What is about getting older that turns us into water snobs? I remember when I was younger happily swimming in ponds and lakes and thinking nothing of it -- until I saw JAWS - at which point I was sure that any time spent in the water was going to result in a shark attack. In the summer, as a child, water was water was water and it didn't make any difference. But as I got older, my mindset toward what was acceptible swim water shifted. I didn't want to swim in brown water any longer -- oh no - I only want crystal clear, shiny blue water that tempts your senses with a slift wafting chorline scent - not unlike a gym loccer room. The only concession that I readily make is to swimin the ocean - which by the way isn't really swimming- it's more like a wade and squat. Move out until you are about waste deep, then squat down a bit and drift in the waves -- JAWS really lives in the ocean and I don't want him to think that he's found a beached narwhale off the shores of the Southern US - thank you very much.
Elijah, Isaiah and I all made the trek to Lake Barkley beach last week. My thought was that the kids would enjoy the sand if nothing else. And in case you have forgotten, sand is very very hot in the summer. Especially at lake beaches where the tide doesn't come in and shift that stuff around. So no one played in the sand. And of course, the snob in me begins to critique the people who are at the beach - invariably there is the one family, all in cut off jeans and tee-shirts, mom's got bleached blonde hair, smoking camels or basics, and walking into the water with the cigarette hanging out of her mouth, shouting at her kids to get the hell away from the bouy. And her kids, well they are reaching down to the lake bed and pulling up god only knows what and hurling it at each other - thinking it's such great fun. And I'm thinking, please don't hit my children with that nastiness, quickly followed by "please Elijah don't think they look like someone you'd want to play with -- they are a DJJ case in the making." Me - thinking such things. When did I turn into that person who wrinkles her nose and people who live like I used to? I used to be that kid hurling mud and sand at my brother or sister. Of course, I suppose the difference is that I never wanted to be the poor kid in class -- I wanted to independently weathy - still do -- but am not sure it's going to happen anytime soon.
Anyway, back to the water issue. Elijah and Isaiah - had a great time for the brief two hours that we stayed at the beach -- 2 hours is the limit with a 2 year old - mostly because I don't want to sit in 4 inches of water, roasting and sweating, to prevent him from swallowing the water, or eating something he finds in it. We'll most likely return -- because sand is such a nice thing for the kids - and well, they aren't water snobs like I am.
Elijah, Isaiah and I all made the trek to Lake Barkley beach last week. My thought was that the kids would enjoy the sand if nothing else. And in case you have forgotten, sand is very very hot in the summer. Especially at lake beaches where the tide doesn't come in and shift that stuff around. So no one played in the sand. And of course, the snob in me begins to critique the people who are at the beach - invariably there is the one family, all in cut off jeans and tee-shirts, mom's got bleached blonde hair, smoking camels or basics, and walking into the water with the cigarette hanging out of her mouth, shouting at her kids to get the hell away from the bouy. And her kids, well they are reaching down to the lake bed and pulling up god only knows what and hurling it at each other - thinking it's such great fun. And I'm thinking, please don't hit my children with that nastiness, quickly followed by "please Elijah don't think they look like someone you'd want to play with -- they are a DJJ case in the making." Me - thinking such things. When did I turn into that person who wrinkles her nose and people who live like I used to? I used to be that kid hurling mud and sand at my brother or sister. Of course, I suppose the difference is that I never wanted to be the poor kid in class -- I wanted to independently weathy - still do -- but am not sure it's going to happen anytime soon.
Anyway, back to the water issue. Elijah and Isaiah - had a great time for the brief two hours that we stayed at the beach -- 2 hours is the limit with a 2 year old - mostly because I don't want to sit in 4 inches of water, roasting and sweating, to prevent him from swallowing the water, or eating something he finds in it. We'll most likely return -- because sand is such a nice thing for the kids - and well, they aren't water snobs like I am.
