Quick supper

LotStreetWiz is flying to Vancouver. I don’t feel like cooking for just me, so I made bean and tomato salad. It’s a cold salad that takes about five minutes to put together from canned ingredients plus one onion.

Use the carrot, Luke!

My son had suddenly developed an urgent interest in getting his old tax returns in. Something to do with a student computer as a reward….

I’m helping him to find information and also looking for his old résumé so that he can send a more complete one to a job application.

Swim workout, May 10

swimmer blowing bubblesLotStreetWiz woke me up at 7:00 this morning so we could go swiming at a the Settlement House community pool near Grange Parkl He had a precise workout from his coach; I just wanted to practise and get in some distance.

In 25-yard pool:

  • warm-up: (50 yd. breaststroke + 50 yd. front crawl) x 3 = 300 yd.
  • body-core rolling, 50 yd.
  • front crawl, 50 yd. x 2 = 100 yd.
  • kicking with flutterboard, 50 yd.
  • front crawl , 50 yd. x 3 = 150 yd.
  • cool-down: side stroke, 50 yd x 2 = 100 yd.

total, 750 yards (675 m)
Over the same period, LotStreetWiz swam 1700 yards.

Here’s a look around the pool. East wall:

Toronto, Settlement House swimming pool, east wall, whale picture

South wall:

Toronto, Settlement House swimming pool, south side

West wall:

Toronto, Settlement House swimming pool, west wall

Bleachers and kayaks:

Toronto, Settlement House swimming pool, bleachers and kayaks

Swim workout May 9

LotStreetWiz very nicely woke me up at 6:00 with coffee and a snack. I drove us to my pool and he waited 7 minutes for a streetcar to take him thence to his pool. They’re supposed to run every 2 to 3 minutes.

Approximate workout in 25-yard (22.5m) pool:

  • warm-up: 3 x (50 yards breast stroke + 50 yards front crawl) = 300 yards
  • 50 yd. crawl + 100 yd. breast stroke + 50 yd. crawl = 200 yards
  • 50 yd. breast stroke + 100 yd. crawl + 50 yd. breast strokel = 200 yards
  • 50 yd. crawl + 100 yd. breast stroke + 50 yd. crawl = 200 yards
  • cool-down: 2 x 25 yd. side stroke: 50 yd.

Total, 950 yd. (855 m)

Worked on cardiovascular stamina, arm extension in crawl, circular catch in breast stroke.

Swim workout May 7

LotStreetWiz very nicely woke me up at 6:00 with coffee and a snack, then dropped me off at the pool.

Approximate workout in 25-yard (22.5m) pool:

  • warm-up: 3 x (50 yards breast stroke + 50 yards front crawl) = 300 yards
  • 3 x (100 yd. breast stroke + 100 yards front crawl with pull-buoy) = 600 yards
  • three-position sculling with pull-buoy: 50 yd.
  • cool-down: 2 x 50 yd. side stroke: 100 yd.

Total, 1050 yd. (945 m)

Worked on cardiovascular stamina, smoother stroke in crawl.

The leaves of the chestnut trees are now bigger than my hand. I saw a grey pigeon with two white tufts of feathers over its eyes.

After that I had breakfast, dropped in at Autodesk (formerly Alias|Wavefont), and took the streetcar home to get my computer working. I added a one-mile walk at the end of the streetcar ride.

Then in the evening it’s an hour of Pilates.

Pilates exercise

STC Admin Council meeting

We had a productive meeting tonight, planning the shape of the general meetings and events for the next two years. We voted to carry out the program that we’ve been hashing out for the last couple of months.

What to do with the old computer?

cats
more cat pictures

What to do with the old computer? I have a new one, so I can give the old one to my son, and he’ll be doubly gifted.

Sunday swim

swimmer blowing bubblesOne of the nice things about swimming on Sunday is that parking is free until 13:00 as another way for the state to support Christianity—or any other religion that happens to have church services on Sunday mornings.

Approximate workout in 25-yard pool:

  • warm-up: breast stroke 50 yards and front crawl 50 yards, repeated: 200 yards
  • five-position sculling with hand paddles 50 yards x 2: 100 yards
  • five-position sculling without hand paddles, 50 yards
  • three-position sculling with paddles and pull-buoys, with a partner, 4 alternate lengths of towing and being towed: 50 yards of sculling
  • front crawl with hand paddles, 50 yards x 3: 150 yards
  • front crawl, 25 yards x 4: 100 yards
  • cool-down: any stroke: 2 lengths side stroke, 1 length front crawl, 1 length side stroke: 100 yd.

Total, 750 yd.

Worked on vertical hand position in sculling, stroke timing and recovery with breathing in crawl.

When I came out of the community centre, gulls were flapping down the street like loose sheets of newsprint. I heard an Eastern White-throated sparrow nearby. I might even have caught a glimpse of it: there was something unusual foraging in the spruce buds.

Swim workout May 2

swimmer blowing bubbles

After a bit of confusion about the schedule, I got off to swimming this morning.

Approximate workout in 25-yard pool:

  • warm-up: two of length of breaststroke + length of front crawl: 100 yards
  • 50 yards “kicking 101″
  • 50 yards body-core kicking on back
  • 2 x 50 yards body-core kicking and rolling: 100 yards
  • 2 x 75 yards front crawl: 150 yards

total, 450 yards (405 m)

Back from B.C.

Here’s the cause of all the fuss: a new bride and groom in Revelstoke, BC., after their non-religious marriage service.

newly wedded couple in Revelstoke, British Columbia