Go Swimming Tigers!!

This week was the annual city high schools swim championships held at the D.A. Turner YMCA. It's the only swim meet that we cover for the season. Swimming gets overshadowed by other inter-scholastic sports in Columbus, Ga. In fact, the championship meet is the only in-town meet of the season. And it is usually dominated by Columbus High and Northside High. Hardaway High and Shaw High also have teams.

But this year the Carver High Tigers fielded a team of three boys and five girls. Not seasoned swimmers - but serious competitors. Serious about finishing their races and supporting each other and improving their personal best times.

Marvin Forbes described it as "exhilarating!" The team got a late start on the season, swimming in only four meets. "Everybody does a terrific job on the team."

Shanice Baker, a junior, struggled through her 50-yard freestyle heat. Her feet touched bottom once, but she finished - all smiles. She didn't know her time, and said that she didn't care. (1:35.95)

Announcements came over the school intercom to recruit students for the new team. "I never in a million years thought I'd be on the swim team," Tony Daley said. "I just went out there .. and I started swimming. It's kind of cool to be known as the first Carver swim team."

Carver is known for its football and basketball programs, having produced several NFL players over the years. But Tony says that now that the gridiron guys realize how hard these new swimmers work, there is respect. Other students call him "fish boy" as he walks the hallways -- as a compliment. "They're saying I'm fast."

Asked what he would do if Jarvis Jones got in the water? "I'd whoop Jarvis Jones in the pool right now," Tony said laughing. (Jones, a defensive linebacker for the Tigers, is headed to USC to play for the Trojans.)

Congratulations to Tony, Marvin, Shanice, Jaleesa Perry, Emilio Holloway, Rachel Quitugua and Charnele Jones. You've won big.

To new challenges, Robin

Wrestling Fun

Saturday evening was the citywide high school wrestling championship tournament at Columbus High. I arrived a bit early - the elimination rounds had just finished and there was a break before the finals. So of course, the kids where out on the gym floor stretching, lounging, talking, taking a moment alone and wrestling around the mats. After I took a break of my own, I thought to look for a picture or two.

Dashurra Riggs, 18 and a student at Columbus Technical College, wrestled the 103-pound weight class as a 2008 senior at Kendrick. She was at the tournament to watch her former teammates compete, and during the break she wrestled around with Kendrick High freshman Loren Spencer. She's quite the scrappy little gal.

GianCarlo Parrado, 12, bless his heart, thought he'd take on Columbus High heavyweight Ian Walker. Ian wrestles the 285-pound heavyweight division. I'd bet GianCarlo weighs less than 100 pounds soaking wet! They had fun. And Ian went on to pin John Herndon of Hardaway to win the individual title and secure first place for the Blue Devils.

Congratulations to all the wrestlers for their spirited efforts -
Robin

This Old House

One of my favorite assignments this month was the moving, literally, of the old Jones General Store, which was also the Jones family home, in Smiths Station on Jan. 8th. Physically relocating a house isn't all that uncommon, although we don't see it every day, so it's interesting. It's interesting to watch these guys troubleshoot the obstacles that pop up every inch of the way.

And the story of the house was cool, too. It belonged to G.W. (George) Jones, the grandfather of J.D. Enoch, 70, of Smiths. George and his wife Maggie built it in 1910, and J.D. remembers "practically being raised in it as a teenager". It became the family business with the general dry goods store. His grandpa also farmed. Enoch's father had his veterinarian's office there for more than 20 years, then his uncle lived there. It has stood empty for about a year and a half. The Lee County School District has purchased the land under the old house as the site for the new Smiths Station High School. So the Jones General Store had to go.

But instead of demolishing the building, the school district and the contractors gave the old house to J.D. "If I'd seen this house demolished, I'd have regretted it till the day I died," he said. Enoch walked around in the mud as the moving crew waited for the utility crews to do their thing. They lowered some lines, and shut off others so two men - one each in a bucket-truck on either side of the house - could hold high a line and flip it up and over the peaks of the roof as it crept onto the road. Some trick.

Moving the 2,500-square foot structure and laying a new foundation cost more than $50,000, plus the cost of moving the utility lines and who knows what else. It was moved all of about 1,500 feet to land that J.D.'s mother owns according to I.L. Davis movers from Salem, Al.

1,500 FEET!!! That's just one big u-turn!! Yes, one big u-turn -- onto Old Opelika Road, roll a few hundred feet and make a left turn, cross the tracks, take another left turn, creep along a few hundred feet, turn right onto a patch of his mother's land where an outline of the house had been cleared, measured and prepared for the foundation. It took about three hours.

Smiths resident Jack Cook sat in the bed of his pickup and watched. "I grew up around here," he said. "I'm glad somebody's gonna save it. Seems like every time you turn around, they're trying to tear something down." One of the wonderful things about a small town. J.D. gets to keep the family home.

