So, who can tell me where this is located? Bueller? Bueller?
4th of July
You'd think by now I'd have this blogging thing down, but NOOOO! The posts are all out of order and I can't rearrange them but I think you all will be able to figure it out. I've been trying to add a video but, once again, having trouble getting it to load. Maybe later. Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th and a relaxing extended weekend.
Some traditions just can't be broken (beyond the model shop being closed). We got our firehats from the Santa Monica Fire Department then, in the second picture, the kids are showing off their tattoos they got from the police department. The evening was completed with the traditional flag cake and singing of Happy Birthday to America. This year I made the cake and frosted it but needed Michele's expert fruit placement for the final construction!!!!
Happy 4th of July- Santa Monica Style (i.e. EARLY)
Though the posting is late! As you know we celebrate the 4th a week early here in Santa Monica. I suspect it's because the crowds really got too big and too unruly for our small police force to manage. Anyhow, this year was still fun for me even though it's the least prepared I've ever been. The hostess high point is that we ate when I said we would- in fact 10 minutes early. Low point: walking to the local model store to buy the traditional gliders and spinners that we play with between dinner and the show, only to find that the shop had closed 10 minutes before we got there :-( (a sidenote... I just found out the the wife of the owner of the shop is LDS. You all can bond next year!) Here's a picture of us walking to the shop (pre-disappointment)
This year Toni came and brought Nena Grace, Brett, Michael Grant. Mom arrived with Amanda with her 3 little boys, Isaiah, Joshua and Jason. They had just spent some time at a beach house in Hungtington with some friends so spent Friday night with Mom. Michele drove in from St. George where she, Logan and the girls had been staying with friends and saw some plays (Michele- you need to blog about that). Jeff and Jeffrey had gone deep sea fishing while they were gone. Jeff waited for Michele to get home then they all came together. Jeremy, Kristy and the girls came and would have enjoyed the beach if it hadn't been for the riptide! Gordon and Cherryl couldn't make it this year :-(
Kinda cool...
I just finished my swim clinic and on the last session they filmed us swimming underwater. My MAC 1:1 instructor made this picture from one of the frames of the video. He turned it and cropped it down. I thought it was an interesting effect. Oh, and the Bozo-like hair sticking out of the lovely swim cap is my homage to Larry Harmon (the original Bozo) who passed away this week.
Last Wednesday I took the Ocean 101 session through my club, L.A. Tri Club. It takes place at the same time the Club has an ocean swim speed circuit. We meet at 6:15 a.m. and it's going strong by 6:30. Over 100 people show up for the speed circuit. It's fantastic to see that many people out swimming on a weekday morning.
Anyhow, 101 session was a great introduction to ocean swimming. Really brought my anxiety down. We reviewed reading waves/sets, how you dive down under the wave (straight down- not forward) and grab sand to keep you under, then swam out past the break and practiced sighting while swimming. The fun part was practicing bodysurfing to ride the wave in and save energy. Enjoyed it so much and felt so much more comfortable that a friend and I went out yesterday and swam to the buoy and back several times.
