Jenna and I drove up to her best friend's grandparent's place in Big Canoe today. We climbed the twisty mountain roads for what seemed like forever, two minivans with two impatient little girls traveling caravan style. All the while I couldn't stop looking around, then back to the road just in time to keep from careening off a tight edge.
A tornado came through Big Canoe not too long ago. What amazed me was that you could still see the paths it cut through the woods, trees gone or split so far down at the roots, some completely uprooted, that the destruction took my breath away. I wish I had taken the camera with me. But to be honest, I didn't know what to expect at Big Canoe. I guess I expected... well.... a big canoe and a lake.
In fact, Big Canoe is l-i-v-i-n-g. It sort of made me hanker for a real job and a 401-K plan. I walked through the fitness facility, the indoor pool, swam in the saline-filtered (with MINERAL water) outdoor pool, took the kids to a flat area where they could ride scooters, watched them build sandcastles on the beach, tromped around in the lake, watched folks canoe and ride paddle boats. And I'm thinking, some people get to do this EVERY day. What the heck must that be like?
This saline filtration thing they've got going on now in the world of pools is truly amazing. The water has the bouyancy of the sea. It's crystal clear, clean, and it doesn't sting your skin or eyes at all. An honest confession that you probably wouldn't believe: Today I opened my eyes for the very first time under water. Yes, it's true. I've been swimming with my eyes closed my whole life. Chlorine always hurt my face and eyes so badly that I never dared open them.
I saw a sign with the name of the filtration system on it: Chlor-King, and of course, since a website was listed, I had to come back and spread the news. In this saline mineral water stuff, you can open your eyes and it actually feels g-o-o-d. soothing. Your bathing suit doesn't get all smelly-crummy, and your skin feels like you've come from the spa (like I know what that's like. ha.) Smooooth and silky.
I am hooked. Could easily become addicted.
Now, where'd I put that darn lottery ticket.
