Okanagan Lake looked huge, and the waves shone bright in the heat of the day. Dana and I started to run as we knew we were close to the diving board to swim. We threw our sandals off our feet. I turned to Dana and said, “no one will move them.” Dana said, “Na let’s go quick.” We knew everyone in Peachland we thought. Auntie Winnie lives just down the street. “Let’s go.”
The rocks were rough on our feet when we got to the spot.
No sign of a lifeguard except a sign. “NO #1 LIFEGUARD.”
We were so excited “I can beat you” as she ran past me. Dana and I had dropped all our towels by then.
Suddenly, an old blue car pulled up in front of the beach. Mom, Blair my brother, David my brother, Karen my little sister came flying out of the car yelling in excitement.
I should have known mother’s never leave their kids at the beach by themselves. My mother pulled out her bag of knitting, her mug of coffee and her newest romance novel. Looking around to look at her gang. There was only one way to get to the lake.
JUMP!!!!!!!
We were taking swimming lessons. No one else ever was in it because it was always held in the spring. We shook and trembled as the water in the lake surrounded us. We were so proud. I made several attempts running into the lake.
My mother started to settle down at the wooden log at the entrance of the beach by the road. You could see she was happy. She had her coffee and romance novel. She would save us no matter what. I was never afraid.
THIS IS WHERE I COME IN. REMEMBER THE NAME REED. HAHA!!!
A little later a big brown stationary wagon drove up to the beach front. It had a big brown box on the hood as we had been travelling and my brother had successfully built a box to hold our luggage. 7 people in a station wagon was quite a sight. My dad decides to join us.
Dad yelled “look as out for the fish around your legs you guys.” We were sure he would find something.
All five kids and my dad and my mom where now full members of the swimming club. My father went to the car and grabbed a silly party hat he had kept making people laugh with. Poured himself a glass of pop and proceeded to walk back into the water. We all thought it was great.
We all started to point and laugh at him, and he proceeded to amaze us as he waded around the water.
Water wings take time to blow up you know. Mom only had so much breath. We all had to have the same colour water wings. It was the fashion mom said. We all made sure that we let mom know that we were on our tiptoes in the water. We were excited to tell her. We had now reached the floating dock by ourselves. That is quite a feat as we could barely touch the ground anymore. I would stand and jump to show everyone what I could do in the water. I was so proud I could touch the bottom and still breath.
In the distance a lady with black curlers in her hair approached us on the beach.
Surveying the scene, she turned her back towards us and talked to a older gentleman behind her and told him to keep an eye on everything. He was my uncle Walt.
Uncle Walt tugged his business suit hat with a small feather on its side (the 1940s look) up and down to make sure all the top of his bald head was covered.
