Snow bunny in natural habitat via "google images"... really!
Internet images and google have been my friend for many years. Have a student who loves writing/drawing about sharks? Go get them a real picture or two of sharks they can keep in their writing folder. Want to show plants in various stages of growth? Google images can help.
I had no idea snow bunny was an inappropriate search and am very glad I wasn't doing a public search with someone watching. I would have blushed. All I wanted was a cute little white fluffy thing with ears and legs in the snow and I was going to post it on the college girl's FB page before she takes off on her trip. This seemed a positive way to say have fun little girl. What I really thought was the movie poster for TAKEN would be good so she would remember to not talk to any strangers. Glass half empty thinking. So snow bunny is half glass full thinking I was excited and now my eyes have images of things I don't want to write about. But it's nice to know if you type in the words snow bunny in natural habitat you get the above snow bunny picture. How is this natural habitat?
Anyway, I settled on this snow bunny and right afterwards had visions of Mattie chasing it down for dinner.
Mattie loves a good bunny chase. It's how we rate the walks. An ok walk is a squirrel sighting or one or two chases. An amazing walk would include some squirrel chases and a bunny chase. It is predator/prey and how she survived in the wild fields of hospira when the residents of the square building brought out unappetizing snack food.
I'm not fond of cold. In all our years vacationing, I think we've taken 1 trip to Colorado in December, 1 trip to New Mexico in November ... and now the trips to Missouri for visits with the college girl.
Skiing has never been our thing. I know lots of people do it and after two attempts I have these memories. Red River, New Mexico....it was early in the season and there were 4 of us. Two couples (we didn't know the other couple) and there were two instructors. Her husband and me....we ended up with personalized ski instruction 1:1 because the spouses put on skis and left. On that trip I fell off the ski lift into a valley below....stopped and didn't start up again in the middle of the hill because I watched the ski buggy come cart off some poor soul with broken body parts and then thought I should be done with this sport. The people at the bottom of the hill thought I should come on down. I snow plowed down.
Winter Park, Colorado. Everyone put on skis, had fun and they left me in ski school. I had Hitler for an instructor. He took us to the top and said "now we go down." More truth has never been spoken. I could turn right, but could not turn left. On every left turn I fell down. And this is how I made my way down the mountain. I did not return to Hitler Ski School. Thankfully I am married to a kind person who found tubes and hills and sleigh rides to fill the rest of our family trip.
The girl is going skiing and all I can think of is Liam Neeson's wife crashed on the beginner hill and didn't make it home to unpack. Sometimes I'm a glass half empty person and need someone to turn my frown upside down.
I have found there are lovely ski helmets when I did a search on google and since she'll need to rent all her gear.....hopefully this will be included in the package...AND because our girl is practical and very smart....she'll wear it I'm sure. I would like to post a picture a day of ski helmets on her FB page, but then I become THAT mother and I try hard not to be THAT mother. I still may send them via text....and I'll go next and look on youtube for video of cool young adults skiing in their way cool helmets. She chose a safe sport. There isn't a lot of danger in swimming if you know how to do it and she's been water safe for a while.
many girls arrived in Austin with dreams of swimming personal bests and for some a chance to finish in the top 16. our girl had such joy at just being selected to participate we knew to wish for more seemed greedy....but secretly i think we all were dreaming.
so here are my final thoughts in highs and lows..and the lows are not necessarily lows..but maybe just a contrast to the high...because nothing about the past 5 days could be described as low...except maybe getting a boot on the car Friday night.
high.....a 2nd place finish for Dominique (good luck at your Canadian nationals) and another teammate Lauren finished 14 (good luck to you at Canadian nationals as well)
low....the gator parents kept blocking my view of your races
high......a couple of swimmer sisters swam with heart and soul
low...their brother watched from heaven instead of the stands
high....lots of UT ex swimmers sat laughing and joking for 3 days
low....a certain UT ex still rummages though the crowds looking for someone who recognizes him
high...OPI SanTan Tonio polish
low....i had to give it to the girl who requested it (initials c.c.)
high...i spoke to a stranger (s)
low....it was UT event staff people who actually spoke first and asked me if i needed help finding my seat and if not move out of the entrance. i was polite.
high....no traffic on the weekends
low....MLK is a death trap to cross on foot no matter when you try
high....love love love watching swimmers have fun
low....it was hard to view our swimmer because the place was so full
high....our girl had a fabuloso 200 back and a new best time winning her heat
low...the 100 back doesn't get a do over today like at Big XII.
