Ahh, I got to swim today. First time in several months. During the summer, with all the kids out of school, I give up on swimming laps. Then there was the annual pool maintenance, which closed it for another month.

I love to swim. I feel very comfortable in the water. Swimming is almost meditative for me. To swim in the tropical atmosphere of our gym's pool, with all the sunlight coming in those walls of windows, is wonderfully calming. I have to admit that it's somewhat surreal to be looking out those windows when it's the middle of winter and the snow is flying outside.

Tonight, though, my long-dormant swimming muscles are starting to complain. Will the remedy be ibuprofen or smelly Icy Hot?