A whole lotta shakin goin on

There's been quite a lot of "shakin' goin' on" in the swimming world this week. Eddie Reese with the announcement that Aaron Piersol is retiring, Brendan Hansen and Ian Crocker making a comeback, Frank Busch leaving the University of Arizona to become the USA Swimming national team director and a whole load of folks switching coaches, moving, blah, blah, blah...

The Gangloffs, on the other hand, are shakeless and are staying put. Happy, healthy, and really enjoying our stability.

Four years ago, stable was not in our dictionary. Two years ago, I still didn't understand the term. Now, however, we live it and it is glorious.

We have fallen into a quite beautiful routine. At this point (knock on wood) we've got a lot of balls in the air, but we're juggling them well.

Mark's plan is making him happy. He has some "loading" weeks and other "off" weeks. This week is an "off" week. He is recovering from, well, getting his tushy beat into the ground. One day last week he came home and said, "How much do you think I did today?" This translates into, "How many yards do you think I swam?" Knowing his philosophy and his history, but also taking into account how exhausted he looked and the fact that he was obviously asking me because it was more than I was going to guess, I said, "5,000."

"Nope."

Okay, "5,500."

"Nope."

"6,000."

"Nope."

Okay, Mark... I love playing games and all, but I've got whining 1 year old in a high chair, a pot of boiling water, halfway cut up veggies on the kitchen island, and a yorkie-poo begging for more dog food....

"Why don't you tell me how much you did today?"

Proudly, though still looking quite gassed he said, "7,000."

He then put on his PJ pants (yes, the PJ pants that he said he wouldn't like during the conversation that I began with 'how about we all wear matching PJs on Christmas morning this year?!') and made his way to the recliner.

This is the recliner (and Mark and Annabelle) on Christmas morning. Notice Mark's holiday PJ's. Please don't take notice of our messy house. Feel free to take notice of how stinkin' happy our little Olympic family looks.

The new recliner (Gangloff Family Christmas gift) has taken good care of our everyday Olympian during his "loading weeks." Now, however, is an "off" week, so I think tonight I'll try to steal his place in that cushy, reclining, chair.