Nightswimming

Nightswimming

There was a time in my life-my skinnier, single life, that I was a proficient nightswimmer. Large bodies of natural water: lakes, oceans, sometimes the eddies of a river, would unwittingly accept my sweaty armpits and oily hair as I checked the swim off as my daily shower. I'm pretty sure my sister Niki contributed her urine upstream from me a few times as well, bless her little heart. The girlfriends and I would sneak into the night, shed our clothes as we screeched off of docks or cliffs, and become mermaids at best, fish in the least.

Then came marriage, motherhood, pregnancy, weight gain, bills, diapers, and the fixing and cleaning of 3 square meals a day. So nightswimming and it's inclusive stress-relieving benefits, fell by the wayside.

But last fall I said enough is enough! I realized a beautiful reservoir was just down the road. I realized the night would hide my no-longer-smooth thighs. I realized I had some new girlfriends that would screech off of docks even though we were all mothers and wives. "Come away with me in the night" I said. And we did.

And so it was that I got a call inviting me back into the water for the first time in 2010. Just hours after my sister Niki left town (blessing?) me and the girls went away into the night.

First test to know if it will be a great night. This little poem my dad taught me as a girl:

Red Sky at Night

Sailors Delight

Red Sky Morning

Sailors Take Warning

Here's Sara and I taking clues that it will be a good night while we wait for Heather to come.

Heather wins!..and with glasses on no less! In the end, she chose french fries. Hmmm, maybe nightswimming may be a danger to my health after all?

Naaah.

Here's me timing my camera to see how long it will take to get a picture of Sara in mid-air jumping into blue.

Instead I got this. Oh well.

Aaaaahhhhh.

This is why I got the call this time. Heather is ready to POP next week and was delightfully weight-less in the blue.

My other highlight of this night (apart from the fact that I was nightswimming) was the reality that the last time I jumped through stars into blue (last fall) I was 30 pounds heavier! Still not ready for the public swim, but the salad a day plus consistent exercise is slowly but surely making a difference! Wahoo!

Thanks ladies! Call me anytime! Sorry we missed you Wendy and Rebecca (and even Niki).

Favorite nightwater picture ever here.

Comments

Heather July 14, 2010
Had a great time. I wish I could have floated my belly higher for the picture, but I really have bouyancy issues. I could never do the dead man float in swimming lessons, only my head floats. We so have to do it again in a month or so.
LGH July 14, 2010
OH, Amber...love your zest for living. And, you are definitely ready for public swimming...30 pounds lighter; that is amazing!
paula July 15, 2010
I wish I lived closer to you. I don't think I could talk anyone here into our old night swimming habits. This brought back so many fun memories of our night swims growing up. Girl....you forgot to mention our night bridge jumping. That was the best! Way to go on the 30 pound weight loss.
Mrs. Olsen July 15, 2010
Paula, bridge jumping was the best. With kids now, I'm not sure I dare to do some of that stuff now. Wasn't our mantra? "Hesitation causes fear!"
Anonymous July 15, 2010
I'm so glad you went. Dad and I are reading this together. Dad says, "Amber is so pretty."
Sorry we used your real name but Mrs. Olsen just didn't sound right coming from dad. I sooooo wish I could have come, but totally happy that you had a night-swimming kind of night. Those were the days my friend we thought they'd never end. Thanks for a great couple days. My kids
Anonymous July 17, 2010
I don't think I could do that. I am a chicken, and a wimp (wait, is that the same thing?). But I enjoyed living it vicariously through you.

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