Yep, folks...you read that right.

Normally, for me, swimsuit season is the utmost in self-humiliation. Trying to find a suit that will cover multiple flaws is always the top mission, and usually one I fail at. Most times, I drag myself to the pool with some kind of Lycra confection I found at a department store and manage to limp my way through the summer in it.

In the past four years, though, I've chucked shopping at stores around here for swimsuits...it just wasn't happening anymore. I went online, and I went big - to Lands' End.

About three years, I got a swimsuit I really liked. A two-piece, a tank top/shorts combo. Very nice and comfy. Lasted me two seasons.

Then...I hit my thirties, a time when parts of a woman's body begins to change. What worked last year was a disaster this year, and my beloved two-piece swimsuit was no exception.

After Year One, I decided I needed more support in the chest area, so Year Two's efforts would be to find a swimsuit with an underwire bra. Year One's ensemble was a shelf bra - not enough support by a long shot. So, for Year Two, I find an underwire bra two-piece, but without the shorts. What the heck, I figure, I can try the mini SwimSkirt this summer.

Year Two was OK. However, I discovered that the underwire top cut too low. I frequent the pool a lot and I'm not that anxious to show all my goods to pool-goers, mostly my former students. Also, my tummy seemed to be a obvious problem this year. Year Two's suit did not provide sufficient gut control. After three kids, I was really wanting in that department.

So, here were my requirements for Year Three Swimsuit Search:

- Decent chest support
- Decent coverage of said chest
- Able to work magic in tummy area
- Shorts. I really missed those in Year Two.

Back to Lands' End about a month ago. I placed my order about a week ago...this is it.





Imagine the top is a sweet black, white, and cobalt color - same pattern. The shorts are nylon in a matching cobalt color.

Anyway, the suit came about two days ago...and I am SO pleased. The coverage is modest enough, the shorts are short (but with all the running I've been doing, I feel better about my legs anyway), and the adjustable sides make for a nice shirring that disguises my tummy. A nice side benefit are the removable straps. I can go strapless, crossed in the back, plain ol' over the shoulders, or halter. Maybe this will be the summer of no tan lines (straps, anyways).

Can you believe I'm actually looking forward to wearing this to the pool this summer? I think I'm going to be OK this year! Whoo!

Ugh!

I learned myself a nasty little lesson about my own personality tonight.

So we're at the kids' soccer games, or at least, I am. Brent coaches Kirby, so I'm watching Spencer mostly, while wandering over once to see Kirbs.

Spencer's team is pretty good, they haven't lost a game yet, which I attribute to luck. I'm proud of my kid, though, he really hustles and I can tell he's been practicing, because he's got better ball-handling skills than most of his teammates. His teammates are older kids who mostly have gotten by with just kicking the shit out of the ball.

But tonight, they've met their match. Two of their best players are quick and very good handlers. There's not really anyone on their team who stinks. Frankly, I think they psyched Spencer's team out. Our kids didn't move, didn't hustle, didn't pass...all those soccer things you're supposed to do.

And the coach just sat there. Didn't encourage, yell, nothing. I got frustrated because Spencer and his teammates were just running around, not getting to the ball, making stupid mistakes.

But, I gotta remember they're just kids. And that's the simple sucky truth...just kids.

After a bit, I go to watch Kirby. Her team is getting creamed too. There's nobody at goalie unless the other team is on that side of the field...but as soon as someone kicks it down there, Kirby's simple isn't fast enough to hustle to the ball...so the opposing team gets free shot after free shot. I guess I could blame the coach, but you know who that is.

BAH! Whizzers to these competitive sport things. The only good thing about youth soccer is that my kids work up a decent sweat and have a good night of sleep.

A recent little development in my life is the formation of and my participation in a book club.

I know you all will find it hard to believe that I teach English and yet my reading for fun is so dismal. However, I usually get caught up in living, eating, parenting, working, and all that other jazz before I'm able to sit and read a good book. I do sneak them in occasionally, though.

Anyway, two theater friends and I decided during play practice about a month ago to form a book club. Because: we like to read and we like to talk about what we read and we like to socialize while we talk about what we read.

We decided on an interesting format. We meet in two weeks' time to discuss the book, but the catch was, we were only to read HALF of the book. Then we could discuss theories and ideas up to that point. In another two weeks, we would meet again to discuss the rest of the book. It's clever, actually, reading half the book, talking about it, then reading the rest.

Our first choice was "Eragon." Not one of the three of us had read it, we'd all seen the movie, and it seemed a good place to start. So off we went (the book is BLAH, lots of flaws, but that's neither here nor there). We had our second meeting last night...so the book is done.

And it was so much fun! We had excellent book conversation, and great other-topic conversation otherwise. I feel like for the first time since we moved here that I've found girlfriends I have lots in common with and enjoying being with.

So...the next book "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman.

Those of you who are public educators will know of what I speak.

The dreaded red grading pen.

MWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHAAAAA!

Admittedly, most of the time I do not use a red pen. Frankly, I like using other colors, like green or purple. Green is the color of envy and purple is the color of royalty...

neither of which has anything to do with grading homework. But anyway..

I'm using a red pen these days because that's what available. Right now, I'm at the mercy of whatever colored marking utensils are in the pencil jar. Someday I may have to grade in fat Crayolas.

Yes, as an English teacher, there are several weekends throughout the year that must be devoted to grading homework. This weekend looks to be one of them.

It's OK, though, because it's a bunch of short grading tasks. It'll be good. Really.