A step back in time....

After Dave and I did a little clearing out of my shed yesterday, we were both feeling the effects of the heat and humidity.

I decided to cool off in my rarely used pool.

I put on my exercise belt and got in.

Because of my recent embarrassing injury (walking into a sign!!!), I am trying to take it easy on my joints by doing some of my exercising in the water.

So, I found myself rapidly moving my arms and legs as I moved through the cool water trying to get some aerobic benefits from all of this.

It felt nice as I did several laps back and forth, trying to use a variety of muscles each time. The nice thing about the "belt" is that it keeps your head above water at all times and just allows you to move the rest of your body. I am a pretty good swimmer, but I prefer this to just getting in and swimming laps.

As I got out of the pool, I decided to relax and dry off for a while. Stretched out on one of my lounge chairs, I closed my eyes and began to remember so many "pool times" of the past....

I could see my two little boys having so much fun playing in the pool with friends...yelling out "Marco--- Polo"...tossing a beach ball......seeing who could make the biggest cannonball splash....or the nicest dive. We used to "judge" their dives by giving them a number as to how well they did....just like the Olympics! They would love going down the sliding board...squealing with delight as it emptied them into the deep end of the pool with a big splash.

Baseball team parties were held here occasionally...as well as an "end of the school year" get- togethers.

We hosted many, many Fourth of July parties right here around my pool...friends would come over with their kids....everyone would bring a different dish for our delicious potluck supper...as we celebrated the holiday together. I still have a variety of red, white and blue tablecloths and decorations left over from those parties...as well as some great memories...

It is much quieter around the pool these days...and, it really doesn't get used that much. Occasionally, my neighbor will bring his grandkids over for a swim...but, even they have gotten so grown up now that swimming with grandpa isn't quite as exciting as it used to be...

As I opened my eyes and looked over at the pool through my reminiscing, I smiled thinking about some of the future possibilities that lie ahead. I thought about having my grandkids coming to visit Grammie in the warm, summer months... and bringing some life back to my little backyard pool....

: )