IT ALL STARTED OUT QUITE SIMPLY BUT...............
The four of us were having a quiet, peaceful lunch when L's dog whined. Poor dog, she had rolled in something rather disgusting and had to have a bath. Now being a golden retriever she doesn't mind water but she didn't understand why she couldn't run through the house dripping and shaking and had to sit in a cage until dry. Trying to make L feel a little guilty about her dog I mentioned that the dog could have dealt with it better if L had taken her swimming and bathed her in the lake. Here it is, April 13th in Maine at a mere 53 degrees. L said, "I'd do that if you'd let me!" I chuckled and told her if she wanted to go swimming I'd take her. She didn't believe me and called my bluff. Then "A" piped up and wanted to go too! I told them I'd take them but they had to promise to go in up to their necks but not put their heads under water! I am, afterall, a cautious mom and didn't want the cold water to get in their ears and make them sick!
On the way we had a freak thunderstorm and when it stopped we were passing a field and saw an incredible rainbow. We stopped to take pictures of it and realized that the end of it was in a field. I was contemplating going onto this private property to find the pot of gold but looking into the field all I could see was a wild turkey! That's the kind of luck I have!
When we got to the lake we were the only ones there! I wasn't really surprised! A man did pull in as I was getting my camera ready and when he realized what the girls were going to do he started laughing. He told me that he comes there everyday after work and that there was ice there two days ago! 'A' ran in to her hip, turned around with a terrified look on her face and ran out saying, "It's freezing, to cold!" She then ran up on the dock and watched 'L'. 'L' went up to her knees and said, "Take my picture!" I told her that wasn't the deal and she went further, bent down and got wet to her neck and stayed there for a few seconds.
THEN as she started coming out 'A' suddenly jumped in off the dock! This would have been fine but she wasn't very deep. It was cold though and they came running out heading for the car and towels when I heard a pitiful sound. She hadn't felt it due to the cold but when she reached the car there was blood pouring down her leg. She had an impressive gash slightly under her knee a couple of inches long! The only things I could find in the car emergency kit was a baby wipe and a sanitary pad! I did remember my grandmother telling me that they were actually originally used on the battlefield for bandages and the nurses at the hospitals found them very useful as 'granny rags' so I grabbed that and wrapped her leg. When we got home I debated whether to deal with it myself and butterfly it or take her to the doctor's . How does one have a child's knee stitched up, showing care for the child, while telling the doctor she did it swimming---in April---in Maine----OUTSIDE? Would "She was jumping and landed on a rock" be deceitful?
All in all the girls are thrilled that they beat their older siblings April 20th ocean swim day and their Dad's April 15, 2006 swim day. " That hasn't happened yet" you say? It will, Dad and uncle are in the canoe race Saturday. It hasn't been cancelled!
All in all it has been an interesting day.
AND........... the girls invited quite a few friends to join them but they all mysteriously had something else to do!!!!!! Even big sister Mel !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! chickens.....