Splash, bang, wallop

I think the most fun times I have ever had have involved water. On Saturday my husband, two children and I went to one of my best friend's daughter's 8th birthday party (keep up) in a swimming pool. There was a giant inflatable assault course in the middle of the pool. The children attacked the giant floaty thing with gusto and laughter and as it turned out with great elegance.

I watched as they bounced onto the float, over and under, quick as leaping flames and scrambled efficiently by each obstacle, weaving in and out and then a big jump over open water for their final reward, scaling a small mountain and down the slide into the deep. Gosh it looked fun.

So much so that I just couldn't resist. I asked the lifeguard if grown-ups could do it. She looked at me and said "Sure you can have a go". She was a wise lifesaver because she knew I couldn't do it. I tentatively jumped onto the float and it wobbled. And I soon realised that I couldn't do this elegantly in a swimsuit when you are 47 and have had two children. But I didn't care - I was having fun. The other parents cheered me on. I managed somehow to get to the jumping bit. My husband shouted encouragement from the pool "Just launch yourself, Virginia". And so I did. And so I splattered without decorum into the deep water. And so I came up laughing. Of course,  I started a trend: my husband, my friend's husband, another mum and another mum all launched themselves. They all splattered hilariously into the deep until another Dad showed us the way. We may be heavier, we may be dafter but we have longer legs than 8 year olds and our saviour taught us to grab hold and stride over that gap.  I was able to go home having conquered the giant inflatable.

I remembered then all the fun times in the garden paddling pool at 88, swimming in the sea in Scotland, relaxing in the deep blue sea in Greece, plunging into cold streams in Derbyshire (yes it can be fun), swimming in lidos, shooting wet my loved ones with water pistols. Gosh I hope this summer is a hot one and the water is warm.