Update post holiday

Low Tide	05:22 (0.40m)
High Tide	11:41 (2.50m)
Low Tide	17:41 (0.50m)
High Tide	23:52 (2.60m)

Sea temperature: between 7 and 9
Sea conditions: calm, murky with seaweed
Weather: pretty warm and sunny till this morning when the rain arrived 
Joined by: Sara and The Poet, Mertz, Legs, Jo the Artist
Topics of conversation:
Apparently the tone had deteriorated in my absence. Whilst I was away I had 2 messages from The Swimmers to say that it had become quite 'boyzy' without Sara or I to maintain decorum. I'm not sure I brought any higher standards back with me but it has been a lovely few days of swimming since Monday.
I'm so glad to be home, whilst it's great to have a break and do absolutely nothing, it would have been nice to have been able to have a choice, but the weather in Thailand was not conducive to moving, let alone exploring the countryside other than on a moped so that you got a breeze. It was stunning though, so just staying home and staring at the mountains was a good way to spend a couple of weeks. The water in the sea was bath temperature and had I taken my thermometer the start of a Thai Swimming blog would have read:
Sea temperature: 30
Sea conditions: still, shallow, clear with jellyfish 
Weather: 40 degrees with humidity of 80%, tropical storms most nights
The contrast was pretty shocking on Monday, but I'm really back into it and today my body didn't tell me it was time to get out for the first time in ages.

Doing nothing 

There was lots of catching up to do all round, we discussed the prospect of a new beach hut for the swimmers as I have just reached the top of the waiting list and hope to take over a hut that had been owned by a friend of my Mother, which seems right somehow. Mertz joined us on Wednesday as he is home all week recovering from an operation on Tuesday. It was much worse than he expected and I'll be surprised if he is able to drive next week as he has lots of stitches in his shoulder where the basal cell carcinoma was removed, but he is relieved that it's gone regardless of the pain. Legs and Mabel joined us today and Wednesday as DK is away with The Architect and no.1 Son on a trip to Ypres. As always she arrived at 7.30am looking as if she'd walked out of Vogue, whilst Sara and I hopped about trying to change out of soggy costumes/wetsuits and into warm tracksuits and wooly hats, it's always good to be reminded that one should make an effort...! Jo the Artist joined us to, it was so lovely to see her on the beach too, we haven't seen her hear since the autumn when she swam with us and brought her completely original humour with her. She been a bit poorly and not up to the cold but she and Legs carried on walking down the beach as we left, well I say walking but the sun had obviously gotten into their bones and they danced about like new born lambs trying out the springs in their legs! It really is good to be back.

Mabel sitting on an invisible plinth

Sadly the main conversation this week has been the devastating death of Will Smiley, whose parents are friends of all The Swimmers, and Willow and Luna's 'godparents'. His memorial service takes place today and the family have asked for 'no black and no po faces'. He was a Liverpool supporter so the wearing red will be no problem, but it will be a tough day all round, he was a wonderful man and far too young to die at 35. He will be sorely missed.