How's the swimming going?

My most frequently asked question of the moment!

Wednesday: Everything at a run today.

Trying not to be so early as to have to share lanes, I get too absorbed in my chosen filler activity (for once, not reading!) and end up a little later than intended.

So four very brisk breast stroke lengths, four back stroke, another four breast stroke and only now do I allow myself to pause and face front crawl. I deliberately choose length 13 again, deciding it's lucky for me. Catch my breath firmly then very very slowly and considerately let myself set off. And I do make it to the other end. See - Mrs 'Born Trier' triumphs again.

But by now I've only got a couple of minutes left, with  7 more lengths to do. The swiftest lengths I've ever achieved get me to 18 lengths and I beg the attendant for the last two -

 'Oh, go on then!, Why not.'

Thursday:   I time it perfectly. There is someone in the slow lane. And the medium lane. So I opt for.....da-dah! The fast lane.

Not that I'm particularly fast now, though yesterday's performance gives me confidence. It's just that that's the empty lane. Having said that, I realise I used to worry: 'what counts as slow? what counts as medium? Oooh heck! I don't know where I should go!' but I now realise it's all relative: 'Am I faster than they are?'  And more importantly: 'where is there most room?'

Having learnt to improve my swimming, I now have another thing to worry about. My jaw has become prone to stiffness. I date it from bumping my head on the side of the pool. The dentist gave me some exercises for it yesterday, asking 'have you been  grinding your teeth a lot recently, or may be clenching them while you're swimming?'

Well, no, but there's a definite tendency towards frowning, squishing up my face and other general gurning. And as for the exercises! 'Now you look like a proper school librarian', says my husband. 'Very miserable'.

Thank you, darling & I love you too! I'll have you know that that miserable school librarian image is a very outdated myth!


Yesterday I woke up to the Radio 4 news: a Save the Children report shows poorly nourished children have lower levels of literacy. Such children are 20% more likely to make a mistake when reading a sentence as simple as 'the sun is hot'.

Thousands of children were studied in the developing countries of Ethiopia, India, Peru & Vietnam. The report is calling on the G8 nations to make nutrition a priority to stop the damage to life chances that occurs even before these children reach school age.

There are pockets of poverty in this country too. They say it is increasing. I wonder therefore whether the need for FRED may actually increase. I hope not. 

If you'd like to help us help those who need us now, please send your donation in support of my swimming efforts to:

Frank Rainer, Treasurer, Oaklands, George Road, Yorkley, Lydney, Gloucestershire, GL15 4TL

with cheques made out to Forest Read Easy Deal. 

Thank you

Catherine