SWIMMING

        I am a total Swimming team Mom.     When my daughter was 9 yrs old I had enrolled her for swim lessons at the After School Program at the YMCA.  Being one of 2 nurses working for the only Pediatrician in Glens Falls I got word from one of my patient's Mom's that the swim coach wanted my daughter for the Swim Team.  A couple days later the After School Program Director came in with her son and told me herself that the swim coach really wanted Nicolle.   I had taught Nicolle to swim, but other than that no swim lessons and having asthma, I doubted it would work out.    So I went down to the YMCA and talked with Coach.  He said she had the perfect body.  "No bubble butt",  like so many kids her age. He wasn't the YMCA coach though.  He was the recruiter for the United States Swim Team-Northeast Division.   Four days a week she had swim prictice.  Twenty laps of Free Style, 20 of Butterfly, 20 of Backstroke, 20 of Breast stroke.  And that was just the warm up!   Next came 40 laps of Free Style then 40 of Back stroke or Breast stroke, then another 40 of Free Style.  Then there would be a  set of 4 Relay Races.  Then the warm down of the 20 or each stroke like in the warm up.      The best thing about the swimming is that Nicolle's asthma disappeared.  I was always there with her nebulizer machine and oxygen.  For 2 years, no hospitalizations and no trips to the ER.  Physically, her looks changed.  Her neck and shoulders got muscular and broad.   Back Stroke and Relay Racing were her specialties.    Unfortunatley when we moved back to Scotia she got herselfa little "attitude" and quite swimming.  The Glens Falls team was known to be a winning team.  The Schenectady Team, according to her were losers.  And then there was the fact that swim practice was at 5 am. Nicolle never was a morning person so she stopped the Team racing.  I tried ot stress that if she joined the team she would become an asset.    Later when we moved to Florida she worked at Safety Harbor Health Spa and as an employee she was able to use the Lap Pool to work out.   With Michael Phelps swimming I was sitting on the edge of my seat the whole time.  Go-Go-GO! YaY!!     Hmmm? I am wondering if my daughter will name her first born son after Micheal Phelps?  I named my son after Mark Spitz.    Here we go agian ~ This just popped up on my screen.   Time to finish my hurricane preparations.             

CRYSTAL BEACH, FL

Weather Warning

Hurricane Watch /O.EXA.KTBW.HU.A.1006.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/ PINELLAS-HILLSBOROUGH-TAMPA BAY WATERS- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CLEARWATER...ST. PETERSBURG...BRANDON... TAMPA 546 PM EDT SUN AUG 17 2008 ...HURRICANE WATCH IN EFFECT... ...WATCHES/WARNINGS... A HURRICANE WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM BONITA BEACH IN LEE COUNTY TO TARPON SPRINGS IN PINELLAS COUNTY...INCLUDING TAMPA BAY.