Staying afloat on an achy Sunday

Last Sunday I felt like death warmed over. I was nursing a chest cold, you know the type where coughing brings tears to your eyes it's so painful? All I wanted to do was stay in bed and die.

But something was preventing me from remaining under the covers all hopped up on cold medication. Sunday was my 5-year-old daughter's final swimming lesson. She had to go to the pool, blow bubbles, float on her back and dip her head in the water in order to earn her Sea Turtle badge. She couldn't do that without me however because her mother doesn't do pools. Heather has always been more than happy to watch from the gallery but ask her to participate in the water at the Sea Turtle level and she's gone, outta here, vanished, poof!

No matter what I said Heather remained adamant that she was not going to this final swimming lesson. It was all up to me.

Bronwyn with  her Sea Turtle badge.

So I sucked up some courage, threw back some cough syrup and went up to Legends Centre with Bronwyn. I dreaded the chills I knew I was in for after we got out of the pool. Those suck most days but when you're already shaking before submerging yourself in the water you know it's going to be bad when you get out.

Dressed for the pool, or undressed you might say considering the scant warmth a bathing suit provides, we headed to the pool deck. As we walked out into the waiting area the class before us was scrambling to get out of the water. Wet kids and parents with concerned looks on their faces brushed by me making me shake even more. What was wrong? Did somebody yell shark?

As it turned out a child in the class was feeling even worse than I was and threw up in the pool. The earlier class was cancelled and ours was over before it even started. The swimming instructor handed out the Sea Turtle badges and Bronwyn was thrilled to pass. I was happy for her because she's really tried hard over the past six weeks. But more than that I was happy for myself because I didn't have to go in the water!

Bronwyn got changed in record time and we went home to show Mom her new Sea Turtle badge. I went straight back to bed and mumbled to Heather she could present me my Father of the Year award once I felt better. I hope that day arrives sooner rather than later!