PHELPS

By PAUL NEWBERRY

LONDON (AP) — Seventh at the turn, an Olympic champion at the end.

Make it 17 gold medals for Michael Phelps.

Was there any other way to go out in the final individual race of his career?

With those long arms whirling through the water, Phelps was next-to-last when he touched the wall at the far end of the pool in the 100-meter butterfly but in a familiar position when he made the touch that counted Friday — his name atop the leaderboard, a smile on his face, another gold medal around his neck.

"I'm just happy that the last one was a win," Phelps said. "That's all I really wanted coming into the night."

He claimed his third gold of the London Games and 17th of his career, adding to an already absurd record total that should be twice as much as anyone else by the time he swims the final race of his career, the 4x100 medley relay Saturday night.

How is my day going, you ask?

I just realized, I have been sitting here, most of the day, the television on, tuned to a "Swing Kings" music station, and it has been on "mute," apparently just watching the little logo with the name of the tune going up and down the screen. That is the kind of a day this has been, just way too many problems in my life right now. I usually say I judge my life by my "pond" and either how tranquil it is, or how many whitecaps or waves are on it. Today, there is no water in my pond, it is that bad.

Maybe it will fill up tomorrow.

The good news. Marilyn's low salt diet, which I have been eating,  my cutting back on sugar diet, eating a lot of pasta with cheese and unsalted butter, sprinkled with lemon juice,  baked cauliflower, drizzled with olive oil and a lot of fresh garlic. I have lost almost twenty pounds, getting close to 190, have not been there in many years.

REEEEEALLLLLLLY GOOD.................

If this doesn't send chills up your spine .......

BEtter call a Doctor .............

Cause, somethin is wrong ...................

LET FREEDOM RING