My 103 year old Friend Sue, gets back in the pool

Today was a big day at the Heather Farm Pool and for my longtime friend, neighbor and swim buddy, Sue. 

For at least 8 years, Sue has been talking about getting back into the pool. She was regularly swimming with and competing for the Walnut Creek Masters team well into her 90’s, at the 6:45 a.m. workout.

At age 103 year and 4 months, she continues to be a woman who does not take “no” for an answer. Each morning, rain or shine, cold or hot, she walks about a mile around her neighborhood, a neighborhood that includes some hills!!!

A few years ago, she moved out of her house to an nearby Assisted Living residence, right in the neighborhood.

She’s been regularly heckling the Activities Director to organize a swim at the Clarke Memorial Pool in Heather Farm Park, the pool where Walnut Creek Masters trains.

Today was the day she got her swim wish.  She swam at least 6 laps, doing both freestyle and backstroke.   One of her backstroke laps clocked at 1:05:03!!! She’s already planning her return when she plans to give her butterfly and breast stroke a try.

Arriving at the pool with her friend Michele

Suited up and ready to take the plunge.

Masters swim buddies Felicia, Donna, Beverly, Michele, and Martha came to cheer her on.

Michele and Martha help Sue into the water…She had expected to just dive in, but was convinced to use the stairs.

Coach Steve provided Sue with a WCM swim cap and came by to offer a few swim tips.

Lots of laughter today.

After a few laps on the kick board, Sue decided to add fins.

And, she takes off…

Next up, several laps of backstroke

And, some rests between sets.

Posing for her fans.

The Activities Director and several friends from her residence cheered Sue on and were inspired to, perhaps, return for a swim or water aerobics class themselves.

Happy Swimming to all!  

IT WILL KEEP YOU YOUNG!!!!

Happy Swimmers

My friend Caren was in town this weekend for our Pacific Masters three-day swim meet. Caren is an amazing swimmer and, unlike me, is so calm at meets that she’s been known to take a nap on the bleacher bench between her events. Competition does not faze her in the least and she is GOOD.

Several years ago, she moved away from our town to the Lake Tahoe area. So, we don’t see one another as much, but, ours is the kind of friendship that picks up where we last left off on our previous visit.

Yesterday, we had coffee before she headed home.

Had to share our happiness with you.

Hurry back, Caren!

Happy Birthday Dixie!

Dixie, Jean, Sue, and I usually celebrate one another's birthdays by taking the Birthday Girl out to lunch at a restaurant of her choice.

Yesterday was our celebration of Dixie's Birthday.

We all swim on the Walnut Creek Masters swim team and have been friends for more than a decade.

This year, Dixie chose our local Mary's Pizza Shack. None of us had ever been to Mary's until a few months ago when the restaurant donated a portion of on day's proceeds to our swim team. In support of the team, a group of us met for lunch and were delighted with the food.

Mary's has 18 restaurants in Northern California. It was founded in 1959 in Boyes Hot Springs (Sonoma County) by Mary Fazio, who prepared her family's Italian recipes in what was a shack of a building. Although Mary passed away in 1999, the family, now including grandchildren, continues to operate what started as, and so continues as, a family-owned restaurant.

So here we were, back again.

Remembering how good Mary's Salad, with lettuce, marinated bean salad, salami, hard-boiled eggs, mozzarella, beets, and other fresh veggies was, Dixie ordered a small Mary's Salad and a Regular-sized order of Mozzarella Garlic Bread.

The other three of us, chose one of the newer sandwiches on the menu: the Italian BLTA, a BLT with sliced avocado, melted provolone cheese, and Italian dressing on foccacia bread. All Sandwiches and Entrees are served with a choice of soup, a small Mary's Salad, or a small Caesar Salad.

When Dixie's Garlic Bread arrived on a small pizza pan, we all gasped at what a large serving it was.



That did not phase Dixie at all...she started in on it and by the time we were done with our meals, Dixie had eaten all but one slice which she shared with me and Jean. Follow the pictures in this post to see the Garlic Bread disappearing.









As you can see, the servings are very generous and all ingredients are fresh. Most lunch items are priced under $10 and there are lunch specials for as little as $6.25. Dinner prices for entrees are slightly higher, but none over $15.

Of course there are lots of pizza choices too in a variety of sizes (from individual to large), crusts (including gluten-free) and with a large choice of toppings.



When I got to the restaurant, I told the host that we had a birthday in our group. I wasn't sure if they would offer Dixie a dessert or just say "Happy Birthday" or do nothing...but, it never hurts to try and, lo and behold, a Brownie Ice Cream Sundae was brought to Dixie...a full-sized serving, on the house.



Lucky for all of us, she shared and we all enjoyed.

Happy Birthday, Dixie!!!