The Last PA Mermaid Sets a New Record!

The weather forecast at the start of the week called for several days of balmy temperatures, with highs in the 70s. My husband and I went backpacking for two days. Friday we have appointments. This left Thursday as a wild card for a possible very late "last swim." We dallied, stewed over it. Did we REALLY want to swim this late, in cold water?

The old record for latest last swim was set in 2012, when we swam on October 24. I am happy to let you know that we made it, we had a grand adventure, and yes, we swam TWO WHOLE DAYS LATER than that, and set a brand new record!

We'd been sitting in the yard discussing our plans for the day, kicking it around. Finally, my husband said, "Let's go have some FUN!" He packed up the floatie and the swim fins, and we both got swim bags together. I knew the water would be cold but I hoped it wasn't MUCH colder than Greenwood Furnace. Well, I am here to tell you - it was COLD. Very cold, indeed.

I got my floatie out and blew it up as soon as we got there. No sense dallying! I already put my swimsuit on at home, so I simply put my swim fins on, hopped on the floatie, and took off for the far side of the pond. We're far from the shallows now. . . .

Thinking it might be a new record, I asked my husband to snap a few photos of me - in the distance - swimming. Well, what I ended up with was two dozen close-up shots of my posterior, bending over, and one or two usable shots, of which this is one. Hey, at least I know that after all these years, he still admires my wifely assets!  ;-)

Most of my body was shielded from the cold water by the floatie, and I swam around and around as the sun shone above us. Eventually, I wanted to get off the floatie and actually swim a few laps, so I loaned the floatie to my husband, and he went out, using it sort of like a swim chair. 

Of course, once I was actually all the way immersed in the water, I discovered it was indeed QUITE cold. It felt like icy needles against my skin. But I am a lover of cold water swimming, so that's just my game. Afterwards, we toweled off and enjoyed cheese and crackers and beverages at a nearby picnic table. So civilized!

We had so much fun! And it all happened on the spur of the moment. One minute, we weren't going. The next minute, we were GONE!!! So here's three cheers for seizing the day and fitting in one very late last swim for the Last Pennsylvania Mermaid!

I need a soundtrack song, and here's one I just stumbled across: Lady Gaga and U2, with All I Want Is You & Shallow (though I have to admit that Bono is no Bradley Cooper! *wink*) Now, get out there and SEIZE THE DAY!

P.S. I've had to post two blips today to catch up. Please also check out the other one, showing the autumn reflections at Black Moshannon State Park.