Heat watch and pool

Temperatures are in the nineties and schools are closing for "heat days" (maybe some leeway to do so because of there having been no snow days?). A single rotating columnar fan is keeping me comfortable so far.

Summer can be oppressive here. But this year I'm ready for it. Nobody is more surprised than I am, but - get this: I joined a swim club!

Ever hear of a sand-bottomed pool? I hadn't. This place, in a pretty town just 17 miles southwest of here, is like a lake at one end with a sandy beach and shallow water, and like a pool otherwise, with "edges" and a deep end with diving apparatus. It's huge - so that there's an entire separate area for swimming laps, and for teenagers to play things like water basketball. It's surrounded by huge trees and provides plenty of lawn chairs so you can sit comfortably in the shade on either grass or sand (no concrete anywhere to speak of). It's a friendly, low-key, family-type place - nothing fancy. Just the spot for me to take a book, or a sketchpad and stay cool during the dog days.

I can't believe I had never heard of this place; surely it's been around forever, and the girls would have loved it had we been members when they were growing up. (We always took day trips to the shore - still a viable option, of course.) Well - too late for regrets! They can come now as my guests.

Part of the appeal for me, admittedly, is the super bargain membership rate for "seniors" - almost cheaper than staying home, especially when pitting the cost of gas against the cost of running the AC. It's kind of in the same league as the two dollar train fare to the city.

I grew up with access to a pool, and remember becoming bored with it after a while. It was something we took for granted. So, we'll see how it goes. But right now I like the idea of being able to say to myself, "I think I'll go to the pool today...."