Wednesday the day of rest LOL. After the stresses and stains of BA travel, a night out in the village and a late night sit in the hot tub today was very much a 'chilling' day with lilo lounging, swimming and siting in the sun. Emily very much wants to race the tan along.
I had forgotten what a good swimmer Emily is. Just like Lillian she glides through the water powered by a strong leg kick when swimming breast stroke. It is actually a long time since I have seen her swim as it is 6 years ago that she left Dubai to go back to UK for 'A' levels and when she did return the pool was either too cold during the winter months or it was used for 'cooling down' rather than serious swimming. The pool in Umm Sequim was really only a leisure pool with a curving round shape compared to the rectangular 15m length we have now. This pool, like the one in Dubai is heated only by the warmth of the sun and certainly already feels cooler in the morning compared to late afternoon when it has been warmed a bit. I wonder how long we will be able to swim? Probably a month I guess. Cooler in the mornings? Overnight lows are about 23C - 76F so the water certainly does not get cooler than that.
Over the years when I have said that grew up in a seaside town people often made an assumption that I spent long summers on the beach and was forever in and out of water. That was not the case. As a family we rarely went to the beach. I remember so clearly my first ever visit to a swimming pool with my primary school. The open air pool on Clacton Pier. I was aged 11. The chalk board said water temperature 57F. With concrete floor changing rooms and an air temperature little more I was 'freezing' before even attempting to get in the water. I did not learn to swim. It was a long time until the opening of the indoor heated pool at Clacton Butlin's Holiday Camp that I did. Then I was self taught. As somebody who was so good at sports at school I was somewhat embarrassed that all of my friends were in the 'swimmers' group when we once again went 'swimming' with school as part of the PE programme. I was secondary age at this time. Butlin's pool was open in the winter months to the Clacton public via a Winter Social Club so during that time, usually Saturday mornings, when no friends were around I used to go to the pool and thrash around. I put that first day experience of freezing water as something that has impacted on me and caused me to be less than comfortable and confident in the water. I have never forgotten it.
Only 10 lengths today - I feel so out of breath.
Lillian cooked and we eat on the patio and then played cards. Bed at 10p.m. worn out
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