Swimming? No way!

Yesterday, it rained all day and continued into the night. This morning it drizzled constantly. Of course, everything was flooded; so flooded, in fact, that Dad and I weren't able to make it to work this morning. Understandably, the pond itself was about 3-4 times as big as it normally is.


Needless to say, due to all the water, the outdoors was a very enticing environment to the boys and, I will admit, myself. As a result, the boys were somehow able to persuade Mom to go on an excursion with them out into the watery world. The company consisted of Thomas, Daniel, John, Mom and I. Trudging out through the muddy, streamy yard, we soon reached the over-filled pond.

As could be expected with any mom, but just as unlikely an order to be kept, Mom told us not to get soaked. Yeah, right... Three boys and a hard core tom boy, in clothes prepared to get wet, outside while it's lightly sprinkling and the temperature is quite comfortable. Nah... no way we're gonna get wet...

Well, you can skip that idea right now. Of course, me being the oldest of the mischief makers, I am the one to instigate any sort of competition. Joking around, I pretend to let Daniel, who has stayed relatively dry for a surprisingly long time considering, fall into the cool water. That sparked something. Everyone got a little wetter (excepting Mom) with each minute gone by. Mom was joining in the fun only to the point of encouraging us. Pretty soon the boys and I were wading in the now freezing pond water as far as our waists.

Suddenly, and to our surprise, Mom offered a dollar to the first person to swim across the pond. However, her stipulation was that your head did NOT go under. Thomas repeatedly tried but never exceeded beyond about 1/3 of the way due to the fact that the farther he went in the deeper it got and the colder it was. On the flip-side, however, everyone watching from the shore was immensely entertained by his efforts and we encouraged him as much as we could.

One thing to keep in mind is that we are all in water/mud clothes. I was in jean shorts a pretty heavy sweater and rubber boots. But mostly everyone else was wearing jean pants and boots. When you go into the water far enough to submerge your boots, naturally, they fill up with water and get really heavy, making it hard to swim and slowing you down considerably. Not to mention, some spots of the pond's floor is extremely soft and squishy, so the chances of  your boots getting stuck is a lot higher.

Eventually, Dad and Marie came down to join the fun. Marie and Thomas finally decided to race across to the other side of the pond where Dad was waiting for them. For some strange reason, they both decided to wear their boots while attempting this venture. They made it across just fine. After taking off their boots, they were soon in the process of the return swim.

Note: I was never intending on going all the way in. I got my shorts wet and was content to only get wet that much. As far as I was concerned, the kids could swim in the water all they wanted as long as I didn't have to go in any farther than the waist.

By this time, Marie and Thomas were on their way back. While Thomas was about 2/3 through it, Marie was just about at our shore. Meanwhile, Thomas is obviously having some trouble. After all, he just swam across the pond once before which was really tiring and cold. He has a lot of drag from his clothes and the pond has about 35 yard diameter with the majority of the center well over his head. That's long.

I start taking off my boots because I am pretty sure he'll need my help. Now he's starting to breath hard and exerting a lot of energy.
"Thomas? Are you having trouble?" I ask calmly. Mom is right behind me with John on the shore and Dad is on the other side. They are both watching with a careful eye.
"Yes!" he spits out.
"Do you need help?"
"Yes," he replies sort of breathlessly.

Immediately, I dive in and swim out to him. The water seeps quickly into my wools sweater and I realize with dread, I should have taken off my sweater too. Too late, I have to get to him. The cold water hits me like a kick in the gut, which, thankfully, I was prepared for. Within the few seconds it takes for me to get to him, Thomas calls my name a few times shortly. I get to him. Grabbing him by his shirt, I tell him to swim, but not to worry because I have him.

"Katie, ..pant.. It's ok, ..pant.. I can touch the ground..."
"WHAT?!"
Here I was being all heroic, going swimming when I didn't want to in the first place, to save him and he doesn't even need it! He can obviously take care of himself now - the water's only up to his shoulders.
I leave him there and we all laugh... Mom says to me with a gleam in her eye and her original stipulation in mind, "Katie, you have my permission to DUNK HIM!!" While we all laugh, I dive back in the water - might as well - and pretend to tackle Thomas.

Here's his explanation, "I WAS having trouble, but as soon as you hit the water, Katie, I could feel the ground, and I didn't get a chance to tell you!" A likely story. Hehe! I believe him though. At the very least it makes for a good story to tell! :P

 As could be expected - and Thomas said he realized this as he was getting on shore - I will never let him live this down. That pretty much sums up how I ended up willingly going swimming when I really didn't want to and it turning out I didn't really have to in the first place.