In a lake or a pool, I know I can get to land in any direction if I swim far enough. The ocean, NSM.

I would have said this, and then I moved to Detroit.

I don't mind swimming in deep water (although I kinda hate swimming). I just mind swimming where I can't just up and quit in a minute or two without drowning.

Speaking of things on the radio, a podcast lady today said that American food styles have been changed by immigration, globalisation and celebrity chefs. Have celeb chefs really made much of a difference to the average American? She then cited fruited brisket and some latke variant, and I'm thinking, no, not being served for Sunday dinner across the nation...

That is one amazingly beautiful kid, Plei.

Corwood, isn't it wild how fast they become humans? We're 9 months next week, and I'm not sure where the time went.

No kidding! (and once again, I'm off singing Up With People songs)

We've been co-sleeping with Li'l Sphere since he was born and are trying to transition him to the crib now that the holiday travelling is over. We haven't yet made it all the way through a night.

They're practical! They allow you to go from a fitted small waist to an unhindered hip in a lined business-like pant.

ah, but this assumes a small waist.

I love that I got up early enough to be posting with Nilly today. Hi Nilly!

Hil - German WWI uniforms: [link]

German Collection Militaria: [link]

Later than the period you want, but German WWII reenactor supply: [link]

What might be really useful is this genealogical mailing list having to do with the German military: [link]

Oh, and I'm not afraid of deep water, either, which is also probably from growing up near a large body of water. When I was in high school, I used to go night swimming in the Gulf of Mexico with friends fairly often. Sometimes within hours of watching Jaws.

Okay, question: how many people here fear swimming in deep water? in the pool? in a lake? in the ocean?

Nope, nope, nope, nope.

but this assumes a small waist.

It doesn't assume one, it states one. And it's not pleats' fault if the wearer doesn't have a marked waist/hip differential (which is more important than the small waist, really).

Okay, question: how many people here fear swimming in deep water? in the pool? in a lake? in the ocean?

It isn't fear as much as a sense of a deep wrongness....but I'm ok in a pool if I can't see the bottom, or just don't think about it. Actually, thinking about it is the worst.

I took swimming lessons when I was just under three and was fine until I figured out that I was swimming in water over my head. No one told me that! I went on strike and they couldn't get me back to swimming lessons without hysteria until I was 6 ish, though I'd happily go in a pool, and even in the deep end. I guess I felt betrayed or something.

Open water, it doesn't bother me, I have no idea why. Well, the ocean being too tall does, but that has nothing to do with the depth below the surface.

In a lake or a pool, I know I can get to land in any direction if I swim far enough.

Your lakes are not our lakes.

Oh, goodness, all that cute! I keep thinking "OK, that's the cutest picture ever", and then it's "no, wait, that is the cutest picture ever!".

And that goes to both CI and PMM. I'm just smiling in front of the screen.

who came from, well, nothing

I can't get past that. I was just at a friend's place on Tuesday. She had a root-canal and I came over to be with her baby while she was still dizzy and achey. And I kept looking at him (1 year old - he was born a day before Emeline) and reminding myself that this little human being, whole with a personality and everything, just didn't exist a year ago. He wasn't part of the world, and then he suddenly was, and already so complete. It's like a breaking of the conservation rules in the world: how can a person come from nothing, and be so much of a person?

I'm not phrasing this right.

[Edited to wave back at Spidra]