KING OF THE POOL

I love my pool.  I love to be in the water.  I love to be in the water when the sun is beating down.   I love to be in the water, in the sun, when the water is not over my head….or I’m floating on a raft.

So, in light of this fact, I went to the store with the big red target on it and bought myself one of those easy to fold, light weight floats.  I bought the one that was full size and had pretty Hawaiian flowers.  I was set.  Ready for the next time I decided to hit the water and lounge around like a lady of leisure.

Well, Lucy Jane came to visit this week.  When she walked in the door she was holding her new froggy swimming aide…and her matching froggy towel.  She had all intentions of swimming at some point in the 4 hours she was there.

“Can we go swimming right now, Aunt Tonja?  I’ve got my suit in the closet and I can put it on quick.”

“Let me finish up a few things and then we will go.”

“I can go ahead and get ready and then I won’t have to get ready when it’s time to go?”

“Aunt Tonja, where do you want me to put my froggy stuff?”  “Do you want me to put it out by the pool?”

“Aunt Tonja, do we have some toys to put in the pool?”

“Aunt Tonja, did you get a new raft?”  “Want me to open it up?”  “I can blow it up.  I can.  There’s just air on the sides.”

“Aunt Tonja, I sure do love you.”  “And I sure do love to go swimming in your pool.”

And, so, I told her to get ready…and I got ready…and we went outside.  I helped her get her froggy on, and then she said,”You need to go get Alex and Wild Man.” (‘Wild Man’ is what she calls Finn.  Which is much closer to an appropriate name than Finn.  Really.)  So, I got back out and went to knock on Alex’s door and told him we were swimming.  Patty had graciously offered to blow up the sides of the raft for me.

Lucy Jane and I had a few minutes of quiet playing in the pool…and then the Wild Man and his boy set upon us.  Out came Alex and Finn.  Now Alex moves kinda slow, but Finn……..he shoots out the door like a bat out of a very hot place!  I got back out of the pool to help Alex get in.

*****when we built the Creekhouse, and the pool, I fully expected there to be a rail somewhere to steady myself as I entered the pool.  And, I didn’t need one as much as Alex did.  But, someone  decided we did NOT need a rail.  And, so we do not have one.  So, Alex has nothing to hold on to as he is entering the pool.  His balance is such that he has to hold on to something to steady himself all the time,  And going up or down the stairs is even harder.  We should have a rail.  I thought I made that clear as we were building.  I’m sure I have made it clear several times since then.  But, we still have no rail.  Which we need.  Desperately*****

Back to the pool.  Lucy and her froggy suit is in.  Alex is in.  And, I am in.  And, here comes Patty with my float.  It looks so inviting…just what I wanted.  So I begin to pull it over to the shelf so I can get on , when I hear a LOUD SPLASH! We who were going swimming were already in….so where did that splash come from?  You don’t even have to guess do you?

Oh, yes it was Wild Man, hisownself.  The Mighty Finn!  He was coming to swim…so we had better be ready or get out of the way!   He swam all around, but he began to have a desperate look in his eyes.  Where was his boy?  Where was he?  Alex walked over and held him.  Whew!  He was safe now!   But he was struggling, because there was no solid ground here in this pool.  No place where the feet could make contact with a surface, and be still.  No…this stuff kept moving!  So Alex, being the kind soul that he is,  just picked him up and plopped him down on…MY NEW RAFT!!!!!

And, so we gathered around and watched a dog on a float in the middle of the pool and talked to him and oohed and aahed at him like we had all completely lost our ever loving minds!  And, Patty made pictures from the sidelines….she had pretty much lost her mind, as well.

Oh, how Finn felt the adoration and praise that was being heaped upon him by those he loved the most….. he was one proud dog.  He wished those other dogs in the family could see him now! ” Jo Jo,this is the way to do it! —-  Look Charla!  Are you jealous?— What do ya think about this, Jezzabelle?—    Hey Kaki, bet you can’t do this! ” And the feeling was so wonderful, he actually floated off by himself for a minute or two and thought of how grand he looked and how his family was safe and secure as long as he was around!  He stood tall and proud!  Now,  THIS was living!  “Look at me, I’m King of the pool!”

Lost as he was, admiring himself as the best dog ever…He barely heard Mom when she said,” Alex, if that hound tears up my new raft with his toe nails, you are buying me two new rafts.  One to replace this one and one to make me feel better! ” UH! OH!  He knew  she meant it, too.  This may not last too long…..better enjoy it while I can!

And, he stood as tall as he could at the front of the boat.  He was the Master!  He was the Captain!  He was the King!   He would see this family to safety.  He would guard them as they swam.  He would banish all intruders who may encroach upon their watery kingdom.  He would be the !!!!!SPLASH!!!!!, he was back in the water!  Pride had been his downfall.  He was so intent upon his new found leadership, that he stood too close to the edge of the raft.  And when the edge went under, he just floated right on out.

And, Finn, the mighty and the brave, took off swimming.  He swam with all his might!  He knew where the shelf was to get out and he was heading that way…FAST!    “WHEW!”  He made it !  The family was safe, too.  He was tired.  He was waterlogged.  He was sleepy.  And, since he was King of the Pool…he would just make a royal decree…”NAP TIME.”