Swimming with the Fishes (Or the Frogs...)

My life is drastically different now than it was 2-3 years ago.  Since Emmalyn was born, I've noticed some very odd things about myself.  I've decided that I've turned crazy, but my dear husband thinks that I've always been crazy and I don't hide it as well as I used too.  

I'm not throwing the crazy term around loosely either, just so you guys know.  I mean I am starting to have serious anxiety/fears about (sometimes) stupid things....

Such as swimming with frogs....

Image Courtesy of a Handy Google Image Search

I've mentioned a few times that I run, and you see, that's really a lie.  I pretend to run.   I usually do more walking, and I hate it.  My preferred summer exercise is swimming.

It's perfect for me because I hate to sweat.  I hate being hot.  It's a period of time where no one can bother me.  It's amazingly peaceful under water.  I can't even listen to music.  I spend a lot of time in the water alone with my thoughts.  It's good for me.  It allows me to work through things in my head.

I swim in my dad's pool.  The location is good; the price is right.  My dad was out of town for a bit, so I was house-sitting.  One of the things involved in house sitting is fishing things out of this pool.

These items typically include leaves, bugs, and frogs.  One time, I even fished a swimsuit out of the pool.  That's a story for another day.  I've never been a big fan of frogs, but right now, they really skeeve me out.

During my first house sitting swim,  I did all my fishing prior to my swim.  A few leaves, a few bugs, and one ugly toad.  When I fished him out, I thought he was dead.  As soon as he hit that net,  he got back in that frog position.....

And I carried him in the net (attached to a 10 foot pole) to the edge of the woods and set him free.  

During my next swim,   I walked around the pool for a few minutes before hand with my trusty net (and the 10 foot pole, of course).  I fished out a few leaves and a few bugs.  I walked all around the pool looking carefully for frogs, and I saw none.

I started my laps, and just as I was about to hit my third turn, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye.

There....swimming next to me.....was a frog.  

I, a twenty something adult, with two small children, screamed under water.  I thrashed and hauled ass right out of that pool.  

After that, I calmly and rationally threw a small temper tantrum, retrieved my net and my 10 foot pole and fished the frog out of the pool.  

I finished my swim, but I never really felt relaxed.  The next day, I was needing that fix,  I headed out to the pool and carefully checked for frogs all around the pool.  

The frog was much nicer to me during that third swim.  He let me get 16 minutes, or about 22 laps in, before I caught that familiar movement out of the corner of my eye.  You'll be happy to know that I didn't scream under water this time, but the jerk swam up into the skimmer and teased me.  He sat right on the edge of the door to the swimmer, so I stood outside the pool and waited. 

and waited...

and waited...

And then I decided that I was being foolish.  I needed to finish this swim.   I got back in the pool and swam to laps with my head above water, you know, in case that old toad decided to attack.  

He finally came out and I removed him with my trusty net, and finished my swim.    I was so excited when my dad returned so I could relinquish frog fishing duty back to it's rightful person.