Cold Water

I’ve started jumping into cold water once a week. To be more accurate, I was jumping into lakes and whatnot this summer, and just have managed to keep up the habit. There are supposed to be lots of health benefits to doing this — better circulation, better immune system response and so forth. In addition, it gets you totally stoned. I feel great afterwards, and I love having people look at me like I’m crazy as they walk by with hats and gloves while I peel off down to a bikini and walk in.

I’ve found a nice spot in my local lake. I can walk in quickly up to my waist and then I just bend my knees and dip my head. It’s like a baptism. There’s even a sort of railing that normal people use in the summer to walk into the lake. I keep a hold on it.

Today the water was 13°C/56°F. That’s getting cold, and it was almost night time so it was quite dark. I didn’t stay in very long, only about a minute. I’m a little worried about doing this by myself, but if I had to find a partner or someone to join me, I’d never be able to manage. So I keep my hand on the railing and make sure I’m never in too deep. I keep wondering how long I’ll be able to do this. Will I go if it’s snowing? Will I go if there’s ice to get into the water?

It’s a lovely challenge, though, and every time I go in, I come out feeling like a biggest badass that ever walked the earth. I am woman, hear me roar….with the shock of cold.

All this said, I’ve hesitated putting on Foro’s sweater for the year, but I think he needs it now. We’ve gotten our first snows in my village. A cow deserves his comforts…