Every summer our community pool opens Memorial Day Weekend with a party. After that weekend it opens daily at 11:00 right after swim practice ends.
For over 5 years and counting a group of women, myself included, head to the pool right at 11:00. We get there after swim practice ends for the day and the kids have all gone home for lunch. We get there before the families with small babies come with their floaties and swim toys.
We are there before the sun bathers arrives and settle on a deck chair with a good book and a drink. We get there before the afternoon teens arrive to challenge each other with a game of pool ball and competitive water tricks.
We don’t mind it if children are there jumping in and playing. We love to see the babies with the floaties and pool toys. We admire those who come to sit comfortably in a deck chair with a good book and leisure time. We are not bothered by the competitive water sports.
We know we are an oddity in the pool. Folks sometimes stare and wonder what we are up to. We are women who do NOT agree about much if we are pushed to discuss our deep feelings on the meaning of life. But we have found common ground and are committed to supporting each other with all of our foibles and failings. We agree to treat each other with kindness and compassion.
What we have in common is our delight in the water – even when it is 71 degrees outside and the pool temperature is a chilling 74 degrees. Even though only 2 of us were determined enough to actually get into the pool and tread on this first Tuesday after Memorial Day, everyone else was there dipping their toes in. SO MUCH FUN!
~Lydia Patrick
Even though it looks like a simple day at the pool , there is quite a bit going on ! It is delight both individually, collectively, the dynamics between just 2, both new and old shared friendships , and the experiences that will last the whole season and into the next.
Not so simple at all!
FYI. I am wondering who and how many read this blog. I feel like a solo commentator!
I suppose it’s because I don’t receive W of W posts back in my mailbox after others have posted, meaning I don’t see any interaction between responders. It doesn’t encourage a person to respond. OR , maybe people just don’t respond? Is this part of the UUCG feed on Facebook? I have not seen it.
Too many good reads are posted here to go unnoticed!
I agree… somedays I just go through all of the posts for a week just to see who has commented. I have asked about a way to keep up with it but I imagine that is not part of the way the site was coded to begin with. This is a check box below for notifications about comments.. I might try that for my posts at least. I do appreciate any feedback as it takes a good few minutes to write these posts.