Back at the Aquatic Center's Pool

We started going to one of the county's aquatic centers about a half year ago.

We found tossing and turning and even swimming, any things to use those muscles moving in the water really helps those joints and muscles.  The water is a gentle polite resistance.

We were going about 6:30 in the morning and there were very few people in the pool we used - a freewheeling pool not with teams or organized exercise with a leader.  It is  just a do your own thing pool. 

Every morning the pool had from normally 0 (until we arrived) to 5.  We that go that early in the morning are mostly retired.  Not only do you get your body circulating but you get to socialize some - something like talk at work on a coffee break or a country store.

Because of an operation Anna and I took a leave of absence from the pool for about a month.  We bought passes good for a year.  The good part about a year pass, when you know you are going to be out for a week or so you can freeze your account and it will start back when you start back and that will add time to the expiration date.  That is what we did.

Yesterday we returned to the pool.  We did not go in the morning like we have been but chose the afternoon time slot.

It was a different world.  A lot of people were there.  I think there were about 4 or 5 swim-teachers with swim students.  Several people were there for medical therapy.  Those left by wheel chair or walker and only about four or five were doing what we are used to doing in the morning - exercise some and run your mouth some while also exercising.  But all those added up which made it crowded, compared to what we were used to, anyway.

Also, there were several rubber toys floating.

Three of the lifeguards welcomed us back and said they missed us.   Which delighted us to hear that.  One of the guards we were unsure if he even knew we existed.

We got to know the life guards personalities pretty well over the six or so months.  Because of their rotation system.  There are two big Olympic pools with lanes and all, and our pool, which I jokingly call the baby pool.  This calls for three lifeguards at all times.  I guess to break the boredom the lifeguards rotate every 15 minutes.  Or as I jokingly say, "they relieve each other". 

Another thing about the lifeguards.  We have been three times in the day time in the past months.  From what I observed some of them have sort of a part time job, as a one on one swimming teacher, mostly to young children.  Yesterday one guard who has always been nice and jovial went into the water near where I was doing my exercise and said something nice, I forgot what.  He was swimming around and one time I looked up and saw him waving at me.  I waved back.  He looked frustrated.  He shook his head and said in body language, "Not you!"  and he pointed up behind me at the side of the pool.  I looked around and a little preschooler were jumping into the pool.  His student had arrived.