Waterworld

Photo from www.poolenvy.com

It is going to be 40 degrees here today. We have already got to 35, so 40 will probably come by mid-afternoon. Outdoors is somewhere best visited briefly as the sun tracks my every move and I scour the ground, wondering if a snake lurks amongst the grass. Up to about 32, the sunshine is encouraging, a cheerful ally. But most Australians acknowledge that 40 is a bit beyond the pale (literally) and best sheltered from.

It is, however, a beautiful time for a dip in the pool. We went to the local pool this morning as soon as it opened and already a queue had formed. But everyone fanned out into their own lanes and it was lovely to bob about in the cool and soothing world of the water. I have never been a strong swimmer - or indeed much of a swimmer at all - but in my new spirit of enjoying things as much as I can, I've found that there are some things in summer that are not so bad at all.