Splish, Splash I Was Takin' A Bath

Spruce Flats Falls - GSMNP

November 12, 2010

For some unknown reason, Mr. B and I have always been drawn to "mentoring" or "spiritual journey" relationships with the early 20's age group.  He, eventually, became a college professor and turned his calling into a full time job.  I, on the other hand, have kept these relationships one-on-one and have been humbled by the fact that they seem drawn to me as well.  We can only attribute this to the fact that our early twenties as naive newlyweds, were some of the happiest years of our lives and it seems so much has changed for this age group.  Things that were clearly wrong for us are considered the "norm" now and I won't even get started on how technology has changed everything!   I just love today's picture which I took last Friday on a hike to my favorite (pretty much unknown) waterfall in the GSMNP.  The young lady in the upper left corner is a dear friend who has just endured a painful breakup with a young man whom she thought was the ONE.  She is a gorgeous young woman with a heart for God, but life has dealt her some curveballs that would make your ears curl.  In dealing with these "issues," her neediness probably drove the BF away and she recognizes that, but it makes it no less painful.  I watched her stand there for several minutes and then she turned making her way back down to me on a large rock just meant for sitting.  We spent some quality time together and I hope it was meaningful to her.  I am meeting with her again later this afternoon to present an idea for an ongoing study that I hope she'll agree to do with me between now and January 1.  She is an EXCELLENT hiker and we sometimes hiked twice a week last fall/winter while she was looking for a job.  Since HE came along, funny how she wanted to hike with HIM instead of me.  Can you imagine??  LOL! 

She is a fun loving individual who will try anything and is one of the most inclusive souls I've ever known.  Believe me, she's taught me as much as I hope I've taught her!  She has some health problems and a chiropractor suggested she try water aerobics as the impact of regular aerobics would be too harsh for her back and shoulders.  She asked me if I'd go with her to a class and being the "friend" that I am, how could I say no?  It was only later that I had that "what was I thinking" moment of despair!  She is drop dead gorgeous, has a body tinier than I was when I exited the womb 55 years ago and thinks cellulite is something she saw under a microscope in biology class.  And of all places, this class was at our Downtown YMCA where all those other 20-somethings go after work to "exercise."  OMG, they were ALL going to be in the dressing room laughing at my ugly purple bathing suit which I had to dig out of the back of a drawer and my gosh-awful purple water shoes.  Well, what can I say - at least they match my bathing suit and after all, I did tell you my favorite color was purple!

We met in the parking lot of the YMCA, she gets out of the car and the first thing she says is, "don't you dare laugh at my bathing suit!"  I promised I wouldn't if she would promise not to laugh at me IN my bathing suit!  So, in we went and after I'd paid my $6.00 fee to the current heartthrob at the desk who dropped my money while he gasped in utter adoration at my gorgeous friend, we entered the dreaded dressing room. 

Now, I'm going to cut this story short because you get the picture and I'll leave it to your imagination as to how I got my things put in a locker, out of my clothes and from the dressing room into the pool without my friend ever seeing me in the bathing suit without a towel (this would be a BEACH towel) wrapped around me.

But then, things changed!  The music started, the teacher started warm-ups, I looked around the class and noted that, of the 10 people, only two appeared older than me.   I also failed to mention that I did a water aerobics class three mornings a week for a couple of years back in the early 90's. I knew exactly what I was getting into unlike my friend who had never done an aerobics class of any kind.  Let's just say, I totally rocked!  I did every movement, every moment and only the leader of the class outdid me!  Let's hear it for those 10-mile hikes and thunder thighs!

And you know what else?   When that class ended, I was the first one out of the pool and I strutted around for five minutes before ever making it back to the towel rack.  Even then, I didn't immediately put the towel around me.  Unfortunately, I have to admit the reason for that is I was having a severe hot flash, but none of THEM knew that! 

As we made our way back to the locker room, my friend looked at me and said (and I quote!!), "well, alrighty then - that's the last water aerobics class I'm EVER doing with you!" 

So yeah, me and Bobby Darin are singing our song and it goes like this:

(watch the video, it's a scream!!)

 

Splish splish, I was takin' a bath

Long about a Saturday night
A rub-a-dub, just relaxin' in the tub
Thinkin' everything was alright
Well, I stepped out the tub, put my feet on the floor
I wrapped the towel around me and I
Opened the door, and then I
Splish, splash... I jumped back in the bath.
Well how was I to know there was a party going on?

They was a-splishin' and a'splashin'
Reelin' with the feelin', movin' and a'groovin'
Rockin' and a'rollin', yeah

Bing bang, I saw the whole gang
Dancin' on my living room rug, yeah!
Flip flop, they was donin' the bop
All the teens had the dancin'
But there was lollipop with a Peggy Sue
Good Golly, Miss Mally was-a even there, too!
A- well-a, splish splash, I forgot about the bath
I went and put my dancin' shoes on, yay...

I was a rollin' and a strollin', reelin' with the feelin',
Moving and a groovin', splishin' and a splashin', yeah!

Yes, I was a-splishin'' and a splashin'...
I was a-rollin' and a-strollin'...

Yeah, I was a-movin' and a-groovin' We was a-reelin' with the feelin' We was a-rollin' and a-strollin' Movin' with the groovin' splish splash, yeah!

 

So, have you "taken a bath" lately and it turned into a huge NSV?   Tell me about it?