Oxymorons

 Greetings, fellow swimmers! 

You may be wondering about the title of this post. Of course, you all know what an oxymoron is, but just in case you've forgotten, it combines two contradictory words to create a paradoxical or ironic effect, used for emphasis, humor, or to provoke thought. One of the biggest oxymorons I've encountered is - are you ready for this? 

Reality Television.

Really?

Can anyone out there tell me anyplace on the thousands of television channels and streaming services out there where anything is real? Television was never real, not since the very first program aired.

I don't even believe anything in the news is real anymore, but let's not go there!

Being retired now for several years, DH has found many interesting things to do with his time. He has volunteered for the Pittsburgh Literacy Council, working with adults, which he really enjoyed. He just didn't enjoy riding into the city every week, especially through the winter, so he finished that and moved on to helping with the food bank once a month. He does still do that. He was learning Spanish, more to keep the brain juices flowing. (He also once said that he felt it important to be able to ask why he was being taken to jail? but I don't think I want to know why. I felt it more important to find out what time the train is expected, and where is the bathroom!) But, this is also on hold for awhile - although he has taken the name of a Spanish tutor from the library. And now?

Now, he's all about reality television! He looked at me just the other day and said, "I think it's a sickness." I didn't disagree.

One of the shows is called 'Traitors' - and if you've never watched one, they can be highly entertaining. Our first was a season hosted by Allan Cumming, who is fascinating. If you really like it, then you can watch the other two seasons. It takes place in a 'castle' in Scotland, and features mostly American celebrities from American reality shows, like Real Housewives and Survivor. There is also a version from Australia. And the UK. And New Zealand. Yes, he's watched them all.

Then came Trust; Alone; some other survival show; and now, he's jumped into Squid Games.

Sometimes I'll watch an episode with him, or part of one, just to spend a little time together - but I draw the line at Squid Games. Those people with the creepy outfits with one goggle eye who don't speak - no thank you. Not even remotely interested! While I realize that nobody actually gets hurt, I just don't like the premise. Not my idea of entertainment.

Think about it: where is the reality in any of these shows? Many of them certainly are experiments in social behavior - you kind of wonder if they were thought up by some doctoral student of sociology, working hard on that PhD. Truly, though - how can you call a reality show 'real' anything? Who came up with the term 'reality television' anyway? And, why are people so addicted to them? What is lacking in our lives that we have to watch other people's misfortunes? Or, shallow loves gained and lost? Is this giving our youth a normal picture of what love actually is?

I'm not judging people who watch reality television - after all, sometimes you just want to watch something mindless. I watch Survivor - only because there is a group of us who put down $10, pick a name out of a hat, and the winner takes all. If I wasn't playing, I probably wouldn't watch.

No, my reality is here in the Stress Pool, where staying afloat can be problematic enough. And, I'm happy to report that the real pool is also open for the summer. I know it's the real deal, because the water is freezing, and the days really aren't hot enough yet to warm the water. It is much nicer, though, to come home and see the pretty sparkling blue water than that ugly gray-green cover full of leaves. 

So, if you're in the neighborhood, stop by for a refreshing dip and we'll talk about reality - whether it's in real life, or a television show! 

Are You a Turtle?

 Hello, fellow swimmers, and welcome to the Stress Pool!

You're probably wondering about the title of today's blog. I joined a service sorority when I was in college - nicest group of young women you'd ever want to meet, and we participated in a lot of service projects. Of course, we also liked to socialize. In the early part of being a member, I quickly learned that if one sister looked at you and asked, "Are you a turtle?", the appropriate response was "You bet your sweet a** I am!"

Now, I have no idea how it started, or what it meant, but DH thought that was the most amusing thing he's ever heard. Every so often he'll ask me the question, and of course, I provide the appropriate response.

But, am I?

Now that the hip is on it's way to better healing, it's time to look at all the other things that start going or wearing out once you've hit your sixties. I go see the breast specialist soon (no, I don't really think there's anything serious, but one wants to rule out the junk). The sonogram had shown dilated milk ducts. The question asked of me that day was, "Did you nurse?"

5 times. Yup, so who's surprised? Nobody.

Then, there is the blood test that my PCP wants me to have done for inflammation, which apparently is high. When the technician from the office called to ask some questions, it was before the hip surgery. "Do you have pain or swelling in your joints?"

