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In the swim of things

Staying cool is the new challenge.  Maybe on the next blistering hot early afternoon, we should all take off work and sneak in to a nice cool movie theatre to see “An Inconvenient Truth” the new movie about global warming.  When we walk out of the theatre  to face the glaring sun and 100 degree heat,  it’ll feel even weirder than usual. It’ll feel like the world is ending.  Oh, wait,  it apparently is.  When I read recently in the New Yorker that, without some serious change in the way we humans live, there will be countless climatic calamities within 50 years, I was stunned.  All the work, energy and love we have put into raising our children.  For what?  As if brushing your teeth and cleaning your room matters once it reaches 120 degrees Farenheit or so. 

Maybe a good swimming hole would help. Over in Madera Gardens, they’re swimming in the lagoon to stay cool.  Clyde Marquart says the water is fine, but he did not say “come on in.”  I tried to get him to let me invite the whole town over for a swim.  He said no, but I think he’s thinking about it. Meantime, I need to hear from you if you know of any decent nearby “swimming holes.” 

This is one thing California doesn’t do so well.  Anything good enough to swim in we have to drink instead.

There is one place some of us moms used to take our kids every year the week after school got out.  It’s a little pair of lakes called Blue Lakes, just a couple of hours north of here in Lake County. We stayed at a lodge of sorts called the Narrows,  located right between the two lakes.  The water is deep and clear and cool, perfect for swimming because no speed boats are allowed, so the kids could swim back and forth all day long to a big rope swing on the other side of the lake.   The little motel rooms with kitchenettes and the cabins were a good bargain too.  But there were a couple of drawbacks:  The trucks roar by all day long on highway 20, right across the lake, and well, to be honest, we didn’t really fit in there.  We moms needed a few more tattoos and piercings, and we really should have had a beer and a cigarette in hand at all times.  Our kids didn’t swear nearly enough, and we really should have made them get those nifty trailer park haircuts before we went.  When the folks found out we were from Marin, they would have liked to toss us out.  We should have just said we were from Indiana. We should have worn a Budweiser tee shirt. We should have bought
the darn place out from under them and maybe we still will.

So we’re looking for a new swimming hole. Can’t be a pool, must be a naturally occurring place where you can really swim a nice, long distance.  A nice big swim dock, no speed boats, and a rope swing would make it ideal. 

Actually even a decent pool would be good enough.  The Redwood High School pool, which is slated for replacement and expansion, has been closed more often than not so far this swim season.  Most recently the boiler went out, and the Tidalwaves  Swim Team (which won a very exciting meet against the Terra Linda Orcas last week) has been practicing up at Marin Academy’s pool.  It’ll be great to get the new pool built, and I hope they’re working fast. Imagine how good our local swim team kids will be once they have a great pool, one where they are actually allowed to practice diving off the blocks?  Go Tidalwaves!

When I asked Clyde, (who I am guessing is about age 70 or so) whether he was worried about global warming, he said “Well, I don’t think it’s going to be my problem.” I’m not sure about that Clyde. I think you’ll be around for at least another 50 years!

Clyde and Kitty, who are Corte Madera Beautification Committee co-chairs (their names just sound like a country and western singing duo) are busy now getting Clyde’s truck ready for the July 4th parade.  Be sure to shout out “happy birthday” to Kitty, who was born on the 4th of July.  Kitty does have a last name. But to me she is like Madonna. She is so cool and famous she doesn’t need one.

Be sure to come by Town Park after the parade and stop by for a hotdog and a beer from the Lions Club, right behind the Rec Center.  They do a lot of good deeds with the money they raise.  And I think the Women’s Club is still planning to sell cotton candy in the park this year.  And do put the Luau (August 26) and Oktoberfest (October 14th) on your calendar. 

See you on the 4th!   Let’s celebrate how responsibly our country is stepping up to the global warming and other environmental problems.  In our dreams.

Neighbor Pat

Corte Madera

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