RSS
I’ve always loved the water. As long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be near the water, or on the water. Or in the water. During my childhood up north, I always thought it a great treat when my parents had friends with a boat. Better yet, friends with a pool. I recall spending hours, literally hours, as a young teen swimming back and forth alone in some large northern backyard pool while the adults were playing cards or something. Now I live at a condo with its own pool. I can go whenever I like. But as I wrote in a blog last fall, I’ve become a lot more selective about swimming as I have acclimated to these South Florida temperatures. Most of the locals I know feel the same. Meaning, we don’t go into a pool or the ocean unless the water temp is well above 80 degrees. Like, well well above. That’s the price you pay for living in paradise. It kind of makes you a wuss.
So from autumn until late spring, I don’t use that condo pool or the ocean or anything else for swimming. A nice walk on the beach, yes. A “cold” dip in the Atlantic, no. Well, I’m pleased to report that I’m back in the pool. Ta-dah! I have been swimming again for a few weeks now and it feels great. Like I said, I’ve always loved the water.
I just took a delightful swim the other night. I had been in meetings and writing and generally being very busy all day long. I finally settled down at home with a small cocktail and an appetizer to relax. Then suddenly, I felt inspired. I should head to the pool. I know – not the best thing after drinking. But I’d only had one. So I threw on my suit and toddled off. There was some rain earlier in the day but on this night the sky was clear and the air felt almost fresh somehow. I stepped into the water, which was warm but still cool enough that I could feel the change in temperature on my skin. For about half an hour or so, I swam laps and then floated around looking up at the sky. I could see a pale round moon against the blue. In the west, thick ribbons of clouds turned a brilliant orange. It was beautiful. And I was wonderfully alone, swimming around again just as I did when I was a kid. I didn’t stay in the pool as long this time as I used to back then. But the feelings for me were much the same.
So from autumn until late spring, I don’t use that condo pool or the ocean or anything else for swimming. A nice walk on the beach, yes. A “cold” dip in the Atlantic, no. Well, I’m pleased to report that I’m back in the pool. Ta-dah! I have been swimming again for a few weeks now and it feels great. Like I said, I’ve always loved the water.
I just took a delightful swim the other night. I had been in meetings and writing and generally being very busy all day long. I finally settled down at home with a small cocktail and an appetizer to relax. Then suddenly, I felt inspired. I should head to the pool. I know – not the best thing after drinking. But I’d only had one. So I threw on my suit and toddled off. There was some rain earlier in the day but on this night the sky was clear and the air felt almost fresh somehow. I stepped into the water, which was warm but still cool enough that I could feel the change in temperature on my skin. For about half an hour or so, I swam laps and then floated around looking up at the sky. I could see a pale round moon against the blue. In the west, thick ribbons of clouds turned a brilliant orange. It was beautiful. And I was wonderfully alone, swimming around again just as I did when I was a kid. I didn’t stay in the pool as long this time as I used to back then. But the feelings for me were much the same.
posted by LauderBLOGGER at 2:49 PM
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home