"I have arthritis in my feet, knees, hips, back and hands, so yes, I have joint pain. But, no swelling," I told her. I needed a new hip, for crying out loud! I recently learned that you can get arthritis in your head - I'm sure that isn't too far off for me! So, they sent me a script to have some blood work done to check on the inflammation. The surgeon's PA said not to get it yet, because the surgery will mess with the numbers. Made sense to me. I decided to take a closer look at foods that reduce inflammation.

This is where turtles come into play.

Did you know that turtles love kale? Did you know that kale is an anti-inflammatory food? Do you know who despises kale? This girl, that's who. I once had some in a salad that someone had made - and it was really good! I asked her what the secret was.

"You have to massage it," she explained.

I would love a massage - but I'll be dog-gonned if I'm going to massage my leafy greens! However, spinach is on the list, and I do like spinach. In fact, I like most of the foods that are on the charts - except chick-peas, and I can't do seeds because of gastro issues. (aging isn't for sissies...) 

The question remains: Am I a turtle?

Stop by the Stress Pool anytime. I'm also happy to report that the pool people will be here in the middle of May to open up the real pool, so feel free to stop by then, too! Bring your favorite beverage and a towel, and we can talk about anything that's on your mind - and yes, you can ask me the above question, to which I will automatically reply,

"You bet your sweet a** I am!" Just please, don't give me any kale!

Will you still need me, will you still feed me...

 For those of you who know us, you'll remember that DH is around eight years older than I am. One day he said to me, "You know, when I married a younger woman, I figured you would be in much better health at this age!"

Well, we all do what we can with what we have, right? There have been a few health issues in the last couple of years - the latest being the hip. I never knew what a friend I had in Celebrex until I couldn't take any the week before surgery. Now that the new hip is in place, yes, I still have to take the Celebrex (which helps all those other arthritic areas, too!), but the leg and back pain are gone. Yippee!

But, just so you all don't think that this has been a walk in the park, let me catch you up to speed.

There are morning exercises. There is getting washed. There is icing the hip after exercises and a few other times during the day. There is a repeat of the exercises sometime in the late afternoon/early evening. There is walking laps around the first floor every hour or so. There is taking the steps once, but not more than twice a day (we just added that!) There is sleeping - or trying to, anyway. I'm not a back sleeper, so this has been the biggest challenge. I've gone from recliner to love seat to the bed, sometimes all in the course of one night. I've eliminated the love seat, but usually end up in the recliner by morning. DH joked with Ms. Business and Moink the other night, and asked if they wanted to put bets on "Where will mom wake up in the morning?"

There is the putting on of the 'special stockings' that are supposed to keep me from getting blood clots. DH has to help me put them on because I can't bend that way yet- it's like trying to put a sock on a tree stump. One day I said, "Why don't you put them on the way you did yesterday? That worked out great."

He stood back and scowled. "I'm seventy-two years old. I don't remember how I did it yesterday!" Between you and me, he doesn't always put them on the same way from one leg to the other!

He is precious to me, you know. And, what a trooper he's been! The first few days he was so attentive, just waiting for me to show the first sign of independence. Then, with relief, he was able to back off. He's still attentive and caring - but glad not to have to be at my side every moment of the day! I asked for scrambled eggs the first morning - you would have thought I'd asked for eggs benedict! (he made them perfectly, by the way, but he was not overly confident in cooking them!)

This entire experience has been difficult for Simon, the cat who, when I came home from surgery, avoided me like the plague! It was almost like he could tell something wasn't quite right, and he wanted no part of it. Several days passed before he finally crawled up into my lap, careful to avoid stepping on the wound, but laid down on top of it and just purred and purred. I think he was trying to heal me! While Simon wouldn't let me touch him, he followed me around those first few days and nights, like my little sentinel - I just don't know what he would have done if something had happened! Sat in the hallway and sing the song of his people, more than likely!

Now, I'm just chopped liver. Sometimes he wants me, but mostly he wants Ms. Business (the favored human). Par for the course, I think.

With each day comes more healing, feeling better. A friend asked if I had walked down the street yet. Laughingly I said no, because I would have to cross the street first to get to the sidewalk, and I'm not fast enough - it would be like playing real live Frogger! (I don't want to be the crushed frog in the road.) I have, however, enjoyed watching Spring slowly make her way in. The forsythia and the daffodils are blooming, and the lawns are getting greener. The mourning doves are back, as are the crows. Getting fresh air whenever I want - and using the bathroom whenever I need to - now, that has been heavenly!

