You Should See The Other Guy ...

Except that I think it was a cat hair. In my right eye. So I kinda look like I went a few rounds. However ... the class must go on. Naturally this happens on a day I teach, so lots of people can ask what happened!

And now, for something completely different, let me complain about the weather. I am having oatmeal for breakfast! We are heading for a high today of 62°F/17°C. If we get dog days of summer this year they will hit like a ton of bricks! And what does this weather favour? Weeds. Insects like aphids not insects like monarchs! But at least I've seen some beneficials in the garden lately, too.



As usual a click will get you closer — you'll be able to see the dented elytra!

Sunday Snippets

So ... at least appears to be a sunny one! Because yesterday's thunderstorms were definitely impressive. We're heading for a high of 21°:C (that's 69°F). It's been an odd summer so far, and the pattern seems to be holding.

For your reading pleasure this morning I bring you today's column from Mr. Sutcliffe.

Have I mentioned what an impressive team I swim for lately? In addition to Alex's five new National Records* at Provincials in March, Technosport relays counted ten! And I'll note that if you scroll down far enough, you'll find this:

** AGE GROUP 200+

800 free women 25m — F.GRANT M.ROMAN M.BAKISH W.BUCKNER — TECH ON 10:52.95 — OTT MAR 09

So kudos and special thanks to Fiona, Marisha, and Margaret — and congratulations to everyone whose name is on that very long list of accomplishments!

* This link is a listing of Canadian Masters records set to date in 2009.

Two Loops + A Nap

Clearly, I am too old to stay up 21 hours in a row!

I needed the alarm to wake me this morning, then had no idea why it went off. Nor did I have any idea why someone would phone a sponsored medical call in program to ask if there's something they can take for the double vision they've had for two weeks — but I think that was perfectly understandable! The alarm was set to radio so I spent some time lying in bed being incredulous that people don't seem to know when to go to the doctor! Luckily Fiona and Bruce had stopped at Tim's on their way to pick me up, so there was a little coffee for my drinking pleasure on the way to Meech. The water temperature was very nice, and I was having a slow agreeable swim but when rounding the island on my second loop I heard thunder. Back to the beach and out! Some of us got two loops in, but others only got one done. On the up side from the car we spotted some larger wildlife in the park today: one coyote, one fawn.

I had a most enjoyable Chinese dinner with Emma et al last evening, and a little bit more of it for lunch. After my nap. Which started immediately after coming in the door from the pond. In fact, I still haven't unpacked my swim bag. Ugh. It'll be a few days, I think, before I hit my rhythm again!

The Witching Hour ...

The hospital has just a slight air of eeriness in the smaller hours of the day. Following the purple dots I was alone, not another person wandering the halls. I know that particular rabbit's warren very well — over the past twenty years I've investigated its nooks and crannies more often than most. The solitude you find there at night contrasts with the sometimes quite frenetic activity level of the daylight hours. I was a little early, reporting just before midnight for imaging at 00:30.

While lying quietly inside the MRI machine, what struck me was how much windier it is than a similar experience inside the CT scanner. The technician laughed when he freed me and I told him so. It was simple and easy. Textbook really.

Waiting for the cab to go home, sitting under a pot light, I was vaguely mesmerized by the colours of the mother of pearl and shell ring I had bought on the French Riviera many years ago, and the sparkle of the cubic zirconia flower on my other hand. Mickey said it was 1:30. I don't wear good jewellery to the pond, where we had swum earlier in the evening. My thoughts drifted off to the last time I sat at that entrance, waiting for a taxi. It was after the bedside service for April, almost a year ago now, before the staff took her to the operating room so her organs could provide better lives for others.

Memories, it seems, can have the slightest air of eeriness all their own at the hospital during the smaller hours of the day. And yet just a short time later, scooping up a groggy and cuddly cat at 2:00 a.m., carrying him upstairs, and laying him gently (purring) on the bed there was a profound sense of comfort that neither of us would have known otherwise.

A Little Bit of This ...

And a little bit of that, I think, will be the order of the day!

On the Olympic eligible swimming front, national world championship teams are currently being established north and south of the border. Canadian trials results can be found here. The women's 50 breaststroke was pretty exciting yesterday in Montreal, when 15 year old phenom Amanda Reason went :30.23 in the 50 breast and set a new world record! Update: CBC's video of the event can be found here. South of the 49th, Aaron Piersol was under 52 seconds for a world record in the hundred back. And Mr. Phelps is swimming up a storm, so Worlds promises to be full of exciting competition!

Glowing Orb Watch: It is currently visible in the sky — so people will be much happier today. Especially those of us who were caught in one of the downpours yesterday! Although there were bright spots — after my swim I thought I'd get takeout from the Chinese restaurant on the corner, but ended up eating in with old friends who were already there! And while Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is weaker than the earlier films, it is still an enjoyable way to spend an evening. Plus Scrat! Who doesn't love Scrat!?! And as an aside I note that Simon Pegg has had some plum parts of late.

Bluesfest has begun up on LeBreton Flats, so The Boarder was quite occupied last evening. He clearly preferred Jeff Beck to some of last year's offerings. At least he wasn't "singing" back at him!

As the glowing orb is visible, I've just finished washing the Long Pants. Hopefully they won't be pressed into service for a while! There are some towels in the dryer (Heaven knows I go through enough of them!), so more swimming can occur this week. Hopefully a pond swim this evening. And it will be a very late night, as I report at midnight for an 00:30 MRI!

Draggin'!

I bailed on practice last night. I have been having, besides back issues, problems with energy levels. By the time 5:00 was rolling around, there was quite literally nothing in the tank. And at that point, really, it's better to listen to your body than to push through. Especially since I'll be up well past my bedtime tomorrow night for my 00:30 MRI. That will be followed next Thursday by a review of the images with Dr. Chow ought to result in a Plan. Oh, how I'm looking forward to The Plan!

Most of us experiencing this unseasonably cool summer can at least be pleased we're not in Newfoundland, where there was a risk of frost overnight!!! Aaaarrrgggghhhh! Yesterday it was long pants and a cashmere sweater over my tank top. Sigh.

On the up side, there's gear on the way from Aquasport, so I'll have a new training suit. I find that a Speedo Endurance suit lasts at least a year swimming on an almost daily basis (including regular dunks in highly chlorinated hot tub)— and the fabric itself would keep lasting, but I get a bit concerned about the stitching, which has a lycra component. Because nobody wants me to have a suit malfunction! Although I could try layering the older ones over another suit for drag!

On Fast Lanes, Fans and Fishes ...

If there are 9 people in the fast lane, and I'm the fastest by a long shot, you can be assured it is an overcrowded lane swim. And one of the slowest fast lanes in history. A lifeguard said to me afterwards, "You came to the worst lane swim in the history of the pool!" But by 8:00 it cleared out, so we won't be making that same mistake twice!

On the sparkly things front, I've been receiving compliments on this necklace of late. I had thought I might buy the fan coral necklace as reminder of my trip to Grand Cayman, as I saw so many just sea swimming. But my friend E. got it for Christmas, so I revised my plan. On my Stingray City trip, I saw two different flat needlefish, and that made this a fine alternative. That and the pot was significantly sweetened by the Summer Sale price — online it was temporarily marked down 70%. You can bet I'll be sporting it when I'm next in the tropics, too!