A good sport...

 Jake had his cubs swimming gala on Saturday, in the howling south easter.  Seriously, the weather was awful!!  I was freezing just watching them - kids don't feel the cold like us though.

Jake swam in the age group above him, as did the 2 kids along side him (we don't have enough older cubs!) so it was a tough day for him and I think he swam incredibly well all things considered.

This is Jake with his friend Michael, who sits next to him at school and Allegra.  Allegra freaks Jake out because she can do the splits and he doesn't like it (sure he'll change his mind one day)...

 Getting into the icy water was not fun...

 The first stroke was breast stroke.  Jake's not good at breast stroke, but he tries his best.  Style is very important to Jake, almost more than speed...

 Getting ready for his next race, he looks more nervous now then he did the first time around - perhaps it was knowing how cold the water was...

 Quick gasp of air...

 Jake's Auntie Tam was there in her "proudest aunt" t-shirt.  She'd done a 70km off road cycle and still came to swim for Jake...

 Jake's other loyal supporters were there too - my folks...

 And Jake's Granny Karen.  Jake's grandpa's hurt his back, so he was home in bed...

 A quick fun swim during interval.  Jake got out almost blue and shivering from the cold water...

 After the interval, there were some fun races.  First up a wet t-shirt race...

 Jake was quick to get up and to get going...

 But he struggled a little with getting his top on... 

 Michael was already in the water and nearly finished his lap by the time Jake got in...  It happens...

 Auntie Tam is such a good sport.  She also did the wet t-shirt race...

 And like Jake, she was quick to get up and get going...

 She also struggled to get her top over her head...

 Backstroke (Jake's favourite)...

 Perfect, straight arms.  Jake came in 3rd for this (his only solo place)...

 Jake did breastroke when he was supposed to be doing butterfly...

 The last race of the day - a piggy back race.  Tam did it with Jake, she was the only woman in the water...

 I can only imagine what hard work this was!  Not for Jake though...

 Out of all those big strong men, they came second!!

 Picture of the frozen champions...

 Our cubs/scouts group came in second place over all.  Out of seven groups, I think that's great.  Last year they didn't have enough children to enter and the previous year, they came last.

In other news, Jake has started athletics at school.  Just running in the mornings for 30 minutes.  Today was sprints, tomorrow long distance.  He tells me he wants to get fit for rugby, so we'll see how it goes .  He's second from your left...

 He's quite quick, but isn't all that fit, well at least not running fit...

 He was exhausted by the end though and just couldn't run the last little bit...

Jake spent some time in the sick room at school this morning and I'm feeling really poop too, so hopefully he doesn't come home with too much homework today and we can just take it easy.  I was feeling sorry for myself, thinking I was hungover after just one glass of wine, but perhaps it was something we ate...

Wishing you all a great week!

Love,

Sue XXX