Hardy Stock

That's the only way to describe all of the children and teens -- including granddaughter Z, age 11, and grandson B, age 9-1/2 -- at the three-hour swim meet we attended on Thursday evening in Renton, southeast of Seattle.

The day began with a 100-mile (161 km) drive to the IKEA store in Renton to purchase an outdoor table and chairs for al fresco meals on our deck, a long-overdue upgrade from a tiny plastic set to a simple wooden set that will seat four to six people, as needed. I drove the first part of the trip, and must have drawn the short straw, as the rain was torrential and visibility difficult. The weather moderated, fortunately, and after a quick rest stop, Phil drove, for which I was grateful, as I don't like the congested traffic in the Seattle/Bellevue/Renton area.

After our trek through IKEA, we had a couple of hours to recover at his daughter E's comfortable home -- including a nap on the sofa for Phil and settling into the "granny flat" in the basement, as we were spending the night there -- before setting out for the swim meet in rush hour traffic, which E handled with grace and aplomb.

Z and B competed in four events each, with stretches of time in between for fresh towels, jackets, and snacks to keep them going. E, and Phil and I were grateful for our warm outerwear and a spot at the pool that sheltered us from the rain falling off and on, considerably hindering our photographic efforts.

That's B heading in Phil's direction in this back-blipped photo; both he and his sister participated in individual and team events. As a non-swimmer, I am in awe of their athleticism, ease in the water, endurance, and strength!

(For a charming photo of one way B kept warm between races, click here. It's guaranteed to make you smile!)