Another birthday just went by, but it wasn't an "Aging Up". Those only come every 5 years.
Speaking of 5 years, this is my fifth -- >
I had no special plans for The Big Day, May 31, so decided to join a group of OW swimmers for a swim around Seward Park. Some women get a nice facial, a pedicure, a massage or wined and dined on their birthday. Me? A cold, grey swim over milfoil and mossy submerged tires in the lake was the event of the day this year.
Actually, some of the swimmers from the "Phinney Ridge Swim Club" decided to make this swim a fund raiser to coincide with a walking event going on at Seward Park that day to support clean drinking water (and how clean is the water that invariably gets swallowed by me each time I swim?). http://www.water1st.org/involved/carry5.html
< -- My first birthday. My brother Tommy was born 9 days later. If you ask my mom about the ages of her 2 kids, it's not that we are "a year apart", which could imply a year and 6 months maybe, or a year and 10 months. She will always say "A year and 9 days apart" then follow up with a comment about having a one-year-old underfoot and a newborn about to arrive. Just in case you weren't clear on the fact that she had her hands full and they were about to get fuller: "A year and 9 days". Maybe that's why I stopped at one child.
As one of the swimmers reported later, "we raised over $700 for this e
vent and the organizers were delighted, surprised, and amused by the 9 members who showed up in wetsuits. It was flat and chilly water but we all finished within 1:10, a good result for an early season swim of that distance."
As one of the swimmers reported later, "we raised over $700 for this e
vent and the organizers were delighted, surprised, and amused by the 9 members who showed up in wetsuits. It was flat and chilly water but we all finished within 1:10, a good result for an early season swim of that distance." My brother Tommy and me on my 2nd birthday -- >
<-- My 4th birthday!
Fund raising for good causes is all fine and dandy, but I needed another dip in cold water to feel ready for next weekend's swim up in Vancouver and a longer swim would be a good idea too.
This is my brother Tommy literally diving into his first birthday cake. Most likely we've got some sibling rivalry already going on as some push/shove happens to gain access to the cake -- >
...and below, Tommy is ready to attack another cake on his second birthday.
I was told circumnavigating Seward Park is about 2.5 miles, making the swim an "over-distance" kind of workout since the distance for next week's race is about 0.9 mile or 1500 meters. Lake Washington was 58 degrees as of May 27 and was probably near that for this swim. And how do I know this? Here is a link for local beach information, things like weekly temperatures, beach closures, e. coli and fecal coliform counts (doesn't that chocolate cake look yummy?) - details you might or might not wonder about before going out to the lake:
I was the slow swimmer of the day. Some fast, strong swimmers lead the group and others wore fins (I didn't; I'm not used to them and so th
ey tend to give my feet cramps). Anyway, the water felt just right after the initial minute or two of getting used to the cold.
ey tend to give my feet cramps). Anyway, the water felt just right after the initial minute or two of getting used to the cold.This is from my 50th birthday last year - - >
Later that evening I enjoyed going out for pizza (not just any pizza, but "Serious Pie" which dishes up some seriously tasty pie) and drinks with my friend Patty, her girls and Camille and Camille's dad.
It was a low key, pleasant birthday with no expectations, so, no disappointments.
Tommy just turned 50 on June 9 and I hope he had a good birthday.
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