July 3. The kids are making incredible progress in swimming and diving. Much better legwork, it really has clicked for them. My son can let himself sink to the bottom of the six foot pool and sit there cross-legged for a few seconds in complete control. Even equalizing his ear pressure.

Two days ago, I wanted to show him that I could dive the length of the entire pool. But there are no markings on the bottom and there is no edge between the bottom and the wall, just a curve, so I couldn’t see the wall. In the middle of a stroke, my head hit the wall, got thrown back, and I heard my neck bones crunch. That was close to me not getting out of that pool again at all. Now just a laceration on my forehead and a cut in the bridge of my nose.

Kennedy Space Center. Once again I’d forgotten that American museums are basically playgrounds. Best moment: a pathos-rich movie about the development of the space shuttle, ending with a shot of the Atlantis flying at an angle toward the camera. Then, with a jerk, the screen is pulled away and behind it hangs the real Atlantis in space in exactly the same position. Even J gets wet eyes.