Lasting Impression and Almost Last One- Sam

My dear wife, Jeanie, did not remember this true happening, but she enjoyed it this morning and highly recommends it:





Lasting Impression and Almost last One


Sam Kegley


I am 76 and the incident I am writing about is probably two years old. Jeanie and I are grandparents to three granddaughters and two step-grandsons (now nine to fourteen years of age). That we grandparents love them all is a fact of which we proudly enjoy and even boast.

We wish to quietly appreciate their enjoyments and accomplishments. We find many such occurrences in observing their young lives.

We joined daughter-in-law, Terri, and our granddaughters’s Tobey and Ida Scout (son Jay’s) at their pool on that day. It was a lovely summer day and the girls were running, sliding, splashing, and having an over all wonderful time in the water, on the diving boards, and on the giant slide.

Both girls have had many swimming and diving lessons in local pools, at Ohio
State University, and at Upper Arlington High School.

While observing, Grandpa Sam harkens back to my younger days. My good friend in Dayton, Ronnie Walters, reminded me recently that he and I had swum across the Terrace Club pool there 159 times without stopping. The pool was approximately sixty feet across, as I remember. I was then thirteen and he was twelve. We each believed that we could swim across any ocean then.

We spent countless hours at the Terrace Club and swam and dived many of those hours in the tremendously appreciated Portsmouth pool. At any rate I believed that I was moderately good at swimming and diving, although my diving repertoire included only a jack-knife and a swan dive.

I would often remind the girls to keep their legs together and their toes pointed for smooth, splash-free entry into the water.

Both girls were already experienced in going off the spring boards and the ten foot high diving board. Maybe they were nearing, but not yet achieving the perfectly together limbs with pointed toes and splash-free entry. Tobey since has done so. Certainly I remembered that I had often done that.

So, it becomes break time at the Hastings pool. Only adults are allowed into the water for the youngsters’ ten minute safety break.. The girls have gathered under an umbrella with mommy and grandma far across the pool, and I am up on the board, ready to enjoy another perfect dive, which I hadn’t done for a long while. I honestly tried to be inconspicuous, but wanted to get Tobey’s and Ida Scout’s attention. I yelled without being heard by them, but it probably drew the attention of many other than the two girls.

After a slight pause, in which many pool gatherers were wondering what that old fool was going to do up there, I wasn’t sure at all that my girls were watching, but here I go.

After one’s first dive from the high board, there is little to strike fear into the rookie diver. I was no rookie. I stood back on the board took a little run and jumped up for the spring to make myself soar up into the air, I would then tuck and touch my toes for a jack-knife, and finish by straightening out for the perfect entry.

It didn’t go quite that way for this demonstration.

I ran, jumped, and sprang upwards, but I neither soared, nor did I reach a grand apex, nor open out of the tuck for the smooth entry. My body opened quickly, the legs did not find each other and I don’t know how the toes pointed, but I entered more like the proverbial belly-smacker with a non-glorious splash. I thought that I would soon expire.

Ten foot times 250 pounds is 2500 foot- pounds of force.

I was only saved by the bell which permitted all younger swimmers to re-enter and enjoy the water. I slinked away and off into the crowd at the pool. Fortunately, my granddaughters didn’t see it, and I can still tell them toes pointed, legs together and smooth entry. I will never again attempt to demonstrate.

Grandpa’s words must be more illustrative than my actions anyway.

John Howard Message- Thanks Lou Flores and Google

John Howard was the second longest leader of Australia. He lost the election in November, 2007 (he was 68 and the succeeding Rudd, was 50. This is from the Southern Maryland political newspaper. The speech quoted here is attrbuted to Mr. Howard.

Politics Democrat, Republican, Independent. Liberal or conservative. We're talking politics here!


Member Since: Dec 2006
Location: Fort Washington, MD
Posts: 7,287 Prime Minister John Howard - Australia

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I got this in an Email, and I am not bothering to Vet it, it sounds good anyway:


Quote:
Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia , as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.
Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques. Quote: 'IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist att acks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians.'

'This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom'
'We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society . Learn the language!'
'Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.'
'We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.'
'This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom,
'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'.'
'If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted.'


Maybe if we circulate this amongst ourselves, American citizens will find the backbone to start speaking and voicing the same truths.



Urban Legends Reference Pages: Muslims Out of Australia!


Quote:
The individual statements attributed to Australian government officials included in the e-mail reproduced at the head of this page are thus essentially accurate, but the selectively-quoted excerpts of controversial material from different news stories create the misleading overall impression that Australia enacted a formal policy to force some Muslim groups out of the country. The statements quoted were part of the public debate over an issue that flared briefly in the immediate aftermath of the London Tube bombings, then quietly subsided.

__________________
If You Kill Enough of Them, They Will Stop Fighting .... Curtis LeMay, US Air Force

People Should Not Be Afraid of Their Governments. Governments Should Be Afraid of Their People. -V

A patriot must be ready to defend his country against his government -- Edward Abbey.

Peace Is The Time It Takes to Reload Your Rifle - Bob Dylan 1984

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