Aquarian 09/30/00

So many thoughts today that connected to water, starting simply enough – with taking a last, lingering look at September of our Mary Engelbreit calendar.  Although it is the last day of the month and I have seen it every day, for some reason it was as if I saw it with new eyes today.  It is a picture of children swinging out over a pond on a rope swing.   

I was suddenly back at the pond with the older children, watching them swing out over the water and back and out over the water and back, then finally swinging out and letting go and dropping - kersplash! - into the pond.   

There seems to be something universal about rope swings.  Do they have them in Darkest Peru and Deepest Africa?  I am sure they do. 

The most recent youngster I saw swim was Karen.  Karen has a lithe and lean body, well suited for swimming.  She swam in Sydney's Olympic Pool, which was already built when I was down there in 1995 – five years before their Olympics!  What I would give to  watch her make a splash and slice through the water.  That lass took to swimming like a duck to water.   

Speaking of the Olympics, late this afternoon Elsa shouted up from the den and turned to volume up so I could hear The Star Spangled Banner. 

It was frustrating that these antiquated legs cannot scootle down even a relatively few steps, that I had to be satisfied with her description of what sounded like a fine sight -  American yachtsmen being presented with gold, the American flag in the foreground and the glory of the Sydney Opera House in the background.  They raced right there in the harbour.  My harbour.  Oh, that must have been an incredible sight. 

Finally, as Elsa was massaging my face with Oil of Olay, we started talking about Connie Rosenquist who introduced me to my nightly ritual and who took me down to Bermuda several times to keep her company.  A water baby such as myself was right in my element on that beautiful island.  I will write about it sometime, but not tonight - bed beckons and I must obey.

Love to one and all, especially to Donna and Jason.  Nite nite and God bless - Grandma L