More on Being a Mermaid

An Ocean on Land

Yesterday, while at my local pool, I noticed something familiar.

I like to dive deep into the water and swim beneath the surface - it's the mermaid in me I guess.  Just beneath the surface you can escape what I call "pool buzz," where people big and small are splashing and screaming and dishing out the latest gossip.  I love the water and the quiet - swimming for me is the most peaceful thing you can do - ever.

While I swam from one end of the pool to the other underwater, navigating kicking kids and entwined lovers and people jumping into the water feet first like torpedoes, I noticed myself smiling in a way I haven't felt for almost a year.  I was happy.

I noticed something else, my eyes weren't itchy when I surfaced, as they usually are due to my allergy to chlorine.  It's a bearable allergy, and even if it weren't, I would still endure it because the price of not being able to swim would be too high a price for me to pay.

I licked my lips, and didn't taste chlorine either, but still the taste was familiar.  It wasn't like the ocean - salty like a good margarita.  It wasn't tasteless either, but it was familiar.  I had felt this once before while swimming in a lakeside pool in South Carolina - a beautiful spot that I'll never forget.  It was the commercial version of a salt water pool.

Mermaids are very happy in salt water.  It not only attracts the Sun, giving your skin a nice glow, it makes your hair plump up like a super model who has spent hours in the stylist's chair and it's a far better feeling than swimming through a pool of chemicals that ruin your best suits or bleach your hair.  It makes me happy that even though my apartment complex leaves a lot to be desired, they had the good sense to switch from chlorine to salt. 

Well, I hope you're not disappointed that there were no sexual overtones to this post. Although if you use your imagination, the idea of meeting a mermaid could be hot, especially if she were the kind of mermaid who upon becoming beached, transforms into a leggy, bikini-clad girl with a thirst for adventure.

I just wanted to share my feel-good feeling with you - the feeling I get when I'm swimming (which is right up there with the feeling I get when I'm getting wet while playing on land).  It's not quite the same, but equally as pleasing.

I won't be around much today - time for more fun in the sun and a trip to my friend's pool to celebrate another birthday.  I'm not quite sure why we celebrate birthdays and the whole getting older thing, but it is a great excuse to get away from work, have fun, goof-off and if we're lucky, graciously accept gifts and well-wishes. 

I'm sure while I'm out with my girlfriends though that we'll share some stories about our latest dating escapades, which can sometimes be translated into a good story and maybe into a fun role-play.  So if you think about it - you benefit by my absence.  Plus, I come back to NF feeling refreshed, renewed and very, very happy - and that can benefit you as well.  Win-win.

Sorry if I missed you this morning, but as you know, I'll be back soon.  Also, I'll be posting my new schedule for the coming week either tonight or tomorrow (you know that means tomorrow), and I hope you find time in your schedule where we can come together.

Ciao for now.
xxo Ashley