Tuesday 22 June 2010

Taking a dip

One happy memory of mine is from a few years ago. I was visiting a very good friend of mine in California. We were on a horseback trek in Yosemite National Park and our camp had been set up next to a lake. My friend and I went for a walk around the lake but there was no clear path and after about half an hour we decided to give up and go back to camp. My friend is particularly brave, and persuasive. She persuaded me to swim back to camp across the lake with her.
The water was ice cold from nearby melting glaciers so it took a lot of persuasion and giggling before we actually jumped in. We had our shoes and clothes, even a camera. It was no easy task to swim, holding all these items above our heads, in a fit of giggles, in freezing cold water but we did. And why did doing it make me feel so good ? because I new I could have easily done the half hour walk back, but instead we did something silly and joyful that made me feel like I was fun and free.


Here in London I don't have lakes in the middle of nowhere, with views of glaciers whilst I'm swimming, but I do have Hampstead Heath Ponds and my local lido. Even though a local outdoor swimming pool may not sound like a luxury to some, it is to me. After all, I don't know of anywhere else in Britain which has a selection of outdoor pools and it was something I had never experienced before moving to London.
I'll certainly be packing one of my costumes (seen above) and taking the train to Hampstead this summer. I'll be riding my bike over to my local lido quite often as well. What do you do when it's hot and balmy and you really need a swim?

13 comments:

Emma Bradshaw said...

Love your new home Jill and look forward to spending time over here! love Emma ;0)

chocolategirl64 said...

let's go fly a kite together:
wishing you luck and love in your new home:
☯❤

kirsty said...

I love your story, I would never be so impulsive. We are fortunate enough to live near the sea, so when it's hot we can have a lovely dip to cool down. Our nearest lido has reopened after 20 years, so must go and try it out! Good luck with your new blog!

Anonymous said...

Love the new name... Kites are Fun is one of my favorite songs. Have you heard it??

Jill Wignall said...

Thank you for your lovely comments!

Kirsty, 'impulsive' that's the word I was looking for! I'm dyslexic so doing all this writing is a new personal challenge for me. You should so go to your new lido! I read on Wikipedia that lots of the Lidos in London closed down and reopened after lots of campaigning.

Amber, Kites are fun is one of my favourite songs too, and that's what gave me teh idea for teh title. The Free Design make me feel very happy :)

Jazmin velasco said...

He he he, I like the drawings, specially the colour of the nails.

Lori said...

I'm looking forward to reading along, and I love the illustrations!

What a neat story. I probably would have done the walk back, but this sounds like fun.

ringo said...

Love your illustrations !!!

merel said...

Love your first illustration!! So good...

Daniel H Potential said...

woohoo

Susan said...

I am excited to follow your new blog and love your first post. I am going camping this weekend and I know there is a pond nearby...so you have inspired me to make sure I jump in!

Becky said...

Yes, I've already had one trip to Hampstead Ponds this summer - looking forward to many more!

Muchos said...

Hi Jill,

Congratulations on a full year of blogging. I really enjoyed the project and was lucky enough to get one of your cards. I like the look for the new project, bursting with potential. We are lucky enough to have Ilkley Lido near to us. As a child though we used to strip down to our pants and lie in the stream in the woods behind our house. Good luck with the new project.