Dear Lifeguard,
We spent the entire holiday weekend at the Aiken camp in North Hero. It was HOT, and, yes, we did get to do some swimming... obviously!
I should clarify "hot" and mention that being on the lake does cool things down considerably. And the breeze coming out of the south all weekend was so refreshing! But Gladys and I made many forays down to the beach for swimming, sniffing, and exploring.
One difference between Gladys and me that has come to light since her arrival in the family is how she handles water. Clearly, we both have Lab in our ancestry: just look at our heads, fur, and noses. But where I have inherited the typical "water-dog" traits -- the webbed paws, the fur that, like Gore-tex, repels water, and a buoyancy that makes swimming easy -- Gladys is the opposite. First off, when she gets in over her head, her tendency is to sink. You should see her dog-paddling like crazy just to stay afloat! You have me, pretty much just paddling every now and then for steering purposes while she is cranking her front feet to keep her head above water! Then when we get out, I shake once, and I'm pretty much dry. Gladys is sopping wet for hours! She drips like a wet cat, for crying out loud! No matter how much she shakes, she keeps dripping. Alison sometimes has to wipe her down with a towel.
This isn't saying she doesn't like the beach. Gladys munched on several dead fish, sniffed all the smells, and wades in quite willingly. I don't doubt we'll log many more hours down there. But, for now, I'm thanking my lucky stars for my good swimmer's genes.
Oscar
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