Ready Set Go!

As I was lying on my back floating on a lap one fine day( they should invent waterproof magazines for this sport), I noticed a girl on the next lane pass me by with her backstrokes. Now, I 'd let all the free stylers and the people with snorkel fins and floaties pass me on my laps and I wouldn't give a hoot. But a backstroker?!! Backstroke was my best stroke when I was a kid and I was at par if not better than the best swimmer at school (who was also extremely envious at me for my dedication in class work that she did some naughty things to me but I digress). Anyway, I couldn't let this backstroker pass me without a bit of friendly competition so I began doing backstrokes to see if I could beat her to the end of the lap. She was probably about 5m ahead of me when I started but I increased my speed and I managed to swim up to her side. So guess who reached the end of the lap first?
*Big grin*

Pool Obsession

I'm obsessed with the Olympic size 50m heated pool at the local sports centre. It is perfect for swimming for rainy, hot or cold weather! (Well, I haven't tried it in winter yet).
My personal best in KL was probably doing 25m x 25 laps. However, last week I managed 50m x 20 laps twice (after the first session, my body ached soo bad) and yesterday I pushed my ability a bit more and tried swimming for perhaps a mile (1.6km). I wanted to do more up to 2km but due to technical problems I had to stop (In other words -I had to answer nature's call). Of course, I did them mainly in breast strokes and back strokes as I am working on my new free style technique. Hopefully when the new DVD/books I ordered arrives, I can do the drills (somewhat). Then... only then, I might be able to do more laps in free style without being out of breath, and I don't have to give way to those power swimmers passing me on my laps too often on early morning laps.
My obsession with swimming pools led me to the city's aquatic centre to check out all the pools there. They have a diving pool 5m deep, 25m , 50m and wading pools under a climate control environment. While my kids and I were there, we had a glimpse of the aussie national team practicing their synchronise swimming routine. Hmmm.. interesting. Ohh.. I also checked out sally's blog on swimming pools she's been to. It is soo good to know that I'm not the only person going googoo gaagaa over pools teehee... Now, did I mention the local Olympic size pool is heeated?

At the pool side

Bubbly dad of 2: Doesn't he (toddler) want to go in the pool?
Trying to be bubbly mum of 3: He's not feeling it.
Bubbly dad: (Big ??? on face).
Trying very hard to explain mum of 3: He's not feeeling it.
Bubbly dad: (Big blank face).
Snappy mum of 3: Hedoesntwanttogointhepool.
Bubbly dad: Ooohhh.

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Dd: There are a whole group of grandmas and grandpas over there ! (pointing at deep aqua aerobics class).

Ds: Oh yeah.

Ds: There is a whole meeting of grandmas ! (looking at a group of ladies at the canteen where we are sitting next to AND within hearing distance).

Me: Don't say that! (Embarrassed as usual being a mom of loud mouth kids!)

( Those ladies are young at heart. They are totally fit and can beat me at free style anytime coz my freestyle totally sucks at the moment).

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Dd : Why is he wearing underwear? (pointing at man wearing speedo).

Me: Don't point at people. ( avoiding dd's question).

Dd: Why?

Me: Some people don't like it.

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Me: Ssshhhhh! (before entering changing room with dd).

Dd :(gawking at a bare woman's posterior).

Me: Sssshhh!

Dd :(still gawking quietly).

Swimming & Pools

I've started to send dd and ds to their swimming classes this week. Hopefully I could continue with the weekly program next year. It is quite hard to get a place in the swimming class for ds. Places are quite limited or they go quickly especially during summer. Last year I wanted to enrol him into a learn-to-swim class but there wasn't any places available on a Saturday at the previous sports centre. Dd got a place though but she had already acquired basic swimming skills beforehand in KL with her cousin prior to coming to Oz ( It was paid for by my dad as a birthday gift to them both). Ds didn't get to go to the one in KL either as he was 3 and half yo and the centre only allowed children if they are over 5 yo. Surprisingly in Oz (well, not a surprise really, Oz being quite a sporty and outdoorish nation), there is not much of a age limit anywhere and you can go to the class as early with your say > 3 months old baby.
I am quite impressed to see ds' swimming skills. He seems to be quite advanced than I originally thought. He can swim like a fish underwater only coming up to gasp some air every 2 or 3 seconds. However, I would like him to learn the correct stroke techniques just to be on the safe side. We have a pool in our backyard and before we secured a padlock on the child lock gate, ds was always finding ways to open it. (He could open the gate very easily if he stood on a chair) . I take water safety quite seriously and I should of brought the life buoy to Oz which my dad had originally given me when I was living in a condominium with pools in the complex.
Actually, my mum is more safety conscious than I, or shall I say water phobic? Once, she came over to my lil flat with my sister and nephews and we all went down for a dip in the pool. She was so water phobic that she insisted that all my nephews wear life jackets. So I let them wear my kids' life jacket just to please her. So there we were at the kids' wading pool which was only 2 feet deep, 4 kids under the watchful eyes of my mum (the matriarch), my sister and I , and 3 Indonesian maids!
I can't really blame my mum for being water phobic. We used to live in a house with a pool when we were little, and I think she remembered my dad too often diving in the pool to fish out my siblings (mainly my younger sister) out from the pool to save us from drowning. After which I guess it proved too much for my parents that we subsequently moved to a house without a pool (though this subsequent house did have a pond with tadpoles in it).

Thank God it's Friday!

Plans have been made for the weekend. Dentist appointment for ds1 is still on in the morning. There is Dd's swimming class to go to and I hope I could have a dip too and possibly do >20 laps in the 25 metre heated pool before I could venture into the 50 metre unheated pool. Dh rang me up from work asking me to check on the net if there is a special discounted rate for Movie World's annual pass. He said there was one but he wanted me to double check. I checked on their website and the cost of a ticket is down from $155 to $79 if we purchase it before December. I could hear the glee in his voice when he said he was planning to buy some tickets for us. Those rollercoaster rides are beckoning him and the kiddies. We have gone to Sea World God knows how many times this year and now come Summer, it is time for Movie World. Hehe. Have a wonderful weekend to all! Fi Aman Allah.