PRETENDING TO BE A DEEP SEA DIVER IN THE SWIMMING POOL

When I was a girl we sometimes went to a huge public swimming pool that had a big shallow section - maybe only a couple feet deep.  They provided a locker key on a band that went around your wrist or could be tied to your swim suit strap.  I preferred to have mine around my wrist because I liked to pretend that it was a watch (or some other gizmo) that I had to pay attention to so that I wouldn't run out of air as I swam down- deep sea diving.

Never mind that all it took to get air was to stand up.

The best thing about it was the imagination it took.

Never mind that mostly what I saw down in the bottom of the pool was other people swimming around, or the sometimes gooey turquoise paint.

In my mind I was looking for sunken treasure, and I don't mean some coins that fell out of a parent's pockets or a pair of lost sun glasses!

IT'S TIME TO DONATE YOUR OLD SWIM SUITS TO A POOL THAT PROVIDES SUITS TO LOW INCOME MERMAIDS

Last year I made use of a large public swimming pool throughout the summer.  I love this pool because it's not crowded and it doesn't do lanes, so I can freestyle all over the pool without much worry that I'll clash in a lane or accidently hit someone else while I do my thing.

Mid-season I was there when a number of children who had the money to get in but did not have proper swimming suits got turned away.  Considering how underutilized this pool is, I asked what the problem was.   I mean WHAT A SHAME that they wanted to exercise and cool off in the water on a terribly hot day. These kids wanted to swim in shorts, or maybe shorts, bra, and a T- Shirt.  These kids might actually show up showered and in clean clothes, but an official swimsuit this is not.  Frankly, much of the underwear that is sold for women these days is almost as good if not better than what is sold for swim wear.

I've bought suits at thrift stores that appeared new myself.  One season when I was swimming indoors a few times a week I experienced how fast the chlorine in the water could destroy the fabric and elastic quickly, even if I rinsed it out there and soaked it in soapy water as soon as I got home.

I brought some information on some thrift shops that seem to have swim suits for sale that appear previously unused, such as having the sanitary panel intact, to the pool.  The management there thanked me for that and said she would pass it on  I also located a nearby charity that gave clothes away for free to people once a week and brought some fliers.

Yes swim suits are INTIMATE clothing...

But if you bought a suit that you cannot wear because it no longer fits that is in very good condition, consider donating it.

I LOOKED AND THE WATER WAS ALL GONE!

I went to the public park closest to me the other day, and was shocked to see the pool, which had been so full of water the day before, completely drained. Due to budget cuts, the pool was only open for 6 weeks and in the afternoons for the summer. Still, there was a heat wave of 100 degree or more temperatures last week and you would have thought that every kid in the area who didn't have an apartment pool would be using it.

Guess I'll have to keep going to the heated pool at my closest YMCA instead! Siren