The world would be a better place if everyone could paddle.

I strongly believe, that whenever possible, water sports should be part of the PE curriculum in schools. It make me sad when I meet people who never learned to swim, especially when the feel like it's too late! In Canada and many other countries I know that paddling is considered a "sport for life," meaning that there is not age limit, you can begin at any time, and you're NEVER too old.

Many of the schools around here are not more than 5 or 10 minutes from the lake. In fact, more than a few have middle school kayak teams. But these are outside of the public school curriculum and by nature of the additional cost, prohibitive to many students.  That's a real shame.

There are so many ways that kids could be out there on the water. I know that inner city kids don't always have the opportunity to learn to swim. I almost feel like we're doing those kids a disservice by not teaching them. Everyone should have the opportunity to feel comfortable swimming with their friends. It's an inexpensive form of exercise, Not to mention, that quite honestly, learning to swim can truly save your life!

Ah, but there I go off an a tangent. Again. It's seems to me that we have the resources, why not bring it all together and teach these kids a really cool sport that they can do even after that knee operation at the age of 40? We've got kayaks and canoes, paddle boards, and even dragon boats for those who aren't as comfortable with the concept of having their boat flip or take on significant water. I propose that we have a regatta every year and bus in maybe 2 6th grade classes from each of the area schools. We can have lunch donated, make it a celebration. Heck, maybe we can even bring in a some of the Atlanta Falcons to beat on the drums. How cool would that be?

Why can't we have a kayaking Phys Ed class? Yeah, I know there's an inherent amount of liability. But that's why we guarantee that these kids can swim first. That's what we do in the middle school program, anyway. I know kayaking would necessitate a closer ratio of teacher to student. But I don't think that these challenges should stop up from introducing these kids to the greatest sport ever!?! Or a one-credit course at our local University. Wouldn't that be a really good way to bring young folks to the sport we all love??

Who's with me??? If we can get a group of like-minded people, people with a vision...can't we change the way that schools think? Let's get the kids outside, on the water. Where they belong.

TKM

A morning paddle can reset the stress meter to zero. Really!!It'

I don't do well with stress.

Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of it nowadays, so I'm using what I have to deal with it without it taking a toll on my body and my mind. Paddling is certainly at the top of the list.

It's quiet here this week. The dogs are on vacation, and my husband has moved my office to the back of the house, so that as I'm working or writing, I can look up and out of the window off of the balcony and into the beautiful trees. I like it. I was able to get out on the water this morning after almost a week and it was wonderful. As I set out off of the docks, I had to pick my way through upwards of 25 kids who were in full capsize mode in their canoes and daggers. It made me smile as I thought for a moment about back when my son used to just splash around in the lake so carefree. The good news with that is that he's so so well now! We spent some time with him over the weekend at Penn State, and decided to leave his dog up there for the rest of the summer with him. I'm feeling good about where he is. Also, he'll be coming home for a couple of weeks next month, which means that we'll be able to hang out some and paddle together. I can't wait for that!

It's really hot out on the lake today. I heard something on the news this morning about a heat wave in the mid-Atlantic states. It's not like that here, that's for sure. It's been cooler and rather rainy so far this summer. But today you can feel the heat bigtime. I take a bottle of water out there with me and sit it in the middle of the hull, but it's not always easy to drink it. If it's choppy I have to wait until I get into a cove, or pull over at a dock. I do put my hand in the water though and rub it on myself a lot. I guess this probably isn't idea for the whole sunscreen thing, but it sure feels good.

I've said before that I do some of my best thinking out on the water. I also talk to myself a lot. I have to be careful about that, because I don't really want anyone to hear me do it. You know, the whole crazy person thing. It helps me empty my mind so that I can come up with new and brilliant things. Today I decided we (the club and me) need to do a teachers' kayak clinic.  I won't bore you with the details, but in my experience a lot of teachers are drawn to the sport and it works well with their schedules. Once I speak with my folks at the club and firm things up, I'll be back with details. I think I need a project, especially with my husband and what's going on with him.

So, if you have a chance, get out there. If you don't know how, ask me. Either way, I'll see you on the water.

TKM

Finally, vacation is here!! Freedom to paddle, and other stuff.

I've been waiting for this week forever. Well, it seems like it anyway. This is the week that we get to head up north and hang out in my personal Disneyland...Penn State!! Before you think that's a little bit lame, I feel like I need to explain that when I went to Penn State as an 18- year old, my mom had just committed suicide, and my Daddy, well, he'd been gone for years. Penn State became my family, and the center of many things wonderful. That has not and will not change.

Anyway, it's been really hard to unplug lately. And it's been raining for what seems like months, which keeps me off of the lake at a time when I need it more than ever. It''s raining again this morning, but maybe that will keep me on task as I get my oil changed and pack up the beagle for a long trip to stay with my mother-in-law.  I will absolutely be hitting the lake this afternoon, you better believe it. The weather in the evening has been ideal the last couple of nights. I may even take out an SUP. But I probably shouldn't plan too far ahead today. Tomorrow's paddle, however, is already inked in my mind. it's a must.

Before we leave town late, late tomorrow, we'll be going to see an orthopedic surgeon about my husband's leg. I'm guessing he'll give us some kind of plan, a timetable for treatment, something. This week will also be a good time for us to have a big blowout and get ready to fight whatever may come.

I guess we'll see what happens. I bet I'll be spending as much time on the water on the next few weeks. Water is healing, and peace, and friendship, and love. I think I'll need some of those.

TKM

Today I let the geese convince me to turn around. They won't be so lucky next time.

What a perfect morning for a paddle on Lake Sidney Lanier.  It's overcast, and apparently there is bigtime rain on the way later today and the rest of the week, but the conditions this morning are ideal on the water.

I've really been looking forward to getting out there this morning. I'm really an advocate for the stress relief aspect of kayaking. Work's been tough lately, and we just found out that my husband has a big tumor on his tibia and who knows?

So, I left the dock hopeful for some sort of relief. It's unbelievable, you know, how quickly the calm sets in.
I was probably 5 strokes off of the dock and already I felt better. The water is flat as a pancake, and it's the time of the year that if I decide to go for a swim, the lake is perfect. And so I set off, paddling and breathing, breathing and paddling, stretching and calming down by the stroke.

My karate training has made it possible for me to have a much more productive stroke, which is nice. Before I knew it, I was halfway up the course and settling in for a long one.

And then, like the little Hellians that they are, about a million geese decide they want to block my path. You know, geese and I just don't like each other so much. They yell at me, I
yell at them. I tell them to leave, they don't listen. I've even asked the Canadian Olympic team to pack them up onto their trailer and take them back.

Seems the Canadians don't want them either. Ugh. But here I am in the moment; do I paddle through? Or do I turn around and give a victory do these "birds without a country?"

Okay, so I turned around. I've paddled about 4 kilometers, I feel good, so I still feel like I win. As I pulled my boat off the water, I was able to notice I felt so much more clear than I did when I arrived at the boathouse.. Not gonna lets stupid birds take that away from me.

But next time? Maybe I'll just paddle through, maybe a punch in the beak, who knows. But geesies, consider yourselves warned.

TKM