What's on your mind today?

[Essie Mae]

It's an omen! I read that and looked at the clock on my mantelpiece and it is made by Lascelles (of London though). I'm going to buy a lottery ticket for tonight.

[Icarus]

Dear Essie, I do hope that you can win the lottery, buy the castle, and remain a loyal HAF person. Then we can boast of near royalty within our membership.

[Guardian85]

Dear Essie, I do hope that you can win the lottery, buy the castle, and remain a loyal HAF person. Then we can boast of near royalty within our membership.

Plus it would make an awesome HAF Headquarters. Or club house, if you prefer.

[Biggus Dickus]

I took my bicycle out Sunday morning for a ride, and on the way back I detoured to get a coffee, and noticed this sign posted in the window of one of the storefronts on Michigan Avenue.



British Swim School

These swim schools are apparently very popular here in the US, according to their website they have 80 locations spread throughout 14 states. I've never heard of them, or even saw one before yesterday. Could be because I don't have little ones anymore. Anyway, Dearborn is noted for it's many parks and swimming pools both indoor and out, and swimming lessons are offered at all of them throughout the summer so I wonder how well a place like this will do here, but considering the location and it's proximity to a number of town houses and condo's it just might do well.

Has anyone here had any experience at all with any of these schools? (I myself am a big advocate for teaching little ones to swim as early as possible, both my children learned to swim at quite an early age, though it was at an outdoor pool, which in the spring isn't always that warm in the morning. My son used to tear up a little before class, because the water was so cold, but he would brave through it once class began)

[Crow]

Has anyone here had any experience at all with any of these schools? (I myself am a big advocate for teaching little ones to swim as early as possible, both my children learned to swim at quite an early age, though it was at an outdoor pool, which in the spring isn't always that warm in the morning. My son used to tear up a little before class, because the water was so cold, but he would brave through it once class began)

If it is essentially the primary school swimming education we get over here but exported then they are effective and work well. Everyone that goes to school has to do it (well use to anyway) so pretty much everyone has a base level of proficiency in swimming from a young age. You get certificates and badges for completing certain objectives, not just swimming lengths either it is swimming to the bottom of pools to pick up objects and swimming in clothing, that sort of stuff. Swimming is the only physical activity I have never excelled at but due to that education I managed to swim back to shore when I got caught in a tide going out and the inflatable I was on had come lose from its anchoring.

[Claireliontamer]

I took my bicycle out Sunday morning for a ride, and on the way back I detoured to get a coffee, and noticed this sign posted in the window of one of the storefronts on Michigan Avenue.



British Swim School

These swim schools are apparently very popular here in the US, according to their website they have 80 locations spread throughout 14 states. I've never heard of them, or even saw one before yesterday. Could be because I don't have little ones anymore. Anyway, Dearborn is noted for it's many parks and swimming pools both indoor and out, and swimming lessons are offered at all of them throughout the summer so I wonder how well a place like this will do here, but considering the location and it's proximity to a number of town houses and condo's it just might do well.

Has anyone here had any experience at all with any of these schools? (I myself am a big advocate for teaching little ones to swim as early as possible, both my children learned to swim at quite an early age, though it was at an outdoor pool, which in the spring isn't always that warm in the morning. My son used to tear up a little before class, because the water was so cold, but he would brave through it once class began)

I have never heard of that particular franchise but scamp started swimming at a very young age.  I took her to 'Puddleducks'  (http://www.puddleducks.com/) which looks like a similar franchise from 6-weeks old and she's been a water baby ever since.  Now age 7 she's a very proficient swimmer and does swimming lessons once a week that concentrate on the safety elements as well as refining stroke technique.  She's a much better freestyle swimmer than me!  As she has my genetics she's unlikely to be a super speedy swimmer but she loves it,  it does her general fitness a world of good and it gives me the peace of mind that if she did fall into water she'd know what to do. 

[Guardian85]

Bit of weather today. Nothing too serious, just a decent snowfall that someone had to clear....

[Biggus Dickus]

Bit of weather today. Nothing too serious, just a decent snowfall that someone had to clear....

"THE REVENANT"!

[Biggus Dickus]

Has anyone here had any experience at all with any of these schools? (I myself am a big advocate for teaching little ones to swim as early as possible, both my children learned to swim at quite an early age, though it was at an outdoor pool, which in the spring isn't always that warm in the morning. My son used to tear up a little before class, because the water was so cold, but he would brave through it once class began)

If it is essentially the primary school swimming education we get over here but exported then they are effective and work well. Everyone that goes to school has to do it (well use to anyway) so pretty much everyone has a base level of proficiency in swimming from a young age. You get certificates and badges for completing certain objectives, not just swimming lengths either it is swimming to the bottom of pools to pick up objects and swimming in clothing, that sort of stuff. Swimming is the only physical activity I have never excelled at but due to that education I managed to swim back to shore when I got caught in a tide going out and the inflatable I was on had come lose from its anchoring.

