Monday: Swim and Puffy Muffin and the Dissatisfying Conclusion of Downton Abbey

So, as is par for Young Sloan's course, there was a monstrous meltdown when the idea of leaving the house was addressed.  No two ways about it, while this tantruming phase is upon us, I need to get up at 5:30 AM to begin car and food prep, so that I can wrestle and cope from 6:15 AM until our departure time at 8:00 AM.  There is just no way to get anywhere on time. The fighting as if for his life, the crying as if his heart was broken, the all of it is just so time consuming that timeliness is almost not an option right now.  It is so taxing.  Motherhood has had its bumps along the way, the sleeplessness and many many ruined things that trail in the wake of children, but none has so bothered me as this tantruming business.

Anyway, by the time I arrived on the pool deck, it seemed that I had run a marathon and not slept for a million years.  My thoughts were all a jumble, and it was so nice to stick my head underwater and review my parenting strategies.  Except, confession: I did not really review my parenting strategies. I fantasized about living in Europe and wearing pretty clothes that did not get stained with various child wear and tear and maybe traveling first class and sitting in the sun without being on 24 hour suicide watch.

My swim was great!!  Steven is just writing up some great workouts that are improving my swim techniques.  Also, he noted today that when I rotate through my stroke, I am gaping my legs as I kick which is causing drag on my stroke.  Another thing to work on!! Our workout was as follows:

• 6 x 100
• 8 x 25 fast
• 6 x 50 drill swim
• 8 x 75 back stroke/ back drill/ back stroke
• 3 x 200 IM
• 8 x 25 fast
• 300 pull
• 6 x 50 swim
• 300 kick

This was a great workout, I could only do the backstroke on one 25 out of each 75 that called for backstroke, because my backstroke is SO SLOW that I got too far behind and had to swim freestyle to catch up and make the interval.

After swim class today, we all went to the Puffy Muffin for lunch and I had a monster grilled chicken and spinach salad, before eating almost four pieces of cake and yes, I then ate some of Steven's cake, because he did not finish his, and he pushed his plate within reach of my fork.  Can you BELIEVE that I ate that many pieces of cake.  It happened so fast, and it was so sugary and delicious.  I am in awe of my ability to ingest.  Let us just move ahead and forget that I managed to scarf down that much refined sugar and white flour.  If I had celiac, I would be DEAD right now.

Now, last night was the dissatisfying end of Downton Abbey.  This four episode Masterpiece series was the best of all I have watched.  It was, hands down, better than Emma or the Cranford series, though they were good.  Last night, I expected Downton Abbey to tidy up all its loose ends and marry everyone off happily ever after.  Alas I was disappointed, and they ended the series on a cliff hanger and they have not even finished filming the sequel.  I may have to wait forever, and I am literally wringing my hands when I think of the unsettled futures of the Crawley girls.  The internet has been ABLAZE with predictions for the sequel series.   I can hardly wait!!