We went for a swim today at the new Westenfield pool.  It was just rebuilt from the ground up — a brand new main pool, a kiddie “beach access” pool, new changing facilities, plus lots of bench space and shade.  I love this pool.

We took the girls there for the first swim of the summer.  And this was the first family “free swim” we have done in almost a year.  Both girls are a lot stronger swimmers than a year ago.  Claire can fully swim on her own, even in the deep end.  Molly can swim in short spurts on her own, and loved jumping into the pool from the side.  She did this over and over — just in, and then a short swim of 5 to 10 feet to me.  We had the usual awkwardness of “who has Molly”, and traded off some so Claire and I could go swim in the deep end.  Claire and I pretended to be a dolphin family (pod?) swimming in the deep end.

After a while, though, Molly was shivering.   Then she was turning a little blue.  The pool was too cold!  That is not something we normally even have to consider in Austin in the summer.  But there was poor slightly blue Molly.  She was blue and cold, but she did insist she wanted to stay in the water and swim.  Over her protests, we got her wrapped up in a towel and got home, where the girls put in try, warm clothes and enjoyed a hot chocolate to warm up.  Yes, that’s right. Hot chocolate to warm up in June.  There were no complaints form the kids over that!