I am a girl who was a lifeguard for several years. Who would start her work shift as early as 5 a.m., only to return home to teach more swim lessons or swim in my own pool.
I am a girl who grew up in Arizona but yearned to be a SoCal surfer girl. Who started a school-sanctioned surf team with her BFF, only to declare each surf meet to be “rained out,” since admitting one would be improbable was too painful.
I am a girl who would start swimming as soon as a wet suit wasn’t required. Except when visiting California, when I would turn into a girl who would brave dangerously cold waters for a quick dip just to know I hadn’t passed up an opportunity to acquaint myself with the ocean over Christmas break. Who was so excited on one such occasion that she bruised the soles of her feet while running across a rocky beach to enjoy a chilly swim.
I am a girl who spent last summer lounging my whale-like assets poolside with no shame. Who has never worn shorts over my swimsuit while swimming. Who almost always gets her hair wet. Who doesn’t mind the smell of chlorine. Nay, who loves it.
I am a girl who loves water.
I am a girl who isn’t afraid of cold water.
So yesterday when we went swimming at our apartment pool and the water felt frigid, I knew it must be really, really cold. I knew that the when the pool had been closed for repairs recently, it was because the heater broke. I knew that the chilly water and cooler breeze were combining forces with potentially hypothermic results.
But you know who didn’t mind the freezing water? Miss Dub.
She is a girl even stronger than her mother.
And I couldn’t be prouder.
Swim on, Miss Dub, swim on!
I am a girl who grew up in Arizona but yearned to be a SoCal surfer girl. Who started a school-sanctioned surf team with her BFF, only to declare each surf meet to be “rained out,” since admitting one would be improbable was too painful.
I am a girl who would start swimming as soon as a wet suit wasn’t required. Except when visiting California, when I would turn into a girl who would brave dangerously cold waters for a quick dip just to know I hadn’t passed up an opportunity to acquaint myself with the ocean over Christmas break. Who was so excited on one such occasion that she bruised the soles of her feet while running across a rocky beach to enjoy a chilly swim.
I am a girl who spent last summer lounging my whale-like assets poolside with no shame. Who has never worn shorts over my swimsuit while swimming. Who almost always gets her hair wet. Who doesn’t mind the smell of chlorine. Nay, who loves it.
I am a girl who loves water.
I am a girl who isn’t afraid of cold water.
So yesterday when we went swimming at our apartment pool and the water felt frigid, I knew it must be really, really cold. I knew that the when the pool had been closed for repairs recently, it was because the heater broke. I knew that the chilly water and cooler breeze were combining forces with potentially hypothermic results.
But you know who didn’t mind the freezing water? Miss Dub.
She is a girl even stronger than her mother.
And I couldn’t be prouder.
Swim on, Miss Dub, swim on!
p.s. What’s your pool personality?
12 comments:
I must confess to being a wimp about cold water, but I do at least dip my toes in the icy Pacific whenever I'm there, "just because." I like water when it's accompanied by lots of sun; I'd have to say my love of the sun eclipses my love of water.
The cold water never bothers me. I am the first one in and the one calling everyone else on the edge a pansy. That's just the type of die hard swimmer I am. Anything for a splash in the h2o -- no matter the temp.
I am the opposite of you, Mrs. Dub. I make it to the ocean at least twice a year, but probably haven't been fully submerged in over a decade. Actually, the ocean water hasn't made contact with more than my feet in ages. I do enjoy swimming and love the feel of diving into to clean, blue water...but it had better be the perfect temp!
I meant to say earlier that I LOVE Miss Dub's hat!! So adorable!
(**I used my other sign-in name, oops, so here's the comment with my real name**)
Cute little swim baby!!!
Reading that made me want to go get in my suit and jump in the pool. I'm still trying to get used to these hot AZ summers (even though we aren't nearly as hot as the valley).
But I'm with the others....I'm a total wimp when it comes to cold water, unless of course its blazing hot and I need a quick cool down.
The AZ summer sun, so-called cooldeck, and pool water are too hot during the day, but nice at night. I prefer the cool SoCal beaches and cold water to the sticky-hot beaches and tepid water of the Atlantic and Gulf and even Hawaii (but the water color is gorgeous in the Gulf and Hawaii). I also like the bigger West Coast surf--it doesn't feel right when the waves look like a lake. I'll take the cold water to get the cooler & dryer air, but I'd like to try the Mediterranean. However, for swimming pools I like warmer water--but not hot.
"If you were to cut open my heart and let it drain out, you would be standing in the ocean."
nice, hil. nice.
(a quote that once graced my mirror for years.)
I'm a girl who can barely stay afloat. I'm no wimp, I just never really learned to swim and still have to plug my nose underwater!
I must confess, I have become my mother in this regard. Unless the water (and surrounding air) is extraordinarily warm, I just sit by the side -- maybe with my feet in -- and observe my children swimming. Hey, I figure they're safer if someone is keeping an eye on them from the outside.
I had tubes until just before my eighth birthday. Therefore, while all my siblings were getting swim lessons in the backyard pool, I was doggie-paddling in the shallow end so as not to test the effectiveness of my highly- effective custom earplugs. (I usually managed to get 'swimmer's ear' regardless.) (I still HATE getting water in my ears!) Oh yeah, and I hate being cold. So in other words, I DON'T love swimming. But I do love the hottub!!!
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