Bless me, Bless Me, Bless me.

On Friday, after the 6.30 am swim session, I sneezed all the live long day. I suffer from what I call chlorine poisoning now and again. During most of the year it usually occurs on a Monday, so it was surprising to get an attack at the end of the week. Having made inquiries, I found out that the chemicals, what ever they are, it may not actually be chlorine, I don’t know that for sure, but they are added to the pool water automatically these days.

Maybe I am mistaken but I find that the sneezing fits are worse during the school holidays.

Don’t get me wrong now; I am only too happy for children to learn to swim. It would be negligent for families living in a seaside town not to send their kids for lessons before they let them play on the beach. 

However, parents need to teach the children how to behave and one little rule I was taught as a child was that you must pay a visit to the toilet before you go into the pool to swim and play. Only yesterday I did heard a child tell his parents that he ‘went in the pool’.

I struggle to keep a nose clip on but if you suffer from the chemicals then it is the only option. Stick with it and try to get used to wearing the wretched nose clip at least when the most children are visiting the pool during the school holidays.

It took me most of the day to calm my poor sinuses down and that was a bit of a worry since I knew that I had an interview via Skype with a fitness guru pod-caster from Los Angeles, Robin Legat, who wanted to talk about my experiences starting and pursuing a new sport after passing the age of forty, which in my case came after reaching fifty. We had great fun chatting about my travels and races, both good times and bad.  The talk will be recorded and Robin will let know when it will be available to hear on the internet. The programme is called ‘The Seasoned Athlete’, and that is one thing I most definitely am… Well Seasoned.

Little Chief Yellow Cloud

Holiday makers visiting for a day on the coast,

Windy on the beach but a pool too, we boast

Happily swimming making dad so proud

A little girl and boy in a toweling shroud.

The parental teaching only goes so far

‘Stay at the shallow end, don’t go out too far,

stay where your feet can touch the ground’

The girl did handstands her mummy had found.

Gradually kiddies start to get boulder

Boy and girl both jump from his shoulder

Laughter and giggles, they play for so long

Splashing and squealing and singing a song.

‘Both go with mum’, dad said ‘Down that way’

‘Go to the toilet now and do as I say’

‘No need’ said the boy, ‘I went in the pool’

Did somebody missed out that golden rule?

‘You shouldn’t do that where others can see

Go into the toilet when you need to wee’.

‘Why not’ laughed to boy ever so loud,

;’Cos they will call you Chief Yellow Cloud’!