I was asking around the crowd last night before yoga class if anyone was familiar with the school, and one older lady said she is going to enroll her granddaughter in the class. She repeated practically what you wrote above regarding it's core principals and objectives, apparently her son lives in another state and has enrolled two of his children in the classes at a school there and raves about it.

I'll have to stop by and check it out once it opens, I'm always happy and excited to see new business open in the area.

My parents put me and both my sisters through swimming lessons when we were young, and all three of us are fairly proficient, especially my one sister who swam competitively during middle school, and I even worked a couple summers as a life guard, which meant I was good enough to at least get certified as a guard.

I enjoyed it so much I started taking diving lessons during elementary school, and I did okay, especially off the platform, well at least with the simpler dives, backward, free, a tuck or pike, but I am not very co-ordinated, and when it came time to do twists, rolls or summersaults I was horrible, and simply could never get my body to complete those types of maneuvers.

My coach would have me try time and time again off the springboard, and I would end up hitting the water on my back or front like a dead, limp body,...my dad told me it was painful to watch, of course it was painful to smack the water like that so I quit diving.

I have never heard of that particular franchise but scamp started swimming at a very young age.  I took her to 'Puddleducks'  (http://www.puddleducks.com/) which looks like a similar franchise from 6-weeks old and she's been a water baby ever since.  Now age 7 she's a very proficient swimmer and does swimming lessons once a week that concentrate on the safety elements as well as refining stroke technique.  She's a much better freestyle swimmer than me!  As she has my genetics she's unlikely to be a super speedy swimmer but she loves it,  it does her general fitness a world of good and it gives me the peace of mind that if she did fall into water she'd know what to do. 

Puddleducks looks like a lot of fun, how cool is that,  and some of the pictures are really cute, I think it's fantastic to get children into swimming at such an early age, at the very least they learn not only to respect the water, but also not be afraid of it as you said Claire, so if they do fall in or there is an accident they can handle themselves.

I love watching kids swim, and it's such a great way to get them physically active, and outside when permitting.

I'm dreaming now as the wind howls outside our office building of a long,quite beach, with white sand, gentle waves and a scorching hot sun.

[Buddy]

Siz, you should be happy to know that I included the manager calling you George Clooney in my paper.

[Tank]

PUNK RAT!!!

[Siz]

Siz, you should be happy to know that I included the manager calling you George Clooney in my paper.

I'm honoured!

So now I'm gonna have your whole class knocking at my door?? Sheesh, being swarthy and handsome sure is a chore!

[Biggus Dickus]

Siz, you should be happy to know that I included the manager calling you George Clooney in my paper.

I'm honoured!

So now I'm gonna have your whole class knocking at my door?? Sheesh, being swarthy and handsome sure is a chore!

So which George Clooney is you?

ER George Clooney?
Batman George Clooney?
Ocean's Eleven George Clooney?
O Brother, Where Art Thou? George Clooney? (My Fav)
Syriana George Clooney?
The Men Who Stare At Goats? George Clooney?
Nespresso George Clooney?

[Tank]

Siz, you should be happy to know that I included the manager calling you George Clooney in my paper.

I'm honoured!

So now I'm gonna have your whole class knocking at my door?? Sheesh, being swarthy and handsome sure is a chore!

So which George Clooney is you?

ER George Clooney?
Batman George Clooney?
Ocean's Eleven George Clooney?
O Brother, Where Art Thou? George Clooney? (My Fav)
Syriana George Clooney?
The Men Who Stare At Goats? George Clooney?
Nespresso George Clooney?

None of the above.
She was blind.

[Siz]

Siz, you should be happy to know that I included the manager calling you George Clooney in my paper.

I'm honoured!

So now I'm gonna have your whole class knocking at my door?? Sheesh, being swarthy and handsome sure is a chore!

So which George Clooney is you?

ER George Clooney?
Batman George Clooney?
Ocean's Eleven George Clooney?
O Brother, Where Art Thou? George Clooney? (My Fav)
Syriana George Clooney?
The Men Who Stare At Goats? George Clooney?
Nespresso George Clooney?

Don't know most of those, but the coffee fella is as good a fantasy as any.

Rodney Trotter is probably closer to the truth of it...