[Rick Lee]

I lost the swimming skill somewhere along the way. I had it when I was a kid, we had a 12' deep pool when I lived TX, even had a solar heater on the roof back in 1980, so a long season. I was swimming with some friends in a lake in Austria about 30 yrs ago and they decided to swim out to an island in the middle. No prob. I started getting tired halfway there, but knew I could make it. But then I'd have to make it back. I was really beat by then. Now I have a pool at home, but it's only about neck deep on me. Three yrs ago I jumped right off a dock at another lake in Austria and it was about 20' deep. There was a rope from the dock and I felt like I always had to be near it or holding onto it.

My folks decided to get me swimming lessons for my next b-day. It's a lot easier to find lessons for kids than for adults. But it worked and I have a lot more confidence now. I was in that lake in Austria again two weeks ago and some of my skills and confidence had atrophied, but it was a lot better than three years ago. I'm sure I'd be better if I had a deep water pool and weren't so used to always being able to stand up in my pool.