Skip to main content

The Pool And Then Other, More Important Stuff

Today was one of the hottest, most humid days so far this summer here in Iowa.  Pretty unbearable, really, until I decided to take my two youngest kids to the local pool. The first time I go every year always gives me pause because I'm really looking at two things: swimsuits and tattoos and the trends I might notice in each.

If I were to write about my own personal history of swimsuits, it would be very simple: no bikinis, two maternity swimsuits, a host of forgettable one-pieces, a MiracleSuit, and then in my 30s, I began to wear the Lands' End look popular for many, many mothers across the nation:

Thank you, Lands' End.  She is lovely.
Don't get me wrong, this is a cute outfit.  I love the color and paisley is one of my favorite patterns.  The straps are adjustable for comfort, and the underwire supports big boobs. The bright pattern distracts from the baby pooch leftovers, and the comfy shorts provide upper thigh coverage so that a.) other swimmers don't see upper thigh stretch marks and b.) I don't have get a bikini wax.

And for the past decade, this type of suit was enough for me.

And then I turned 40, and I don't know what the hell happened.  Maybe it's because I started a little bit of running, maybe I'm not as embarrassed about my upper thighs, maybe it's because I just don't care anymore.  Whatever the case, this year's suit was a definite departure.  For the first time in many years, I ordered a suit that did not come with adjustable straps, an underwire bra, and shorts or a swimskirt.  For the first time in many years, I had to pay attention to my bikini line.

Right?!

No, not me.  Some hot model at ModCloth.com.
This is what I wore to the pool today. And I admit, I loved it!  It's not really a suit that makes me feel sexy, per se, but I feel glamorous in it.  I feel like a 1930's throwback, and I dig that.  So, hurrah for a new pool look this year.

Now, the trends.  Lots of skin, lots of bikinis.  Yes, naturally, the teens and non-moms do the two-piece thing, but there are also a fair amount of moms who happen to have the body for a bikini.  And they are doing it.  They're also doing it without farmer tans, so I think there's a bit of artificial tanning that goes along with wearing a two-piece to the pool.  

Tattoos?  About the same.  Everyone has them.  I didn't see any new or unusual tat placements this year.

There's my yearly pool assessment.  Done.

Oh, before I forget, a couple of new developments around here in our neck of the woods:

1. We sold our camper.  We'd had it for nearly ten years, and hadn't taken it out in the last two.  So, maybe that phase of our life is over...but hopefully not forever.

2. And oh, yeah, we bought a food truck.  So, there's that.





Comments

Popular posts from this blog

(She) Blinded Me With...Citrus

Excuse my attempt at tying today's blog entry with an iconic Thomas Dolby song.  What a terrible pun-ishment. Har har har. So, we're on the backside of Winter Vacation/Christmas Break/Holiday Hiatus here.  The kids return to school tomorrow, the freshman and I start back to our respective colleges next Monday. The clock is ticking and suddenly, I am whipped into frenzy to Get Work Done.  I suspect this phenomenon happens to many, many educators who try to avoid that panic-stricken night before they go back to work. And believe me when I say, I had the deepest, most earnest of intentions to write lesson plans, write quizzes, and generally prepare for the restart of my classes next week.  Like, really. And then...I was distracted by...citrus.  This happened. Okay, so....the lemons on the far right are no big deal.  They're available year-round.  But Meyer lemons...MEYER...I only find around here in the winter.  I first read about them i...

Girl Friends Are Great!

About a year and a half-ish ago, I stumbled into a parent organization called Choir Boosters.  Just about every learning institution in America has one (or several).  If there's a sport or activity, there are parents who want to be involved because their kid's in it. My daughter, who was a freshman at the time, joined her high school's choir.  Actually, she was asked to join the elite Chamber Choir, and for the first time in my parenting history, I had a child in an organization with a booster club I wanted to join.  My oldest son, who is two years older, participates in minimal activities, and not any with booster clubs, so no chances there.  Until now... A very pleasant side benefit of doing this "stuff for my kids" is that I've grown close with a few of the other women, so much so that when our big fundraiser was done in December, we wanted to keep getting together. Thus, the Mad Moms (our big fundraiser is called a Madrigal Dinner..."Mad...

In Which I Suspect I Have Latent Tendencies...Much Like The Hulk, Or Similar

I find in most normally functioning families, the members have a distinguishing role or legacy or skill of some kind. Like, he's the smart one.  Or, he's the religious one.  Or...she's the glue that helps the fam together.  Or, she's the savvy one, so she's the Power of Attorney. In my family, that system went something like this: My dad was The Dad.  Cantankerous, crotchety, and especially tight with daughters' curfew times.  Also, not a fan of driving in Big Cities. My mom was the long-suffering, patient, reserved one. My brother was the baby, the one who got away with murder, the namesake, and also, Frosty Hoarder. Me?  My legacy?  The Ruiner of Remote Controls.  No lie.  Although I've repressed the memories, my parents claim I destroyed at least two remotes in my tenure as Child Under The Roof.  Remote #1: milk spillage; Remote #2: applesauce spillage. So, now you see why my younger brother was the favorite. Anyway, t...