November 28, 2020

Pandemically Challenged


Photo by Carin Ingalsbe. Iron Mt, another beautiful spot.

First of all, a belated Happy Thanksgiving to you all. It was one, I believe, that many of us will never forget, as we continue to be pandemically challenged. I love this term, that I've borrowed from someone who I am in a relationship with. You'd think it would be all over the web but when I googled it, I hardly found any mention of it which surprised me.

Recently I celebrated the one year anniversary of fracturing my 5th vertebrae, trying to move a stackable washer & dryer. I know :-( But I am well healed with the help of my great chiropractor, CARMEN GOULET and committing to strengthening my core thank goodness.

Secondly, I've been continuing to swim at beautiful WALDEN POND, where I have been swimming since early May, because of pool closings. The only thing is, now the water temperature is struggling to reach 50 degrees. If anyone had told me, before the pandemic hit, that I would ever be swimming in water this cold, I would've said, "Absolutely not!" When my kids were little, they could barely get me in the water, unless it was a steaming hot day. 

And now, this crazy cold water swimming that I am doing...

and LOVING....

(Did I just say that?)

....is crazy good! 

It is scary, euphoric and exciting (with a head-to-toe wetsuit on of course)

And it's made me very curious. I've been going down the rabbit hole and reading all I can about the HEALTH BENEFITS of cold water swimming (and showers), which includes, reducing inflammation.

I don't know how much longer I can do it but I do know this- I don't want it to end.

People swim Walden all winter unless it freezes solid. Last winter, pre-covid, they even cut a swimming channel in the semi-ice, through the middle of the pond. I was like WTF?

But this was before we all became pandemically challenged and changed up our reality. It's interesting how this has happened, for all of us, in different ways, as we continue to gather and instill coping strategies.

I hope this post finds you and your loved ones well. 😘😷😘