Magnolias & Moonpies

Ahhh! Summer Vacation!

The time for slathering coconut-scented suntan lotion liberally over my extremities and lounging by the pool - with a good book, of course - drenching myself in melty sunshine.

This lasted about 10 minutes before tiny beads of sweat began to trickle . . . well, everywhere. Normally when this occurs, I put the book down and jump into the pool to cool off before resuming the aforesaid lounging position.

Today was different.

As hot as it was, the pool was not. I headed to test the water, and I got in as far as my big toe. The temperature was a cool 80 degrees, far too cold for me. Although 80 degrees sounds warm enough, it's not. Keep in mind that the pool was close to 20 degrees cooler than the average body temperature, and I'm pretty sure that had I actually jumped in, hypothermia would've set in within five to ten minutes of entering the water.

Doggone it! I needed a new cooling-off plan.

Heading back to my lounge chair, I spotted my young son donning his swimsuit (okay, so he couldn't find his swim trunks and settled for last year's practice shorts) standing eagerly at the pool's edge.

"Let's go swimming, Momma!"

"You're crazy! That pool's freezing . . ."

SPLASH!

As I sat watching my young son glide effortlessly through the icy water, my mind drifted off to visit my seven-year-old self . . .

I'm not sure which natural (or unnatural) law explains the temperature tolerance disparity between children and adults, but this is a concept that baffles most of us nonetheless. As I continued watching my child frolic unabashedly, I found myself longing for the days when I could spend hours upon hours in the over-chlorinated pool splish-splashing around until my fingers were pruney and not once feeling the effects of the cold.

But at the present moment, I was hot, sweaty, and my hands and feet were beginning to swell. No way was I getting in that pool, so I opted for the next best summer treat: a popsicle.