Swimming.

Picture taking from Google images, not the real thing!

Hello!  I am still here.  I thought I had better come and say Hi.  Life has been a little (ok VERY) consumed by a wedding dress making project.  I shall be blogging about that another time over on my Mrs Craftypants blog after the wedding next weekend, when the Bride has had the opportunity to show all her friends her dress first.

I thought I would write about swimming today.  (I know the last one was whirlpools - there is obviously something watery going on here).

Since mid May I have been enrolled at a very lovely independent gym with fabulous indoor and outdoor swimming pools.  It is at least a  20 minute trek to get there in the car (as opposed to our local baths which are 10 minutes away).  However the luxury of the place plus the expense means I am totally taking full advantage of my membership.

I arrived today to find the outdoor pool was empty.  I slid into the wonderfully warm water and out of the slight chill that was in the air.  I took myself off to one of the lanes and set forth with my usual rhythm, a length on my front followed by a length on my back.  I can continue like this for an hour.  I know that on my front it takes either 24 or 25 strokes to get from one end to the other.  And on my back it takes between 21 and 22 arm strokes.  I love this rhythm, it also means I don't have to think of much and I don't bang my head on the side of the pool when going backwards.

With the luxury of the pool to myself I was revelling in watching the water still ahead of me whilst going forwards.  Whilst on my back the sky kept me entertained.  Pure blue at times, the occasional fluffy white cloud, the odd grey bubbly cloud, birds, aeroplanes, butterflies, bees - complete bliss.  I stroke away feeling blessed beyond belief.

Then I hear a splashy swishy sound, and I am certain I was not making it.  I was on my back so could not see what was behind me, but I guessed it - my peace had been shattered.  If only it had been a shattering of the pure bliss I was experiencing, but it wasn't.  Big Splashy Man had come into the pool.  Not content with  taking a space on the other side of the pool from me, he came right up against the lane divider next to me.  Within seconds the water was choppy.  Every time we passed each other I had chlorinated water splashed all over my face and up my nose.  On one occasion as I was just finishing off my back length he completely submerged me and left me gagging and gasping for air.  I was going to say something, but he had no idea of the carnage he was causing and continued a pace.

The peace was gone, a few more folk came into the pool and suddenly my back lengths of 21 or 22 strokes were taking 24 to 25.  On my front it felt like I was swimming in treacle.  The edge of the pool taking forever to come into reach of my fingertips.

I looked at the clock and saw that I had done almost an hour, I could hear my friends voice in my head, reminding me as she had to take it easy (having been ill over the weekend).  I stopped and looked around and saw big black clouds looming.  Sometimes it really is about knowing when to get out.

Sitting in the sauna afterwards I was musing on how much my grief is like Big Splashy Man.  I rarely know when it is going to rear it's head, however there are triggers which mean I know it may well be coming.  For me at the moment, it is seeing the lights on in the house where my mum used to live.  Or looking at the house she was going to buy just around the corner from us.  Even shopping in our little town centre where I would often bump into her.  Like Big Splashy Man, I have no control over it's intensity, sometimes it is worse than others.  It is also quite interesting to note that it is often following moments of complete bliss and feeling blessed that  Big Splashy Man, rears his head.

After a lovely quiet time in the Sauna, I decided to treat myself to 10 minutes in the indoor jacuzzi.  Once more I was peaceful.  I was also feeling very smug that I had been right about those big grey clouds, they were still hanging over the outdoor pool.  Then would you believe it Big Shouty Man got into the jacuzzi next to mine and started having a very loud conversation with his friend.  Typical I was just thinking when horror of horrors - Big Splashy Man got into MY jacuzzi.  That was too much, it was obviously time for me to go home.


post script - I do apologise to Mr Splashy Man and Mr Shouty Man for associating you with my grief as I have, it really is nothing personal, I am sure you are perfectly lovely people!!!!!!!!!!!!

post post script - the swimming is doing me a lot of good, I'm going 3 times a week and have so far lost over 5 kg :o) x