Weekend Musings ~Buddies are the Best

 I can hardly believe how long it has been since I added to my blog. I often open a tab, create a new post, and watch the blinking cursor tempting me to type something. But it blinks in vain. I sit there, my mind blank. Mind you, it is not blank any other time. In fact, I have written many a great post in my head while laying in bed at 1am or 2am, after a 2 or 3 hour nap on the couch. But the minute the cursor blinks, great words and ideas disappear.

I wrote this blog many months ago, but never thought it was quite ready to post. Plus, I had to ask my friend if I could post her picture. We had both been so busy we didn't get to talking about that, or even swimming much. But here this is, I am sharing now because I finally asked and she said sure! The sad part is, we were chatting because she is moving away. And I said, "NO!!! - What will I do without my Swim Buddy!?!? Oh, by the way I have this blog....."

So much like the original night I wrote this, I am sitting here on a Sunday night, thinking how I SHOULD have gone for a swim this weekend. I have been busy studying and writing a paper, I really could have used a break from that. But I just kept studying and writing and studying. (I am taking a test to get HR Certification *(SHRM) and also taking an ILM class (ILM) so this along with a full time job leaves little time for anything else. 

But, as my buddy is leaving I thought I should get this posted. Buddies are important! It shouldn't take them leaving to let them know this! So, thanks Buddy. I will miss you. Here is what I wrote.

Sometime many months ago.....

So here I am tonight, a quiet Sunday night, sitting here bored with the usual distractions. I open my blog. I hear rain hitting the roof, enjoying the end of this gray and rainy daylight. And I think about the best part of the weekend, other than the sounds I am hearing now. 

Then I realize what made this weekend good. It was not a busy weekend, I didn't accomplish a lot. But I did swim, and I re-discovered the joy of a swim buddy. Which, of course, led me to realize that buddies are the best! Or, I should say, often bring out the best in us. 

I actually didn't even know Swim Buddy was 'a thing'. Well, it is in Canada, but maybe we should set these up all over! A swim buddy, a walk buddy, a run buddy, a snorkel buddy. I do realize a swim buddy does not necessarily have to be a human...of course you can have a floaty as a swim buddy. But a human adds so much more. Actually, do a few searches and this idea is not new, check out openswimming.com! 

View Before the Swim

We even talked about this, how great it was to have someone to swim with, my swim buddy and I. Because, as mentioned above, this morning looked like rain, for sure. In fact, it poured buckets while we were swimming! But, we both totally loved it! AND we both agreed we would have opted out of swimming if it weren't for the other. On our own, we would have opted out, said 'nah, not today because, well, the rain....'. But because we had each agreed to meet, at 9am no less, we both discovered how awesome it is to swim in the pouring rain!

We also went father than we did yesterday! Yesterday was our first swim meet-up. We both said how it motivated us to swim better, more consistent, faster even. Today, we decided to go a bit further, making it to the 1-mile mark. It was harder today, we blame being tired from yesterday. But also, for some reason the first day back is always better than the second, right? You feel good that first day, glad you are out there doing it. The second day, well the thrill is gone, you are going through the motions somewhat. And if it wasn't for each other, neither one of us would have been there today. 

So many thoughts I had about the swim, my this buddy listened to all, I listened to her thoughts as well. It was so great to have conversations with someone other than myself about my swims...(Okay, has it been that long since I had a friend?!) Still, the workout totally did not feel like a workout. 

I know, I say that every time. But it is true. Even more so with a swim buddy. I wonder if she will want to travel...I saw an open water even in Cuba.....Maybe that is too much to ask, at this point....

Moral of the story? Find your self a buddy. 

Alas, the open water swim in Cuba is long over, and my Buddy is leaving in a few weeks. We promised to get a last swim in together, it will be my first swim since the 2022 Flowers Sea Swim, which I did write about but haven't posted yet. I hope we really get to do it. We should have done it more. I still may ask if she will travel for a swim.....