THE DIRT ROAD WONDER – I Think I Am Part Fish

I don’t remember the time when beautiful lakes, ponds and the ocean didn’t attract me.

I’m glad I learned to swim, because I would have missed one of the greatest pleasures of my life.

The main selling point that brought me to Tallahassee’s Mulligan Park from Gadsden County was the nice, heated pool that was offered to the park’s residents.

When I first moved in here, I didn’t go to the pool for six months because I didn’t want to show my 85-year-old figure to these people, but then Jack and Greta gave me a swimsuit for my birthday.

The swimsuit is made with older women in mind, and hides a lot of flaws.

I got into the pool after that, and it is so good to be in the water again.

I learned to swim the old fashion way: I was pushed off a dock. That way, you either sink or swim.

Later on, Mama and Daddy would take me fishing with them at Lake Jackson.

When they got through fishing, I was allowed to dive off the seat of the boat and swim for a while.

I was only about eight and I never thought about what could be in the water with me or how deep it was.

I think you can guess who my favorite movie star was…Ester Williams.

I have DVDs of all her movies, and I still enjoy watching them.

The old movies are so beautiful and innocent.

On my 40th birthday, my family had a picnic for me at Wakulla Springs; I had been a widow for about six months, and I think my children were afraid of losing me too.

For some reason they had it in their minds that if I was healthy enough to go off the high dive at Wakulla Springs, it would prove to them that I was going to still be here for a few more years.

I was fool enough to go along with their idea.

The only thing was I had not compensated for the extra weight I had gained over the years; when I dived off the high dive and into the water, I thought I would never reach the surface but thank God I didn’t panic.

After that, I never again let my kids talk me into another fool thing like that.

Well, just one more fool thing.

They talked me into trying a ski board instead of water skis.

The only thing was that when I fell, I didn’t let go of the handle and I swallowed half of Lake Talquin. That was the end of my water skiing career and any future attempts at trying fool things.

Later, I took a hard fall and broke my shoulder in four places and had to have shoulder replacement.

The day in therapy they told me I would never swim again was the day I quit - that day I joined the Quincy Golf and Country Club so I could use their pool.

I don’t swim as well as before, but I do swim again.

The only time I have ever had a serious problem while swimming was when I was in Barbados.

The men on the tour had gone deep sea fishing and we girls were at the beach.

A little way out in the ocean was a fishing skiff that was anchored with no one in it.

We all decided to swim out to it.

We hung on the side of the skiff to rest and then started back to shore.

The skiff was a little further out then I had realized, and all of a sudden, I became exhausted.

I made it to shore, but have never had the urge to swim out in the ocean again.

If you can’t swim it is never too late to take swimming lessons.

Believe me, there is nothing like it.

‘Till next time keep on the sunny side. gwynnkidd@gmail.com

THE DIRT ROAD WONDER – I Think I Am Part Fish

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THE DIRT ROAD WONDER – I Think I Am Part Fish

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CAT TALES – The Catatonic Cats

Bo the elephant celebratesa year of Attapulgus retirement

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Bo the elephant celebrates
a year of Attapulgus retirement