T-P-ed

Last Friday our house was T-P- ed.

The 2 girls and I drove home at 8:30 pm to find toilet paper streamers hanging from trees, wrapped around the front railings and strewn over our new sod.  Shaving cream squiggles decorated the sidewalk along with a couple feminine hygiene products (new and used--eew!).

Not our house--Ling took pictures, but I don't have them!

A sinking feeling hit my gut--who hates us so much that they would do this?  Who have we unwittingly offended?

My thoughts flitted to the kid who's bullied my kid--but surely he wouldn't go this far?  And how in the world did someone manage to TP our house while Scott and Ren were sitting inside?

Both girls were shocked and appalled and a little frightened.

When we walked in the house, Scott didn't seem perturbed.

"What happened?" we asked.

"The swim team came by," he said, "there were giggles, and whsk, whsk, whsk [some large arm movements], they rang the doorbell 2 times and 2 cars sped away."

Oh. . .

We just got initiated into the Winchester High School swim team family.  The shaving team squiggles, once inspected, read, "Swim Ling Swim!"

No wonder the swim team dinner only lasted 50 minutes.  ("What?" I said when Ling called to be picked up, "What kind of party only lasts for 50 minutes???")

So after whining about the swim team a little here, I'm actually much more impressed with it now.  Here's what I like:

• They're actively forming a community and team spirit:  
• team dinners each night before meets,
• they choose a "secret swimmer" who they buy treats for at each meet, and a gift for at the end of the season
• there'll be a Harbor cruise bonding trip in late September
• and a banquet at the end of the season.
• They had a parent meeting--I know what's going on!
• They have a google-group and send emails--I know what's going on!
• On Saturday they'll do a dump run fundraiser--in our town, we don't have trash pick-up.  For a mere $10, the swim team girls (accompanied by parent drivers) will pick up your trash and take it to the dump for you.

And even though I feel mixed about the practice of hazing, TPing my house, and especially leaving used feminine hygiene products on my lawn, I get that it actually helps form a sense of community.  After all, research has shown that the more severely folks are hazed, the more committed they are to the group.

Ling!  Welcome to the swim team!

1912 British women's Olympics swim team