Swimming Lady

by the artist Roisin Coyle

I had a swim at 8am today. It was challenging but in the company of 6 hardy women, I was well up for it. It was wonderful. After our swim when we pull on various layers of clothing onto still wet skin, we talk and laugh and thank each other for the company.

When I arrived home from work and opened the postbox, I found a card posted to me from Galway. This is from an old friend of mine and we have good reason to be friends. ‘Swimming Lady’ is the card of a painting by Roisin Coyle.

My friend is arranging for a group of us to go west and swim in the Atlantic. ‘Jean the card says are you free on the xxxc to go way west with x and x? Yes I texted her, let’s swim in the Atlantic.