In Which Our Heroine Spends Friday with the Squad
Milhouse Update: Miles rowed today: 8. Total miles: 20. Money pledged: $1170. We're getting better. Drills are good for people.
The kids have been working hard all week, what with double practices. So Friday, I told them that if everyone brought in five dollars, we could hang out in between practices, order pizza, and watch DVDs. Which is exactly what we did. The kids were really good. They had an excellent first practice, long, with some good rowing. Although I added yet another adventure to my rather traumatic season so far. Dale had been nice enough to bring us the Lesley wakeless launch. I checked it over when I got there, and it looked set up. Lifejackets, paddle, the essentials. Engine started up on the first pull, no problem and we were off. 100m down the river, we stopped, and the engine wouldn't start again for love or pulling. This was because, as I figured out *20* minutes later (not so quick on the uptake, is me) Dale had safely put away the gas can so that it wasn't sitting out overnight in the boat. Which is precisely what you're supposed to do. Not being used to the boat, I wasn't expecting to see it there. But since the boat isn't particularly complex or different from the other boats, really is was just me being not so bright! We (one of the kids and I) paddled back to the dock and got the gas tank. Problem solved. This was almost as rich as the afternoon's adventure. I pulled up in the launch to three seat shouting "Scott, take half a stroke!" followed by the coxain shouting about five times consecutively, each time more and more aggressively "SCOTT TAKE HALF A STROKE!" Scott, of course (otherwise it wouldn't be much of a story), was just sitting there happily, without taking a stroke. From the bottom of my toes, I brought up a shout. "SCOTT!!!!! TAKE HALF A STROKE! AND IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO YOUR COXSWAIN, YOU'RE GOING TO LISTEM TO ME AND I'M GOING TO HAVE AN AWFUL LOT TO SAY!" It turns out that three seat was actually working with the coxswain to perfect her tone to be more aggressive than more cheerleading. Scott had indeed taken the requested half stroke the first time. But dagnabbit, he took it again when I shouted! When I found out the full story on the dock, I apologized to the kids, which they more than deserved, then burst into laughter when three seat informed me "well, you did give a really good example of an aggressive tone which gets results." They understood what I was doing and the mistake I had made. And they accepted my apology, thankfully. It was a fun day with the kids, but slightly tiring. While my kids followed the rules really well (and offered great home made cookies to the Head of the Charles staff, Dale and other people to keep us in good stead), it was still my responsibility as the adult in question to be there and make sure they followed the rules. Not a problem, but it does mean keeping tabs on them, which just gets tiring after a while! Or maybe it was the practices. While the rowing is getting better, the coxing is also getting better. In a flat out scary way. She's taking turns so tight it is giving me chest pains to watch. The mantra "she's not going to make it, she's not going to make it, she's not going to make it, Holy Hannah! Wow that was a sweet turn!" is going to kill me.
Love,
Anne