When What to my Wondering Eyes Should Appear....

A Miniature Poop and me Almost Puking in the Pool. 

I am taking swimming lessons. I know, I know, "You don't know how to swim! What kind of parents did you have?" The blame is mine. I did take swimming lessons when I was young, enough for my hair to turn green from the chlorine and to get a treat at the end of my lesson...... but not enough to actually remember what I have learned. After my second marathon I decided that I wanted to try a triathlon, but the swimming bit has been keeping me at a safe distance. So, in my boredom I decided to sign up for swimming lessons and get working toward my goal. 

I headed to the "Leisure Center" here in Orpington and entered into the same training pool that I bring the Pink One to during the week. I must admit that I was nervous, maybe even a little scared, but when I saw the other "grown-ups" heading into the water I began to feel better. The lesson went well, until I had a bit of difficulty getting the breathing bit down. I was trying to get into my 1-2-3 breathe rhythm when I gulped down a half a pool of water and came up sputtering. I coughed, I hacked, and I had water draining from every opening on my face. I gathered myself together and attempted my 1-2-3 breathe rhythm coming back when I saw IT. That's right, the little brown ball bobbing around in my lane.....it may have even winked at me. I swam faster to get passed it, came out of the water, and literally had to think happy thoughts to keep from puking in the pool. I have never held down vomit so effectively in my life! The others couldn't see the poop, but they would have seen me spewing my breakfast into the pool.

Immediately my thoughts turned to the fact that the swim before I saw IT, I had swallowed down half the pool. "Happy thoughts, happy thoughts." At this point in time I didn't know what to say or what to do? The class after mine had arrived and since I NEVER know how I come across as an ex Pat here I did what any good person would do, I hurried out of the pool, dried off, and cruised home into the shower. Yep, I let someone else swim around in the pool with IT. Don't worry, I have been looking for it each lesson since. *shudder* On a more happy and less nauseating note, I have been advanced to intermediate :) My substitute teacher this past week told me I was in the wrong level and should be in Intermediate. I was flattered. So, I guess I am out of the poop pool and into the big pool, where I will have to work really hard to actually swim a length without fainting.