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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / July 2006Island stories: Morning rituals
Early every morning, I always go for a skinny dip on the island. It's something my family has always done, though these days, it's mostly Mum, my eldest sister and I who follow this tradition. When Frank and Nikki were alive, they would follow me to the jetty each morning, stay well back while I went for my dip, craning their necks to see the crazy hoomin voluntarily going into the water. When I came back on land, they would greet me joyously: 'The water did not swallow you! Good! Now come and feed us, slave!' I'm happy to report that Mir and Caliban are carrying on their tradition. They run along happily while I walk towards the jetty, then they stop short when they see I am actually going *onto* the jetty. They crouch down near the water's edge and watch as I take my dip, craning their necks to see if I will disappear in the big scary mass of water. When I come back, they greet me as happily as Frank and Nikki ever did, and we go to get 'our' breakfast.  SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/ Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki > Early every morning, I always go for a skinny dip on the island. It's > something my family has always done, though these days, it's mostly [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > water. When I come back, they greet me as happily as Frank and Nikki > ever did, and we go to get 'our' breakfast. I'm such a water wimp unless it's really hot out or the water is warm I hate getting in. Brrrrr! >> Early every morning, I always go for a skinny dip on the island. It's >> something my family has always done, though these days, it's mostly Mum, [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > I'm such a water wimp unless it's really hot out or the water is warm I > hate getting in. Brrrrr! There is nothing that starts the day like a swim like God intended. Granted if its cold out it might be a short swim. But it really wakes up the soul. Body and mind both start out the day feeling cleansed. Jo > There is nothing that starts the day like a swim like God intended. Granted > if its cold out it might be a short swim. But it really wakes up the soul. > Body and mind both start out the day feeling cleansed. It's one of my favourite things on the island. The water temps went a bit low this year, though. At best it was around 23 C (75 F), but at its lowest, it went to 6 C (43-ish F). Now, *that* was 'refreshing'! ;o) SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/ Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki >> There is nothing that starts the day like a swim like God intended. >> Granted if its cold out it might be a short swim. But it really [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > its lowest, it went to 6 C (43-ish F). Now, *that* was 'refreshing'! > ;o) To me, 6°C would be a little too refreshing, the water temperature here today was 12°C (54°F) even that's a bit cool for me except tp paddle in. SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy and Bagheera) Cats leave pawprints on your heart. http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk > To me, 6°C would be a little too refreshing, the water temperature here > today was 12°C (54°F) even that's a bit cool for me except tp paddle in. Downtown Austin has a most wonderful spring-feed pool, which many consider to be the heart of the city. http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/bartonsprings.htm It is a constant 68F (20C) which I think is quite cold! :) Tom and I were there this past Monday, as part of his 50th birthday celebrations. It is a wonderful place, right in the middle of town. SignatureVictor M. Martinez Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM) Send your spam here: uce@ftc.gov Email me here: pistorLITTER@BOXaustin.rr.com >> To me, 6°C would be a little too refreshing, the water temperature >> here today was 12°C (54°F) even that's a bit cool for me except tp [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > were there this past Monday, as part of his 50th birthday > celebrations. It is a wonderful place, right in the middle of town. That looks like a very pleasent, relaxing, spot. A belated happy purrday to Tom. SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy and Bagheera) Cats leave pawprints on your heart. http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk > Downtown Austin has a most wonderful spring-feed pool, which many > consider to be the heart of the city. > http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/bartonsprings.htm > It is a constant 68F (20C) which I think is quite cold! :) Tom and I > were there this past Monday, as part of his 50th birthday celebrations. > It is a wonderful place, right in the middle of town. Looks very nice. That's not cold, that's almost too warm for a morning dip. Morning dips are supposed to wake you up. ;o) Belated hoppy purrday to Tom! SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/ Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki > It's one of my favourite things on the island. The water temps went > a bit low this year, though. At best it was around 23 C (75 F), but > at its lowest, it went to 6 C (43-ish F). Now, *that* was > 'refreshing'! ;o) Eep. You'd have to throw me in, probably at both of those "extremes." I'm used to the US East coast bathwater-temp ocean. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca > > It's one of my favourite things on the island. The water temps went > > a bit low this year, though. At best it was around 23 C (75 F), but > > at its lowest, it went to 6 C (43-ish F). Now, *that* was > > 'refreshing'! ;o) > Eep. You'd have to throw me in, probably at both of those > "extremes." > I'm used to the US East coast bathwater-temp ocean. You mean *south* US East coast. Up around Maine and points north, it can only be called "bathwater" if you like cold baths. And I'm talking about in the summer. Joyce > > I'm used to the US East coast bathwater-temp ocean. > > You mean *south* US East coast. Up around Maine and points north, it > can only be called "bathwater" if you like cold baths. And I'm > talking about in the summer. True =) The farthest north I've jumped in the ocean is Delaware, I think. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca > Eep. You'd have to throw me in, probably at both of those > "extremes." > > I'm used to the US East coast bathwater-temp ocean. > :o) I'm used to temps around 15-20 C. The 6 C was quite a shock, and if I'd have looked at the thermometer before I got in the water, I might not have gone in at all. As it was, I jumped in, got a cold shock, and looked at the thermometer, and got another shock. Then I got out of the water, and felt a little prickling all over my body, and then - mmmmm, deliciously warm all over. So I went for my dip the next morning, too, though the water was still as cold. In the end, it was a very nice experience. SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/ Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki >> Eep. You'd have to throw me in, probably at both of those >> "extremes." [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > morning, too, though the water was still as cold. In the end, it was > a very nice experience. Dennis and I got our scuba ticket in January in Vancouver. It was -3C outside and the water temp was +3C. The instructors had dry suits but the students only got crappy ill fitting wetsuits. Brrrr! I was so cold after the first open water dive, I couldn't feel my feet anymore and it felt like I was walking on stumps. All the other women had quit and I was openly crying. Dennis was pouring cups of hot water down the back of my wetsuit between dives and was begging and pleading with me to continue on so we could get certified. Our flight to Australia was leaving a week later and this was our last chance so we wouldn't have to use up precious holiday time on a dive course. In the end I perservered and it was definitely worth it to dive on the Great Barrier Reef. I vowed to be strictly a warm water diver from then on! A few years later we were diving in Bali and the water temp was 28C. I wore a "shorty". We showed our Vancouver logbooks to the Balinese divemaster and he was so amused he ran off to show all the other guys he worked with. In Thailand the water was even warmer, up to 34C. I did all my dives in a bikini and it was still too hot. SignatureBritta Purring is an automatic safety valve device for dealing with happiness overflow. Check out pictures of Vino at: http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album > Dennis and I got our scuba ticket in January in Vancouver. It was -3C > outside and the water temp was +3C. The instructors had dry suits but [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Australia was leaving a week later and this was our last chance so we > wouldn't have to use up precious holiday time on a dive course. That sounds like absolute hell to me. I hate the cold! (Yes, I downhill ski, but that's different because I always sweat like a pig on the way down.) > In the end I perservered and it was definitely worth it to dive on the > Great Barrier Reef. I vowed to be strictly a warm water diver from [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > other guys he worked with. In Thailand the water was even warmer, up > to 34C. I did all my dives in a bikini and it was still too hot. My brother fulfilled a life-long desire a few years ago by finally learning to scuba dive. Since then he has been diving at every opportunity. He'll be diving in Siberia this summer (maybe already has? on the way to visit his wife's parents in Irkutsk). I don't do well with scuba. I freak out when I feel even a few feet of water above me. I'm not really comfortable in water, I think because I had such awful vision for so long, and then had contacts to worry about. Before I had LASIK, my vision was about 20/3000 -- beach vacations were filled with panic whenever I tried to figure out how to get back to our spot on the beach. I literally could have walked within ten feet of our spot and not necessarily have recognized it. It was pretty scary. For some reason, my parents never understood just how *bad* my vision was. On the way home from surgery, I commented on the fact that I could actually, blurrily, read the massive Exxon sign at the gas station we were passing. We're talking letters several feet tall, ten feet away, and I wouldn't have been able to read them without glasses pre-surgery. Mom was astounded. I kind of wonder how she could not have noticed how terribly bad my vision was. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca >> Dennis and I got our scuba ticket in January in Vancouver. It was >> -3C outside and the water temp was +3C. The instructors had dry [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > downhill ski, but that's different because I always sweat like a pig > on the way down.) I know exactly what you mean. I hate the cold too but don't mind skiing. You do work up a sweat doing that, plus you're dressed appropriately. The worst time is waiting for the lift or on the lift. That's when I usually get cold again. But it's been years since I had the opportunity to ski. I did ski a whole lot up to about age 20. After my parents quit paying for it though, it became lower on my list of priorities! >> In the end I perservered and it was definitely worth it to dive on >> the Great Barrier Reef. I vowed to be strictly a warm water diver [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > opportunity. He'll be diving in Siberia this summer (maybe already > has? on the way to visit his wife's parents in Irkutsk). It truly is wonderful. I have had some awesome dives, it's like being in a National Geographic episode. But I would never dive in Siberia. I'm sticking to the warm water, thankyouverymuch! > I don't do well with scuba. I freak out when I feel even a few feet > of water above me. I'm not really comfortable in water, I think [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > kind of wonder how she could not have noticed how terribly bad my > vision was. Hmmm, that's too bad. I wonder why Dennis doesn't have problems. He's got fairly bad vision (-4.50) but he just dives with his contacts in. Never has lost one yet. He always goes in the water with his contacts. I told him to get some prescription goggles but he said nah, it's just fine the way it is. SignatureBritta Purring is an automatic safety valve device for dealing with happiness overflow. Check out pictures of Vino at: http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album |
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