328 days until Christmas,
Robin

A Tender Touch

I saw the most wonderful thing today. Tenderness and love in a most generous way. While taking pictures on assignment at the Brookside Glen Assisted Living and Alzheimer's residence, I turned to see one of the caregivers with her

arms gently but fully wrapped around one of the old women in a wheelchair. I missed that shot, but the serenity of the moment filled my heart with that joy that is also sadness.

A bit later Sylvia, who was quietly and constantly aware of Catherine's movements in her chair, had stepped back behind Catherine to rub her shoulders. It was difficult to get a good angle for a photo, because about 15 people were seated around a piano in the small foyer, and I did not want to just plow into the middle of their sing-a-long. Catherine McGarr is 88 and in the late stages of Alzheimer's, so she wasn't singing. But she was well cared for.

As the group broke up to return to their rooms, Sylvia walked over to Carmen Rivera, 70, who was smiling and swaying ever so slightly to the music that was still playing inside of her. Maybe in her memories. Carmen shuffles more than she walks, but Sylvia was in no hurry. Such gentleness. What a gift.

Have a nice weekend,

Robin

Where Were You on Inauguration Day?

I was at Fort Middle School for a great program that celebrated the inauguration of our first African-American president. Two student choruses sang, the student band played in the school lobby, an interpretive dance was presented, and two guest speakers - Muscogee County Superior Court chief judge John Allen and Georgia State Senator Ed Harbison - gave eloquent history lessons with encouraging words for the kids.

I then watched the inauguration ceremonies with Mrs. Johnson's 8th grade social studies class. At the end we took a group shot. Actually, a young student, Jared Bryant, who assisted me with the video camera took the picture. Thank you, Jared. After all, when someone asks me "where were you for President Barack Obama's inauguration?," my answer is - "with Mrs. Johnson's 8th grade social studies class in Columbus, Georgia."

Stay warm,

Robin

"BUT OFFICER, I PARKED BETWEEN THE LINES!!"

Saw this Tuesday, Jan. 6th, on the south side of the Government Center. It might take a second to notice .... but the car is parked - quite nicely, actually - between the lines of the crosswalk. People were gathered for the public auction of Bill Heard, Jr.'s 18-million dollar mansion (the list price), but the broke-down car with a donut spare tire and its hood taped shut with what looked like packing tape was all the talk beforehand. The mansion was bought by CB&T bank for $7.65 million, and I'll bet this guy got a $15 ticket for parking in a non-parking spot.

HAPPY 2009!!

Happy New Year to everyone! With the the holidays behind us, (oooh, bummer, I love Christmas) life should return to normal sometime soon .. whatever 'normal' is. Don't know about everyone else, but a 'new normal' is evolving in my life.

So how 'bout those New Years' resolutions? Lose weight, exercise, lower that cholesterol, get more sleep? Yep - all of above. And finish painting the interior of my house before my birthday ... clear away some of the overgrowth in the yard and redesign the landscaping ... figure out how to somewhat insulate a 110-year old house ... all on almost no budget. Then, of course, remember to call my mom every Sunday ... respond to emails before they become ancient history ... and reconnect with old friends before any more of them die. Not kidding.

Oh yes -- and get Photo Tip of the Week back on track.

Well, I spent most of December traveling ... and not taking many photos. Gave my achy, gimpy shoulder a rest. But this is one of my favorite recent photos. Me and the stinky stray kitty driving to an assignment at the Hamilton rodeo arena. I had - literally - snatched this kitten off the road and out of traffic the night before while driving north on Second Avenue on the way to shoot the Brookstone football playoff game. I was in the inside lane, and as I passed a dimly-lit cross street, I saw this teeny dark ball in the outside lane and knew immediately that is was a kitten. I JUST SCREAMED IN MY CAR! There was on oncoming traffic, but I made a fast u-turn, zoomed back and made another quick u-turn onto the cross street, all the while flashing my lights. I threw the truck into park, jumped out waving my arms at oncoming traffic - and prayed - fast and out loud - PLEASE DON'T HIT THE KITTY, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DON'T HIT HIM!!!. Two cars slowed as the cat tried to move, but they kept him between their tires. I then reached out and snatched him up as a large SUV approached. My heart was just pounding - it all happened so fast! I tossed him onto the front seat and drove off. He (or she) was just crying away. It's impossible to imagine how terrifying that would be - such a tiny little critter.

I shot the game (the Cougars lost to Turner County), and came back to find him snuggled in that little space on the dashboard above the steering wheel. How cute. He came back to the newsroom with me and charmed all of the copy desk gals, but no takers. So he came home with me and spent the night in the sunroom with my three cats planted at the door sniffing and pacing and looking back at me. No, don't get in a tizzy, he isn't staying.

The plan on Saturday was to find him a good home -- I figured that with all those outdoorsy horse-people types, someone who couldn't resist this cute little guy would also be able to take him home. Sure enough, he slept in the warmth of the the sun on the front seat, evoked a chorus of 'oohs' and 'aahs,' and became an early Christmas present for a couple of young kids.