high....dinner with the team last night
low...dinner didn't start until 9:30
high....my binoculars (really they are rc's)
low....people made fun of me for using them (13 year old girls are lame and would make fun of string)
high...the coaches are nice and tried speaking to us at dinner
low....i have the conversational skills of a log
high...i completely understand diving
low...no splash= good/lots of splash= bad
high...the coach who insisted she wear a helmet when swimmer girl goes skiing
low...she thinks it will look uncool....blood and brains on snow are not cool either
high...rc discovered angry birds on my evo
low...rc discovered angry birds on my evo
high....i wasn't overwhelmed by tiger people
low...i was surrounded and overwhelmed by bulldogs and gators and wildcats
high...bulldog cheer
low...they did it often woof woof woof
high.....there is fashion on the pool deck
low....we need to up our game next year
high.....our girl is on it
low....she's not subtle
high....our entire family at lunch, outside at the hotel
low....nothing low about that one
high....i've done zero housework, laundry, school prep for an entire week
low....see above
high...someone mowed the yard
low...i hope it was the people who i paid to mow it last year and not a neighbor who is fanatical about nice grass.
high....the yard looks nice
low...they forgot the back (they came unannounced...and the gate is kept locked)
high....doggies happy to see me
low....doggies won't sleep because of extreme happiness
and now for the numbers (my numbers are approx.)
NCAA women's DI swim teams = approx. 180
NCAA teams represented this weekend = 45? and seriously i just counted and forgot what I counted
lowest number of swimmers to attend by a school 1(several
highest number of swimmers to attend by a school 15 (A&M)
more rough approximations....
Invited swimmers to the championships = 281
D1 women swimmers = over 2000
her numbers
50 free entered 58/66 finished 36/66 new best time
100 back entered 23/61 finished 23/61
200 back entered 48/53 finished 31/53 new best time
these numbers matter only because it shows how special it was to attend this meet. i saw many families and swimmers unhappy with times, swims, coaches. perspective helps put things in place.
i don't understand how racing minds work....but i do understand how mine does.
this whole week was a gift to us all. thank you ncaa's, missouri swimming and diving, Mary and Andy, Ryan and Kristin, Kimmy, Brownie Boy, Kelly, Sherrill, every one's kind FB words, and most of all Rory, Cassie and Aubrey. I think the future holds more fun for all of us.
and now...my new favorite you tube clip:
high...my dog comes and sits by me when i say his name
low....my dog runs to rc and sits by him when i say his name
high....watching many many swimmer girls participate and cheer for their friends/teammates
low....watching many many swimmer girls leave the pool wishing the clock said something else
high....eating gingerbread pancakes
low.......waiting for the too cool for my table waitress to bring me my check
high......seeing so many of my swimmer girls' friends write/show up to cheer her on
low....seeing us all age so suddenly...it did happen suddenly
high...sleeping through the night because it is spring break
low....spring break is ending
high....seeing college girl every day in my town
low.....seeing college girl leave town in 2 days
high....watching my loved rc make a new friend every time i turn around
low.....i still believe in stranger danger
high...seeing our swimmer girl fly up the bleachers to see her Aubrey after her 50 free
low...seeing our swimmer girl climb out of the pool sad after her 100 back
high..saving mucho parking dollars by buying the parking card for 30 dollars
low....spending mucho parking dollars un-booting our car so we could drive home fri.night (don't ask)
high....new assigned seats rock
low...original seats behind wooden platform and no view of end of pool
high....naps in the afternoon
low...i need a nap to stay up until 9pm
high....the girl got the shirt she wanted
low...i had to stand in line to pay for it
high.....sunny skies, warm breezes
low.....zyrtec d and tissues
high...the meet is half over
low...the meet is half over
high....our Missouri diver placed second
low...we just had one diver come to Austin
high....the coaches are nice and make her laugh
low....i think all coaches think parents are pests (i'm especially not a pest but they'll never know because they lump us all together in the pest pile)
high....seeing the familiar faces
low....don't remember anyone's name...but that wouldn't matter because i rarely talk to strangers
high...seeing brendan hansen and remembering swim girl was 'in love' when she was 13
low...texting swim girl to remind her he was here ...left out the text to "do not stalk the olympian" thinking she was old enough now to know better
high...eating lunch with swim girl and her team at whole foods on tues.
low...spent 60 dollars on books while passing the time @bookpeople waiting for slow pokes from missouri
high....taking doggies to the hotel to see the girl
low...thinking 8:30 was too late to get out of the house to take dogs to hotel to see the girl
high...my dog is sleeping at my feet
low...he's only here because rc put up the baby gate and blocked him
high....i love the dogs most
low....they love him most
high...everyone in the buidling is a success because you helped someone else get there
low....everyone in the building has had to help someone recover from a disappointment
high....we have 3 more sessions to view this world of ncaa swimming
low...it will be another year before we meet again
Can's taste and can't swallow so of course I'm thinking about food. My screen saver on my Evo is fruit loops. Which made me think of our swim girl.
Long ago during the age group swimming days when she very first started to be successful...a swim mom came up to me and said "What do you feed her?" I was puzzled to be asked this question which over the years I later learned was a leading question people want to know of successful swimmers. What do they eat? Like cows or dogs....what do you feed 'em?
She ate fruit looops and pop tarts and chicken nuggets and resisted every attempt at oatmeal and eggs.
