The V-man competed in his first ever LCM swim meet (long course meters....50 meter pool) this past weekend. About 265 swimmers (in all) ranging in age from 5 to 18 competing.
50 meters... is a long way to swim for an 8-year-old. (some days...it's a long way to swim for a 40-year-old)
The V-man was undaunted by this.....
Saturday:
50 m. back - first (A time) 50 m. breast - second (A time) 50 m. fly - disqualified (he had it won......damn two hand touch!)
Sunday:
100 m. free - first (A time) 100 m. breast - second (B time) 100 m. back - first (A time)
side note: his times were not only faster than all of the 8 y.o.'s...but also faster than MOST of the 9, 10 & 11 y.o.'s
"A" times....qualify him for the Oregon State (10 & Under) Long Course Championships.
He kicked ass!
Not bad for a boy that once needed the threat of "calling Papa"... just to get him into the pool for practice.
i see this client once a year (twice...if i'm lucky) hands me his shoe box ...and asks how's the pool? then wonders when i'm going to follow (what he sees as) ...my passion
In all our trips south...I hadn't surfed this reef...until this last trip. I've watched the cute boy get it good. But....I don't do cliffs. Or...I should say...I'm not allowed to do cliffs...anymore. (They don't call me grace for nothin.)
So this time....
I did the half-mile walk/paddle down from the next reef to the north.
Left town with (a lot of) snow on the ground. (needed chains just to get from my street to a main thorough-fare)
Nine days of surf, sun & se.....er....vacation. (sorry dad...)
Drove home to find an inch & a half of fresh snow on the ground.
sidebar: for those of you that are "map" challenged...I am pleased to announce...that of the half dozen trips we've made to the 'cruz....we have managed to never make it out of the bay area without fucking up. It's a gift...
This was our last morning in town. Cold & icy...despite the sun.
Gaz...getting a few last waves before the 11 & 1/2 hour drive home.
I adopted him (about this time) 3 years ago. We had snow, freezing rain & sub-twenty temps. His (original) owner left him outside.
Me...being Me....couldn't stand it, so I started letting him in. He got along well with Tug & Harley. In fact...he made himself right at home.
Then...about a year & a half ago...he started spraying/peeing in the v-man's room. Big mistake. I won't tolerate that nonsense....so out he went. Don't worry though...another neighbor started caring for him.
Imagine my surprise...when I found him scratching on my door at 6:00 a.m. the other morning. It was freezing out...and snowing! (fucking part-time pet owners)
So... I let him in. Been here since Saturday morning... ...making himself right at home.