Kicking the Ass of the New Year

I used to love swimming, and then I didn’t. We’d go the beach and I’d be happy on the sand, maybe wade up to my thighs. I rarely even took off the sundress slipped over my bathing suit (or, more usually, the yoga top paired with skirted bikini bottoms). Was it a body image thing? Am I really that careful about UV rays? I don’t think so. I think it was a control thing. In the water, there’s less of it. And it’s rare for me to go to water without having to think at least a little about keeping boys alive. So, I stayed dry. For years. Even after my kids gained enough ability (except for my oldest, who still can’t swim) that I didn’t have to worry quite so much about accidentally turning them into floating corpses.

But here I am, on a Sunday night, feeling if not water logged at least pleasingly spongy. I went swimming twice this weekend. In a really big pool. In my new bathing suit. Which is black and even a little pretty.

Maybe this level of pride is unreasonable for this wispy accomplishment, but hell, I’ll bask. Our world, have you noticed? is not conducive to accomplishment, unless you play video games. Which I don’t, not because I think they’re objectionable; I just haven’t found one that truly speaks to me and life is too short to settle. And by accomplishment, I mean this easy kind: you decide to do something and then you do it. Ah. Maybe it’s only me who has this trouble? The deciding and then the never doing? Anyway, I decided to start swimming, I bought a bathing suit, and then I, yes, went swimming.

The first time was yesterday evening when M and I escaped for a date, thanks to my visiting parents who were willing to babysit. The nice people at the pool gave us a discount. We swam for half an hour and then sat for a few minutes in the hot tub, and then went to dinner at a restaurant that has a fireplace. It was… a really good night. Until we came home to a lame dog and then M threw up a lot. But still! Date night! Hallelujah!

And then today I took the kids, the ones who swim, and while it was less exercise it was still fun.

And I’m going to swim again on Tuesday, because after my eyes are dilated at the eye doctor’s I won’t be able to read and write for a couple hours and what else is there to do in this world?