Pop tarts and fruit loops didn't seem like the right answer but that's what the girl was eating, so that's what I said. I could launch into a whole other topic of scary swim parents...but I will not as it would be negative and non-productive.
I think she eats differently now. I saw oatmeal in her bowl last week...and eggs.
And about Mattie and cheese.....if she hears the refrigerator door open, she'll go look. If he's getting cheese, she'll follow and sit down and look at him longinly until he gives her all his cheese. She is chubby.
Stevie likes it too.
She arrived in Austin with her team. Truth be told, the team was a lock for third. Always the bridesmaid, but not the maid of honor bridesmaid. That would be the team that is second. It was her second time to swim at a conference meet for her team. The first year under the old coach was difficult. This year had been different from the beginning. She felt excited and valued and fast.
Eager to begin...the 200 medley realy kicked off the meet the first night. She didn't get to swim her beloved 50 back because the team needed her to swim fly. But OK. She did it with excitment and they finished 4th. Her head, thinking....good swim...but my 50 back is a lot faster.
Day 2 and the first full day of swimming had swim girl swimming the 50 free three times. Right off the blocks in her preliminary swim she broke the 22 second barrier. Apparently it's a club. A fast club.
Her Aubrey was there to see his little Texas Gold girl swim and make her first Big XII final in an individual swim. That night she repeated her appearance in the 22 club with first a relay swim and then her final. 7th in the Big XII 50 free.
Day 3 was Friday. The day for her favorite back and that day it would come after a realy 100 fly and an individual 100 fly....last event would be 100 back.
She had a great split for the relay and the team finished 3rd.
Her 100 fly prelim time good enough to return in the B final. Her personal best and overall a 9th place finish as she swam to a win in the consolation final.
She waited for it all day. The 100 back. These new coaches had tweaked her performance, introduced the nose clip and had deemed her under water kick the best on the team. Now would be her time to shine. In the preliminary heats she was out fast....swimming next to her Canandian team mate both girls came in side by side with near identical times swim girl first then team mate. In the final that night... the girls would be swimming side by side again...and this time her team mate out-touched both with near identical times. What kind of heart and desire it must have taken to swim like that after swimming two 100 flys earlier that night. She knew she had a better time in her but it wasn't to come that night. She finished 6th in the Big XII 100 back and it was a best time.
Every swim a best time...but still not quite fast enough to get to the NCAA meet. A meet that is deemed faster than the Olympics by most coaches. Day 3 ended with coach asking "200 back tomorrow?" She had already completed the most individual swims allowed (3). But you can swim more and it will be called Exhibition and marked with an X.
Day 4 She stepped up again. Bodies tapered for racing happen only a few times a year...so a tapered, rested swimmer can race to a personal best and that is just what happened.
200 Back...not the favorite..but a personal best by 2 seconds and a time that would have been good enough for a repeat trip to the final that night if it hadn't been a required Exhibition swim.
Her final realy swim of the meet had her again swimming fly. It was the 400 medley relay and the time just might be good enough to make NCAA's. Time will tell.
Then came the word....coach wants her to stay around Sunday for the Time Trial/last chance meet. Last years coach had asked the same. It didn't turn out well.
A short breakdown...a few tears.... and visit from Stevie....and parents still not knowing what was going on....the family (mom and dad) drove back to the swim center for Day 5.
Day 5 Inside the swim center it was quiet and dark. A few coaches and maybe 30 swimmers. The remainder either waiting at the hotels or like her team...already on their way to the airport for the flight to St. Louis.
The coach had his 4 girls around him talking and there was laughing. Good to see a smile on everyone's face. First up was IM then 50 free. The freestyler Lisa swam to a personal best. Then the 100 breast. Already best times for Amanda ...and again...another best time.
Then, she swam. On a day after 4 full days of swimming and 13 races and best times she found something left. It shouldn't have happened. Last chance meets are notoriously unsuccessful.
In the quiet swim center, in the dim light, the start horn sounded. Cas was out fast and in the lead. Her underwater kick was phenominal. She made the first turn and was still in the lead. Swimming beside her a girl from Kansas. Down to the second turn she is in the lead and on the other side the A&M girl is dropping back. At the third turn....the place she starts to fade...there are only two girls left racing toward a time trial win...but it isn't a win they want....the fastest times will get them both a ticket to the BIG MEET. And then it's over. She looked up and saw her time...another best time and it was over.
Crawling out of the pool, walking past the announcer...she saw her coach and broke down in tears. She had done something that shouldn't have happened. There was no good reason that time should have been. It was heart...and angels. And simply the most genuine effort of athletic skill she had ever given.
13 or 14 swims...about as many best times and now she was going to the NCAA's with a new personal best time.
The coach deemed it the most successful last chance meet he had seen. Her momma cried and her daddy smiled big...then took more pictures.
Mattie and Stevie gave up their schedule and parents so we could be there for college girl's swimming. They were not too happy...but things are getting back to normal and flashing angry eyes have softened and wagging tails are returning.
