Seasonal Whimsey - Lap Swim
by Kitti Carriker
"Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language." -Henry James, American novelist and critic |
And what is one of the most beautiful things to do on a sunny summer
afternoon in West Lafayette? Why, go to the city pool, of course! A hidden gem of our neighborhood, the pool is nestled behind Happy Hollow School, in the small valley at the foot of Happy Hollow Hill. On a hot
July day, nothing feels better than floating lazily on your back or doing a leisurely backstroke while gazing above at a big blue bowl of sky and all around at a big green basket of grass.
No summer day feels complete until I stop by the pool to swim laps. If I miss the mid - day lap swim (from Noon - 12:50 PM) then I organize my afternoon around the opportunity to stop by for the evening laps (5:00 - 5:50 pm).
Visit the pool and you'll find a perfect microcosm for one of the best things about living in New Chauncey. It's a place for everyone -- little kids, big kids, young adults, old adults, all working and playing together. There are some expert swimmers, some amateurs, and many beginners -- of all ages; some who swim fast, others who take it slow; some treading water, others perfecting their dives; some working out with serious purpose and some just having a good time: there is room for all!
"Lap swim -- lap swim."
To me those are two of the most beautiful words on any summer afternoon between Memorial Day and Mid - August!
" . . . there is no end, believe me! to the inventions of summer,
to the happiness your body is willing to bear." --Mary Oliver