Totally sitting Swimmer eclipses parrothead socks
“You mean, Dan,” Nazy interrupts, “that he learns from you.”
“In this case, I learned from him.”
“Excuse me?”
“You know how he arches his back when I try to put him into the car seat?”
“Yes. So?”
“He’s learned a way to fight being placed in an unpleasant position.”
“Do you have a point?”
“Earlier this week, I went to a dentist. When she tried to stuff me into that chair..”
“You didn’t!”
“I did. And, just like Tiger, I turned my head away something distasteful was aimed at me. Something like a weapon of mass destruction.”
“Mass destruction?”
“It was pointed, sharp and possessed plenty of painful particles.”
“Did you cry too, Dan?”
“Cry? Of course not, Nazy. I am an adult,” I replied. “Whimpered and screamed perhaps,” I thought. “And you know, Nazy, he is also learning from me. Look at his choice in socks!”
This week, Melika also asked me to take the grand(est)son to swimming lessons. I agreed.
I was prepared. I had taken both Mitra and Darius to organized baby swimming lessons when we lived in Memphis. Unfortunately, I don’t have photos to verify..
“No photos, Dan?” Nazy asks. “How is that possible?”
“We do, in fact, have photos. But those were taken before digital cameras were invented. So the photos in question are in storage.”
“Are they in storage or are they in question.”
“I always question the storage.”
“Do you think we’ll ever find them?”
“They will be found!” I asserted confidently. “By an archeologist centuries from now,” I thought. “I just hope the archeologist has enough money to pay the accumulated storage fees.”
Flashback
“Storage, Dan!” My new son-in-law, Tom, exclaimed. “It is a great business. Customers pay forever. They never empty the storage because they’re afraid they’ll throw something important away. Storage customers are irrational morons ..”
“I am a storage customer, Tom.”
“.. Irrational morons in some cases,” Tom corrected, adroitly adjusting his commentary while thinking: “in every case.”
“They promised that my storage was insured, Tom. And, according to my astrologist, the storage facility should have been destroyed by a earthquake many years ago. I had a good plan.”
End Flashback 
“Since you’re afraid to search through the storage, Dan, what are you going to do about historical photos?”
“I am thinking, my dear.”
“That’s dangerous,” Nazy thought.
Melika bought a couple of ‘approved’ swim suits for Jamshid. (Nazy bought a couple of new ones for me.)
The instructor described water safety basics at length..
“.. hand the baby to me. Then you come into the pool. It is difficult to get in the pool with the baby, so I will hand your baby to you.”
“I don’t mind her treating the babies like children but treating me like a child is over the top,” I thought handing the baby to her. Then I jumped in the pool, lost my balance and slipped under water.
Interestingly, 4 months is supposed to be the ideal age to introduce swimming lessons to children. The babies like the buoyancy and the feeling of freedom they have in the water. And early lessons help eliminate fear as they grow up.
The grand(est)son had fun in the water. He was comfortable and enjoyed himself. (He also outgrew his swimming suit during the class. I, on the other hand, still fit into mine.)
Although I easily handled the swimming part of the class, I was glad that Nazy was there to help with the “après swim” - e.g. getting him out of his swim suit and into his sport coat.
“How about out of his swim suit and into a clean diaper?” Nazy asked.
“That too.”
Newsflash.. found photo of Dan and Darius
For Tiger, however, the day was just beginning. Melika and Tom took him to an outdoor concert (Jimmy Buffett) at the Santa Barbara Bowl.
Aside: Devoted Jimmy Buffett fans are known as parrotheads. Naturally, Melika and Tom had appropriate costumes (for themselves) in the costume closet. They bought a set of noise reducing ear muffs for Tiger.
And, finally. Last week’s letter recounted the experience that Nazy and I had attempting to photograph a total lunar eclipse. This week, I am happy to announce an easier photography project.
“There will be a partial eclipse of the sun!” I explained.
“When?”
“Next week. During the afternoon.”
“Why partial? Would a total eclipse be more exciting.”
“I wasn’t asked when they made the plans.”
“Do you know how to photograph a partial eclipse?”
“Do I know how to photograph a partial eclipse?” I responded sarcastically. “Of course not,” I thought.
Last week’s letter click here
