Swimming at Hataitai Beach

Hi there

So far, I'm 12 swims down for this month at Hataitai Beach.  And today my swimming friend J, The Young One, Thong Man, and myself were all in swimming.

When we three ladies got out from the water we plastered ourselves against the outside changing shed wall to get the heat from the boards!  Then - wait for it - we popped in the water for a second little swim, this time without our lightweight t-shirts that we wear on really cold days.
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Recently J and her personal paparazzo were staying in a motel.  J's personal paparazzo told the motel manager that J swam in the winter.  "In the sea," he added.

"They call them polar bears," said the motel manager.

"They call them a few other things as well," J's personal paparazzo said dryly.

Spring, Spring, Spring (nearly)

Hi there

Today it's Tuesday in New Zealand, one week before it's officially Spring on 1 September.  Yippeee!!  Another winter down, or almost down.  Fingers crossed that it will be good weather from now on.

It's been a lovely day today.  In fact, it's been lovely the whole winter.  Still cold in the sea at Hataitai Beach, but the air temperature today was 14c which for August is extremely good.  J and I swam more of a distance out to sea this afternoon, spending a few minutes longer in the water than we normally would in August. When there's no-one else swimming we try to stick closer to the shoreline where passersby can see us.

My garden's first Spring daffodil bloomed today -

 

Unwrapping Packaging

Hi there

Surely I can't be the only person in the country who has trouble pulling a spanking new toothbrush out of it's plastic and cardboard packaging?   I wrench, pull, cut, push, and after annoying minutes that I'll never get back again, finally get the toothbrush out through a small hole that squashes the bristles, and makes the toothbrush look like it's been dragged through a bush backwards.

I had a book delivered yesterday.  In a cardboard box.  Attacking with my fingernails, I first went for the top seam of the box, and I broke a fingernail.   Then I went for a side seam.

I got out the scissors.  I jabbed, tore, plunged those scissors at random all around the box.  By this time I was puffing like a tea kettle.  This was a workout in itself.

By manually ripping, and tearing, and crushing, and bashing, I finally got the box open enough to wrangle out the book.

At which stage, I read the small label on the outside of the box telling me that it had "certified frustration-free packaging".  And there was a line of arrows to pull to enable me to be less frustrated.

I was ever-so frustrated ...

Cleaning the toilet

Hi there

I was bending down to clean the toilet when the phone rang.

"I'm glad you didn't ring one minute later," I said to my friend J who had phoned in for the usual long discussion about would we/wouldn't we go swimming.  "I almost had my head down the toilet."

"Good thing you're not the queen then" said J.  "You might have lost your tiara."

I love musicals

Hi there

I have always loved stage musicals.  And over the next few months I will be awash with them!   Usually I manage to locate only one or two a year and that's definitely not enough for a fan like me.

For years, my fave stage musical was "42nd Street".  I saw about six different productions of it.  Surprisingly, the Palmerston North version had more vim and verve to it than the New York version that starred Shirley Jones.

But then in Auckland,  some years ago, I saw "Priscilla Queen of the Desert - the musical", and I lost my heart. Such a fun show.

I booked to see the brand new production of it in Las Vegas but the musical got taken off after only three weeks and I got a refund.  Huh?  Taken off in Vegas?  The sin capital of America?  Vegas, that purportedly loves ostrich feathers and glitter, of which "Priscilla has an abundance?  Sigh, Cirque De Soleil has such a hold there.

Anyway, soon I will be seeing "Priscilla", again in Auckland.  Followed the very next day with "Billy Elliot - the musical",  and next month in Wellington there will be "Sister Act - the musical".  Oh, and I'm flying to Melbourne for  "Matilda"!

My cup runneth over.

Two Minute swimming!

Hi there

A few years' ago, a New Zealand university did a study about swimming.  I guess that a grant was involved.  Obviously there would be a lot of writing down of equations, testing of volunteers, and a myriad of budding scientists wearing spectacles and lab coats. The study, naturally, would take several months, if not longer, to complete.  There would be a thesis or two at the end, and a good grade from the teacher.

The discovered outcome?  ...  it takes two minutes for swimmers to overcome the initial coldness of the water after they've first jumped in.

Two minutes to get used to the cold water?  Goodness, my swimming friend, J, and I could have told that to the university boffins years ago.

The secret of swimming enjoyment, whether in pool or sea, is to grit your teeth and not flail out for shore within seconds of getting into the water.

However, it's now official.  Wait out that two minutes ...

Those songs that play with your head!

Hi there

And what about those songs that you just cannot get out of your head?  You might hear a tune over breakfast radio and for the rest of the day that piece of music is with you.  Annoyingly with you.  Rolling around in your head.  Sometimes for several days.  Maybe for years.

When I first started work as a teen, a friend in the typing pool would always sing or hum "Stupid Cupid" when she was stressed or annoyed (V, I think you'll be reading this?). We others in the room always knew to steer clear of her at these times, otherwise we would be indoctrinated, too.

Another friend often has in her head a Russian tune that she learnt years ago.   After a couple of minutes in the sea, my swimming mate, J, tends to frequently break out into "... the nearest thing to heaven".

Me?  I only have to hear a snippet of the chorus of "We're All In This Together" from the movie and stage show "High School Musical", and I can't get rid of it from my mind for hours.  And hours.  And hours -