribbons.
And Violet was happy (enough) with her participation ribbon too. (Gotta love those participation rewards!)
But that medal for runner-up in Dash’s age groups?
Serious cause for celebration!
🙂
BB
PS Can someone tell me what that hand symbol means? Do I want to know?
12 Comments
debby
In Hawaii, they do that handsign and they say, ‘shaka bra’. Being haole, I never got it either, but Dash is using it properly. It always seemed to mean the same thing as a thumbs up. Just cooler, I reckon.
Official translation: Shaka bra means ‘hang loose’. It also said that it was a term used by surfers, and potheads, and Hawaiian wannabes.
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BB of Oz
Ah HAH! Most excellent. Can really see Dash fitting right in on a Hawaii island! Heh.
🙂
BB
Kate
Go kids!! Congratulations to Dash, and to Violet.
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Kelly
Congratulations to the kiddos on a job well done! Butterfly was a stroke that I never mastered. I’m impressed.
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Leenie
Wow! Nice ribbon rainbow! Way to go to both. I’ve spent a few hours of my life on humid swimming pool bleachers trying to figure out which one of the dolphins was mine. 100 IM is a tough one. So cool Dash did so well and Yay! for Violet for towing that swim instructor to safety! ;oD
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Colin (HB)
Well done Dash and Violet also.
Butterfly is the hardest stroke to swim, BUT to do it with a shirt on – well, I find that bizarre?
I think a Gold medal and a laurel wreathe would be more befitting for your effort.
Colin
jeanie
I call a major failure to disclose a backstory here.
Ahem – who was the fastest female in the district through water during the seventies in the same neck of the woods (especially in butterfly)?
Double ahem – how did we first become acquainted with members of Mr I’s clan?
Ahem harrumph hack – what is the family trait that your father boasts he passed along? Would that be feet most suited for waterspeed?
(and for a double bonus points on trivia – who won the very first swimming race at the same venue on your birth day? And noted it in his diary ahead of said birth day?)
As you were – and major congratulations to your offspring – look to your mother, kids, for than answers to this and many more intriging bits of history!!!
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BB of Oz
I am not sure who you are referring to in the first ‘ahem’ there, dear sister. I was always a backstroker (could do some vague form of butterfly for one lap max).
Yes I met Mr I’s brother once at swimming training. Many years before I met the man I would marry.
You have hit a very raw nerve with the birth versus race-win there. Ensured I never got any airs about where I stood in the scheme of things!
🙂
BB
debby
Your father was too funny. How’d your mother handle this? Or did she just wait patiently until he was done swimming and then had him drive her to hospital?
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naomi
if dash ever sports the goth look of black clothes, black dyed hair, black makeup, black nail polish, doc martin boots and long black rider’s cloak and he does that little sign, it can be the horns of the devil.
i like to freak out our little goths by wearing all black and sporting my nose piercing and tear strip of piercings on my left ear. they do hate it when the middle aged women get into their schtick. 🙂
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Andrew
Well done yours. I too have wondered about that finger thing but I thought it was too uncool to ask. Lebanese lads seem fond of using it.
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JENNY TALIA
how’s Dash’s blue lips in the pic with the medals? what a champ!
and Violet…cutie patootie as always! x
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