SEPTEMBER 201 4 SUNRAYS | 81
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Learning to swim at
Club Mimi’s
Submitted by Patrick & Judy Owens,
N15
There are numerous opportunities for
grandchildren to assert their indepen-
dence and face new challenges and we
have been fortunate to witness many
of them. Most memorable is the sum-
mer when our swimming pool was built.
Great anticipation during construction
quickly turned to great trepidation as
the day came for everyone to take the
plunge. The girls, Emily, five, Erica,
three and Elise, two, had never been in
water deeper than a backyard wading
pool and this must have seemed like they
were venturing into the ocean.
Equipped with arm floaties, inflatable
cars and various sorts of sea creatures,
they finally succumbed to their sense of
curiosity and gently became one with the
water. Each girl became excited to race
several laps in their cars using “Papa
power” to propel them.
As summer passed, the girls’ courage
and confidence grew and before long,
Erica shunned her arm floaties as she
took a breath, submerged, then re-
A True Celebration
Submitted by Walter Bradley, N50
In April of 2013, I was preparing to
have a stem cell transplant for my leu-
kemia, with only a 30 percent chance of
survival. My wife, Ann, and I decided
to take four grandchildren on an Alas-
kan cruise, thinking that the summer
of 2013 might be my last opportunity.
Happily, the preparatory blood tests for
my stem-cell transplant revealed that
my chemotherapy in 2011 had worked
in a very unexpected (and miraculous)
way, eliminating the most dangerous of
my white cell mutations. Consequently,
I did not need to rush to have a stem-cell
transplant after all. I called each grand-
child, indicating that I had good news
and bad news. The good news was that I
would likely be around much longer than
I thought—the bad news was that there
was no rush to take them on a cruise.
Their replies were both happy and sad…
until I indicated that I was just kid-
ding! The cruise would be “celebratory”
rather than “Sayonara.” We ziplined,
surfaced, spewing water between her
teeth like a human fountain. Not to be
outdone, Emily decided she was ready
to swim under water from one side to
the other and each wanted turns being
thrust into the air above Papa’s head,
splash landing several feet away.
The girls started referring to our home
as “Club Mimi” since swim time included
meals served poolside or favorite treats
consumed in the water. By summer’s
end, all three girls became accomplished
swimmers and jumping into the pool was
their new favorite pastime.
whale watched, glacier walked, and had
many wonderful meals together filled
with great conversations. The highlight
of the trip was my winning the “Dancing
with the Stars” competition before 900
passengers, with the assistance of my
wildly cheering grandchildren. It was
truly the trip of a lifetime for all of us!
Pictured: Ann Bradley, grandchildren Hudson, Caroline, Elizabeth, and Daniel. Walter
Bradley holds the star, and the professional dancer from the cruise who chose him
to be her dancing partner is on the far right.
From left to right: Erica, Elise and Emily pause to enjoy suckers at Club Mimi’s.
