September 04, 2008

Refreshing

Island's edge

That's the word that my family uses to describe the temperature of the water in the River That Runs Between Two Countries. In this case, the word refreshing means "pretty fucking cold." People who step off the rock and jump right in (which is really the best way to get wet when the water is "refreshing") usually scream involuntarily when they come up to the surface. My father, who has swum in the river since he was a boy, will always say that the water temperature is perfect, no matter how icy it is. He'll even talk about the time he visited someone in a southern state and how he just couldn't enjoy the water because it was too warm. Everyone rolls their eyes when he says that.

Of course, several months of hot summer sunshine will eventually warm up the river. At the very end of August, just as the season is about to end, the water in the big, deep river is finally comfortably warm. The water level has usually dropped by then, too, so that the seaweed-covered rocks are exposed to the air, providing a slippery green surface to play on.

Last weekend when we all went out to an island to swim, Blonde Sister and With-a-Why spent all kinds of time in the water practicing their "Michael Phelps" moves. They pretended the rocky edge of the island was the wall of an Olympic pool as they worked on their kicks and their flips. Blonde Sister babysat With-a-Why when he was an infant, and they've always been close. When he was little, he'd often sit on her lap and pinch her arms (which is his sleeping ritual) when he was tired. As I watched them swimming together and playing in the water, it was shock to realize that With-a-Why is now almost as tall as his aunt.

Photo finish

7 comments:

Unknown said...

:-)

Anonymous said...

Look at that sexy lady in the blue bathing suit!

Busymomma66 said...

It's a very sad fact that they do grow quickly!!

I know you probably had this with the older boys, but my food bill has nearly doubled lately with all the food my son has started eating. Yikes.

niobe said...

I think that first photo has almost all my favorite colors in it.

Silver Creek Mom said...

I would love it if you crossed the river runs between two countries one day and I can take you on a photo walk. I don't think we live more than 3 hours apart.

Of course When I cross that same river I would hope you would do the same.

;)

beautifulcolours and it doesn't take long to catch up with one's Aunts...Uncles that's another story. ;)

jo(e) said...

Silver Creek Mom: Oh, I'd love to visit you one of these days. That would be so much fun!

Leslee said...

beautiful pictures, beautiful post