Hopefully I've given you a slightly humorous glance into the early days of healing from a hip replacement. After all, humor is the best medicine! Have you ever heard of or watched Gabriel Iglesias (a.k.a. Fluffy)? He's one funny dude, and great for a laugh!

On behalf of the crew here at the Stress Pool, I would also like to take a moment to thank everyone who has sent well-wishes - you've truly made this easier on all of us!

Get ready for summer in the Stress Pool - and the real pool - water aerobics for all! We'll talk about what ails us, and what doesn't ail us, and what we'd like to do with our time. Can't wait to see you!

What's in a Name?

 Happy Holidays! Here, on the fifth day of Christmas (no, there were no golden rings given! There also haven't been any birds, nor am I anticipating drummers, dancers, or maids-a-milking), I sit contemplating the last year. A friend (BFFB's brother, Tom) told me last week that he has a mantra for the New Year: Shut the F-ing Door on '24; Stay Alive in '25! Have to say, I couldn't agree more. What with losing Barb in January, cataract removals in the summer, and finding out that the right hip is a mess and needs replacing - yup, I'm ready to turn the page!

But wait - there's more.

One of the other 'delights' of the year has been finding out that I have sleep apnea. Severe, obstructive sleep apnea. (According to the nurse at the sleep study center, everyone in the world probably has sleep apnea!) Lucky me, I was graced with my machine on December 23rd. Merry Christmas! However, wanting to do things right, I didn't use it right away, as you're supposed to put distilled water into the reservoir. DH doesn't put water in his, so we didn't have any, and Christmas was upon us. I waited until I could get to the store on the 26th.

What you may or may not know about me is that one side of my family was famous for talking to inanimate objects. There is a story told to me by our friend Cindy Tee about when she worked with my grandmother in the notions department in a store called Mansmann's - Grandma was talking to the spools of thread as she placed them in their compartments, and there was high hilarity when Cindy Tee and Mike realized that I was related to "The Thread Lady"! I've inherited that trait - so much so, that I go one step further and name them. For instance, cars. My last car (red) was named Ruby Jolene. My current ride is white, and so is named Winter (DH helped with that one. We were watching Game of Thrones at the time, and he said if we named it Winter, whenever they saw me driving down the street, they could say "Winter is coming." If you weren't a GoT fan, sorry, this is completely lost on you!) I have a heat massager that I've named Sven - yeah, think of the imagery: tall, blonde Swede with strong hands. So, of course, I named the C-Pap machine. But, once again, there is a movie reference.

One of my all-time favorite movies is 'Love Actually'. If you've never seen it, try to watch it sometime. Big names star in it, like Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Colin Firth...and the list goes on. The movie begins with 5 weeks to go until Christmas, and covers several people/couples who are in various stages of relationships. Colin Firth plays a writer named Jamie - and, without giving away too much, is completely down on his luck in the love department. He meets a girl who speaks no English (Aurelia is actually hired to clean and cook for him while on a personal writer's retreat) and he speaks no Portuguese, but it is clear they are becoming fond of one another. With just a couple weeks to go until Christmas, he learns a few phrases and words in Portuguese. We get to Christmas Eve, and he shows up at his sister's house, arms laden with presents. The whole family greets him at the door, and he gets this epiphany that this is not where he wants to be at this moment: he wants to be with Aurelia. He puts everything down and says he's got to go, that a man's got to do what a man's got to do - and he turns and walks out. One of my favorite lines, which you might miss but makes me laugh each time, is when one of his nephews yells, "Hate Uncle Jamie!"

So, the C-Pap machine on my nightstand is named - you guessed it - Uncle Jamie. We are developing a relationship, but the first night was quite rocky - three and a half hours total. It's gotten better, but my goodness, dating was way easier! When DH asked me the first morning how it went, I told him what I named it, then said, "Hate Uncle Jamie!

And no, I'm not going to tell you if he got the girl - you'll have to watch the movie! It really is a good watch.

As usual, I'm not making any New Year resolutions - the mantra stated above says it all, right? Shut the door on the past hurts and sorrows, and look ahead to the future. Don't let the troubles of the world get you down - yes, there is a lot of craziness, but what if we can clean up the little area around us? With enough tidying of our own corners, and reaching out to our fellow humans, we might find a little happiness within. Wouldn't that be a nice glow to shed on the darkness of so many hearts? A smile to lift a fallen spirit; a helping hand to our neighbors in need. We just need a little peace in the face of adversity.

