Yimka, Lycra, Big Buck

I joined the Yimka today. What? You don't know what that is?

If you were a friend of mine in college you might. It's part of my college lore. I was serving as lifeguard at Beyer Hall on the Iowa State University campus one Friday evening. Beyer was the big pool on campus back then and was busy. My responsibility was the shallow end - and lane one was, I'll say - ethnic. All nationalities were jammed into the shallow end, swimming with young children in various stages of dress.

Beyer Pool ISU

I was sitting there lifeguarding my ass off when a young Asian woman approached me with a question. "Where can I take sweeeming lessons?" It was a bit hard to understand her, but I caught on. I began to list places she could learn to swim. Being a Red Cross girl (thank you Betty Lou and Nancy Pellett) of course I mentioned that organization. And my roomie Sally Rodgers had worked for the City of Ames. The woman said, "what about the yimka?" Hmmm, what is this yimka thing I asked myself. Finally it came to me...YMCA! And ever since then - the Y has also been know as the Yimka to me and my pals.

Now that I'm feeling better it's time to start working out again. Last year I belonged to the Healthy Living Center YMCA in WDM and today I ponied up for that joint again. I planned to start slow and just walk today but when I walked through the door I knew I had to get into the water. It's like a siren to me - calling!

Good thing I took my swim suit along. Bad thing it's tight and Lycra! Sports bras and Speedo swim suits are like straight jackets for girls with wounded wings. I'm glad I selected a locker room bay that was empty besides myself for my gyrations. It was worth it! I didn't swim laps - instead utilizing the warm exercise pool with dumbells (tools not people). I showered, put on my other stuff and walked a mile later. It was good to be back. The shoulder is complaining a little - but not howling like it was a month ago.

Paul had a very good weekend! He took a very good buck deer on Saturday. The deer was a very formidable opponent and we give thanks for the majesty he brought to the timber. The meat will go to the HUSH program to feed the hungry as we already are using the meat from the doe he shot earlier. Paul respects his foe and enjoys the hunt so much. He spends countless hours in his tree stands and scouting areas to hunt. This is hunting as it should be. Congrats to my honey!

I didn't take the insurance

Yesterday when I got the rental car, to drive while my own car is being repaired. You may recall I hit some kinda varmint driving home from Des Moines not even two whole weeks ago. It was a smallish deerog (combination dog/deer). I can't quite make myself type dog.

I don't want it to be a dog. Maybe it was a coyote - Wile E. Coyote trying out his Acme rocket skates. Yeah, that's it. And he shot across the highway at the wrong time, hitting the underneath left front side of my Subaru. Breaking my fog light and my wiper fluid reservoir and cracking my bumper. Whatever the hell it was.

My first insurance claim in forever - except the hail damage on our house. And now just scant days later, whilst driving the damn Toyota owned by Enterprise I hit a big damn deer. Right on Hickman near I-35/80. It ran across from the south and the car by me slammed on its brakes and I hit the mushy brakes on this car but alas. Bam! The poor deer spun around on its back and looked like it was going to get up. I sped on hoping against hope there was no damage.

Damn cars - of course there is damage! The whole front end is torked. I think Enterprise will notice tomorrow when I drop it off. Tyler the rental guy made a big deal of walking around the car when I checked it out, noting any damage. F#*$! I called Paul to report that I am officially an accident magnet. I feel bad about the deer - stupid animal.

I feel bad for me. Another $500 deductible. Hope I don't get a nasty-gram from my insurance company!

Great (and I mean really) great white hunter

Pablo the Poolboy shot a deer today with his bow. Not only a deer, but the biggest bestest deer he's ever shot. He called me right when I got to my cubicle this a.m. I was running late after having breakfast with my homies at S&K Cafe in Creston.



So I got a late start, and while driving had another headache (#3 of the weekend) so I took my meds on the way. Then I heard about an accident on the freeway, so I got off at 8th St. to avoid it. The good news is I wasn't IN the accident. And my wonderful meds get rid of my headaches.



So Pablo calls me all breathless and jubilant. "I shot a huge buck", he says. I can tell he's shot full of adrenaline. Last year he told me he shot a big buck, but it seemed to shrink (men do tend to exaggerate size - have you ever noticed that?) when he got out of his tree stand.



Not this year, though I must admit, the phone pic he sent me didn't do it justice. When he sent me the real pic from a camera I realized he was right. It's friggen huge! I printed out the pic at work to show other hunters. My boss Al expressed extreme jealousy - he's not even been out yet. Sue plans to hunt with her muzzle loader soon and she was quite impressed with said deer.

In order to avoid hernia and heart attack, Paul called upon Jeff to help drag the deer out of the woods to where the Jeep awaited. Odie had scads of fun sniffing the scents of death in our garage after Paul caped the deer there. Our neighbor Jean (pronounced Jhawn) all 100 lob of him helped Paul get the carcass back into the Jeep to go to Corning to be processed.

I'm so happy for Pablo - he's so pleased. And exhausted.

I'm sad for the deer though. He was alive this a.m. and now he's dead. There are way too many deer in Iowa. They're dangerous around roads and damage crops. They need to be weeded out, and Pablo is doing his part. Hmm I didn't really convince myself that killing animals was okay but I tried...

Paul is a good hunter - who spends a great deal of time and effort (and $$) on his sport. It gives him immense enjoyment, and stress relief. Nothing like killing things to release a bit o stress!