At the Pool: City Edition
The girl and I spent the afternoon at the pool on Sunday. The family opted not to join our neighborhood pool this summer for a couple of reasons. Last year, the husband and the boy went to the pool maybe twice apiece. The girl and I went several weekends in June and July but toward the end of the summer, the girl’s interest waned. She developed some ear issues, too, and usually puts a stop to any serious swimming. During the week, she swims everyday at camp and by the time she’s home in the evening, it’s too late and she’s too tired to go. So I’m missing the pool the most, I think.
Sunday was a perfect pool day, though, so I researched local public pools and we packed our bag and went to Washington Park pool. She immediately pronounced it the “best pool ever” due to the long, windy slide, waterfall, nice chairs and beach-like area. Our neighborhood pool is little more than a lap pool with diving boards so I could see where she was coming from.
Photo from the Parks and Rec Web site.
Other differences between our private, suburban pool and the city pool? Lots more tattoos. Lots. And not a modest tankini in sight. There were string bikinis on bodies of all types. People were notably more reckless, I’d say. The woman next to me liberally applied baby oil (baby oil!) as her preferred tanning lube. At our neighborhood pool, that would be the equivalent of shooting up, poolside. The ‘hood is devoted to its SPF 30.
I as usual, misapplied sunscreen (so distracted was I by the bikinis and the baby oil, I mometarily thought it was the late seventies and our ozone layer was still blissfully intact). I ended up with an uneven burn; a foot, a shoulder, part of a forearm, and my upper back (the place I can’t reach). We had a good time, though and it was well worth the drive into town for an afternoon of sun and chlorinated water.
July 3rd, 2007 at 9:10 am
Mj- You may appreciate the advantages of spray-on suncreen: http://www.coppertone.com/spray.aspx. My husband, who burns in the shade, sure has enjoyed it this summer– and he better, since it’s twice the cost for half the sunscreen.
July 4th, 2007 at 8:35 am
We just went there for the first time last week and it was great.
July 4th, 2007 at 9:26 am
Ooh, it would be fun to meet up at the pool! Once I recover from my lobster-like condition, that is.