OK, so if you know me you know I'm not a huge fan of water. Oh, I love ships and cruises and I don't mind being in the water on my own. But having seen two drownings (one fatal) in my life, I do not find it a place of . . comfort.
At times, I find it a place of great anxiety.
But I love Lisa, and she loves water, and she had a blast kayaking with the kids earlier in the summer. So on September, while the lake was still open for the season, I sucked it up and joined her on Foxbrook Lake.
Yes, yes, laugh all you want. The mandated life preserver was too small by an amusing degree and I looked the fool. Chances are if the kayak tipped it would have helped about as much as a cotton ball in my pocket. But again - mandated by the rental place.
I will not lie, teeter tottering on a kayak above "deep" - aka well over my head - water with a faulty life preserver did not soothe my anxiety. For a good portion of the hour on the lake, fear nibbled at my mind.
That did NOT mean I gave into that anxiety. Sometimes, often actually, you have to shove it aside and just do the needful.
As you can see, I quickly mastered the paddle stroke and spent the hour traveling around the lake, extending into the middle of it and for a time considered venturing to the other shore.
It was, I must admit, fun, and a decent workout. Plus Lisa was very pleased with me, and "happy wife = happy life."
We didn't get a chance to go again in the limited time left in the season, but I'm sure we will next year.
