Swimming At Last!
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The weather’s finally been good enough to go for a swim in the river. It’s not exactly warm in the water, but it’s pleasant enough.
I managed to have a decent swim four days in a row, from Sunday to Wednesday. Wednesday was borderline and if it had been any colder i wouldn’t have gone in. But yesterday it was cold and rainy, so i didn’t even think about swimming. High tide’s getting a bit late now, anyway – it was about half past eight yesterday evening. Although an hour and a half before high tide’s ok, if you don’t mind wading through a little bit of mud to get to the water – which is what i did on Wednesday!
Anyway, i felt much better for having had a bit of a swim this week. My flu’s pretty much gone now, too!
Until Sunday, it had been over six months since the last time i’d been in the water. That was at Suffolk Park, before i left Australia at the end of November, which seems like another lifetime now! 
Last Saturday, my employment history took a turn for the weirder – which is very difficult, because it was pretty damn weird already! I went along to a party in Fambridge to learn how to be a pig carver. An old friend of mine runs a “hog roast” business and they need someone else to work for them. I can’t say it’s the career i’ve always dreamt of, but it’s only occasional work and it’s in a different place every time.
They generally just provide a whole pig on a spit, for parties, weddings, corporate events, etc. But sometimes they go to festivals and other events and sell to the public. Tomorrow i’ll be working at some kind of festival in Brentwood.
Overall, the money’s going to be pretty insignificant, but Hilary needs someone to work for her and it’ll get me out and about a bit. It’s a reasonable antidote to the computer-based work i’m doing the rest of the time.
Here’s a picture of our beach hut on the seawall at Heybridge Basin – where i go swimming. On the right of the picture, you can see some houses overlooking the water – that’s where i grew up.
6 Responses to “Swimming At Last!”
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You mad bugger! I wouldn’t go near the north sea at this time of year for a dip brrrr!
The med’s even too cold for me now, and the river cèze is just warm enough to put my toes in after all the rain we’ve been having recently. Although Marleine likes a dip now and then, but she’s only eight and doesn’t feel the cold yet!
A vegan pig carver???
Ah, but it’s not the North Sea, mate. It’s the River Blackwater. And there’s a big difference. If it’s a sunny day and the tide’s fairly late, the sun heats up the mud and then the mud heats up the water. Even if it’s not sunny, it’s several degrees warmer than the North Sea!
And je suis pas un vegan any more – and haven’t been for some years now! I even eat meat these days – although not pig (or chicken). Yuk!
well, it’s still not as warm as the med ay?
I eat meat sometimes aswell but why do I always feel guilty after doing so?
No, it’s not as warm as the Arafura Sea, either. But there’s not quite as many crocodiles though!
I’m afraid i can’t answer your question. I’ve never seen much point in guilt, myself. I remember thinking about the subject and rejecting it as stupid when i was about 12. If you don’t think you should be doing something, don’t do it. If you’re going to do it then there’s no point thinking you shouldn’t be, is there?
Ah, wouldn’t life be great if we always did what we know we should do? I feel guilty when some crap pops out of my mouth and offends someone that I didn’t mean to offend. (I don’t feel guilty when I shout at innocent motorists who get in my way – even if they do later turn out to be someone I know, it’s just a way of letting off steam.)
I think ‘heats up the water’ is putting it a bit strongly!!!
Well, it thaws it a bit anyway!