Into the Water

Catherine warned me about aqua size – not really a warning, but more an invitation. She goes to aqua size on Fridays. That would be on the Fridays that she can gewt there. She, too, is like the rest of us: signing up for something and then not being able to get there.

The class was more than fun – so energizing and hitting muscles groups that have been long forgotten. I was filled with amazement as I started moving them for the first time in months – probably years. I was spending my other time, when I probably should have been concentrating on muscle groups, thinking of how I can get to aqua size when I get home. How hard can it be? The university pool is available and only a few steps less, I have community pool? How is it that the inertia can keep me home, when it is so delicious to have that feeling.

Part of the time my body was filled with laughter. I get a flutter board, and I was wondering if it had brakes, for I couldn’t get it to move. I was just as bad with the pool noodle. Catherine came over to shoved it down deeper for part of it was in front of my face, knocking my nose on every kick. My arms were to be above and out of the water. And this was my first time with barbells. When we did first the left side, and then the right side, my body slide smoothly across the pool until I was shoulder to shoulder with Catherine. She just gave me a shove back and told me that it would get easier.

I am not quite able to figure out if I am under-exercising or over-exercising. At one point the instructor gave me a silent questioning look and I nodded that I was fine, though I wondered, what fine really is. It is too hard to know in a pool for there is no sense of heavy sweat. Catherine said that is the part she likes best – no sweat. I was reminded of our instructor in the heart class who talked straight to the “I hate sweating, so I don’t exercise” people. She was young and fit and said to them, “I hate it as well. But do what the rest of us do. Buy some baby wipes and have them with you all of the time and use them when you sweat.” I can’t figure out why I find that so funny. I think because of her no nonsense attitude: you don’t like exercise because you sweat? There is a way around it, so use it.”

I was going to undress in the common room. It is taken me decades to be comfortable to do that. I have finally made it to that point. Now, I just couldn’t care less. As I went to swing my top over my head Catherine pulled it down and said, “No old ladies naked here. Use the dressing room.” What? Again that made me laugh so hard. And then when we entered the big swimming pool room, there were 2 classes going on. “That one is the hot pool and for old arthritic people. Do you want to go in that one. The exercise is not quite so hard?” Man. I think that girl is loosing her bedside manner.

Afterwards came that hot shower and the shampoo and then a good towel rub. One of life’s wonderful pleasures – exercise and then love hot water and even some steam. A joy to be alive.