I’ve tried two pairs of reading glasses already. They all seem smudged, even if I’ve just cleaned them with a small confidently named ‘Lens Cleaner’. I pick them up, and still can’t see clearly. Is it my eyes? I’m 67 so it might be the beginnings of some debilitating eye condition like Judi Dench. She’s at Specsavers all day, on the recorded message answerphone, she won’t talk to you though. I expect someone employed her after seeing the film scene in Marigold Hotel when she was telling the call centre staff about digestive biscuits in an attempt to get them to be interested in their clients. I still I can’t be sure I can see the screen clearly. Shall I zoom in, change the font or move the computer? I don’t know, never mind, I’m sitting writing which is a start. Only 132 words though, it’s like morning pages looking inside my head to see what’s there. Nothing much today.
I’ve had a really excellent beginning to the day though. It started with a swim in the sea. If I swim in the morning it sets me up and puts me into a good mood for the rest of the day. I don’t know a swim is on, until I wake up. I have a routine.
Wake up about 6.30am. Pull up the blind, look out of the window to check the trees for wind and sky for weather, sunny, no wind, good. Check the tide on Imray Tidal App, it shows the curve of the tide with depth and times. I like two hours before or after high and high if it’s neaps. This morning it’s high at 8.30am so perfect to go. I have a bag of swimming kit ready. Towel, towelling robe, goggles, hat, neoprene shoes and gloves. I get into my costume – nicknamed Captain Webb because it’s long with shorts onto my thighs – gorgeous. Baggy tracksuit bottoms, blue soft inside with drawstring and pockets. T-shirt and sweatshirt. Today my dark blue Octopus one, it’s thick soft and warm with a joined-hand pouch type pocket at the front, then blue non itchy woolly hat, my ears are the first to feel cold. Pull on neoprene feet, they are tight so I sit down to get them on. It’s getting into spring so the sea is still cold. No wind becomes crucial. ..Don’t hesitate, just go. Out of the back door, down the garden, out of the gate, down the lane, cross the main road, up the bank, over the shingle; the sea. It’s empty not even a dog walker. Pause. No don’t pause, go. Choose a groyne, hang bag, towel out ready, robe out ready, clothes off, today neoprene gloves and hat on. Pause. No don’t pause, go. Walk to the edge, first sense of the cold sea, pause, deep breath, walk, deeper, go on, deeper, plunge in. Shout, smile, laugh, scream… it is COLD. Keep moving, keep breathing, keep going as the shock eases. Swim, shout, smile, laugh, scream. It’s fantastic, it’s SO cold and it’s wonderful.
© susy orton 2021
sue orton | gathering threads 