So how is that mental illness working out for you?

The last 3 weekends we have spent at swim meets. Our 15 year old Daughter Sarah is a super fast swimmer. This year she was exceptionally speedy. She won a first place for 100 free, 2nd 50 free at the city meet. The next week she won first for 50 free and second for 100 free at the regional meet. The next weekend was the state meet where she finished 11th in 50 and 13th in 100. Sarah is a great swimmer because she is single minded when it comes to swimming. We choose to call this single minded instead of the clinical term OCD. During swimming she cannot think about anything but swimming. This is what makes her a great swimmer. She sees it in her head long before she ever dives in the water. This is just not a shameless bragfest about Sarah (if your mother doesn't brag on you who else will) it is where I saw the subject for my latest blog entry.
What is this guy holding? Why did he bring it to the state swim meet? Where is he going? What will he do there? What will he see there? I should have jumped off my concrete bleacher, totally discarded the fact that Daren was glaring at me for staring and asked him all these questions because now I am at a complete loss. All I can do now is wish for the strength to STOP THINKING ABOUT IT.

When my sister Elaine was little (many many years before I was born) my mother took her to the fabric store to pick out fabric for her easter dress. This was a big treat for her. (I am totally lying because going to the fabric store was the worst. It was worse than Aunt Cora's mothball cookies) There were so many cute fabrics to pick out. Florals as far as the eye could see in every combination of pastels. She however decided that her easter dress should be made out of a fabric with little brown monkeys as the primary theme. My mom was not "down" with this choice of fabric and told her that she may not have the little brown monkey fabric for her easter dress. A huge fit followed this announcement and probably a slapping also. Appropriate fabric for the dress was purchased but the matter was not laid to rest. Elaine could think of nothing else but the beauty of the little brown monkey fabric and she could not stop thinking about it. My mother now sick and tired (she was never just sick or tired she was always sick and tired) of her caterwauling told her STOP THINKING ABOUT LITTLE BROWN MONKEYS, THINK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE! I am sure the yardstick was calling her name by now. Sadly Elaine could not think of anything but little brown monkeys. Elaine is single minded in her artistic talents. This is what makes her a great artist.

I had a similar experience with a pair of red patent leather shoes. (When I was little not like last week) Luckily Aunt Norma came shopping with us so instead of a slapping I got the red shoes to match my lilac easter dress. Score! They were so cute. I was so cute.

I'm now thinking that Sarah's extreme single mindedness apple may not have fallen so far from the tree. Today I saw sister Gileo at church. She is truly one of my favorite people in our ward. I always speak to her but today I was in a hurry to get to primary so I zipped down the hall. With every step I took my mind was screaming. "Should have talked to sister Gileo, I always speak to sister Gileo, Go back and say hi to sister Gileo!" So I turned around and made it back to the chapel and knelt by sister Gileo's wheelchair and looked her in her good eye and said "Sister Gileo, its me Colleen Chapman, I am so glad you made it today." She said "Oh there you are I saw you go by a minute ago. Colleen thanks for speaking to me. You are one of the people who makes it a point to always talk to me. I really appreciate you, and love you". Was this the single minded, OCD, can't think of anything else affliction that has plagued me and my family since the beginning of time? You bet! And thank heaven.

It's time for me to log off. I still must touch the microwave 14 times while hopping on one foot singing knick knack patty wak.

Colleen
p.s. I have to finish it give a dog a bone. There! Done!