I would like to think that the Stress Pool is a place where we can feel at peace - sort of like those floating spas! Come on in whenever you need a smile, or a helping hand, or an ear to listen. We're always ready for a little fun splashing in the Stress Pool! And no, I have not named the towels...

Happy New Year!

Turtles on Tuesday

 There is just something about turtles that makes one smile. Is it their carefree attitude, or the semblance of a smile on their little turtle faces? I don't know, but I just love them. When I was in college, my sorority sisters (yes, I was in a sorority - it was a service sorority, but we did like to get together for parties, too!) had a thing where if someone asked you, "Are you a turtle?" the instant reply was, "You bet your sweet a** I am!" This is something that DH has found immensely amusing through the years, and every so often he'll ask me if I'm a turtle. Of course, I have to say the correct answer, which makes him laugh.

There is no great meaning in this what-so-ever.

However, I do like turtles. I've got a turtle pin (but material isn't such one wants to stick a pin in it because it might ruin the outfit), and several years ago I found turtle earrings in a little shop in Williamsburg. I love those earrings. But, it seemed I would wear them on Tuesdays - why? Who knows! It must be the day I head for black clothing - the earrings are black and silver. Very attractive. It must have occurred to me once a while back that if I wore them on a Tuesday, something odd would happen during the day, so I stopped wearing them, period.

This morning I reached for the beloved turtles, then pulled my hand back. "It's Tuesday," I muttered under my breath. Then, I stopped. I'm not a superstitious person by nature, and decided I was acting ridiculous. I put them on, smiled, and went on my way.

Nothing major happened all day, until after lunch. I had cafeteria duty, and when it was done, walked back to my room. The sixth graders came in and got out their work. I do try to make my way around the room, checking on their progress, and making sure that everyone is behaving. On one of the passes around the tables, a terrible stench hit my nose. My first thought was, "Geez, what did those boys have for lunch?" Every time I went by, it smelled a little more, and I felt bad for them. They left, and another class came in.

This time it was a group of fifth graders. One of them had gone to use the pencil sharpener in the back of the room, and called out, "Mrs. Kelly, there's icky water in the sink." 

I stopped what I was doing. The gross smell - not one of the kiddos with toxic gas, but some sort of back-up slowly rising in the sinks. I rushed (as fast as an old woman with a cane can rush) to the phone, when I noticed it was seeping out from under the cabinets and headed towards my desk. I called the secretary. No answer. I tried again. Again, no answer. I left a message to call me quickly, there was a problem with the sinks.

After letting the students know they shouldn't go near the sinks, I continued helping them with removing weavings from looms and getting started on the next project. I reached for the phone once more, and this time reached her, when she said, "I can't talk right now - I'm calling kids down for early dismissals. I'll call you back."

I looked at the increasing flow of icky water headed for my desk. I took one of my trusty post-it notes and wrote on it, "My room is flooding and there is sewage water coming up through my sinks." One of the students was more than happy to get out of the room to deliver the note. She sent the custodian down - nice young man, but has difficulty problem solving. He brought stuff to pour down a drain if it's clogged. "I don't think that will work," I said.

"No, this works."

I shook my head. "The sink isn't clogged. All of the sinks are backing up, and there's water coming out from under the sink."

Then, we did the worst thing anyone could ever do in this situation: we opened the cabinet doors. The stench was awful! We looked at the water seeping out of the traps. He looked at me. "What do we do?"

Well, if I knew what to do...

"Someone has to come and fix this," I said. He went to the office for help, then came back with a mop. In the meantime, class was ending. I called the next teacher and asked if I could have class in her room, as there was a major debacle happening in mine. Kiddos came to the room for their folders, and I grabbed a few things to take to her room. It was definitely quite a different adventure from the norm. We got through it.

Nobody was going to come today to look at it - they'll come tomorrow. I'm thinking that I will be holding art in the library tomorrow, because the room will still stink like a cesspool.

Now, here at the Stress Pool, we're used to crazy things happening, and of course, we'd love to hear your stories, too. But, if you pop in on a Tuesday, don't expect to see the turtles.

The Leg Bone's Connected to the Hip Bone...

 Hello from the chilly, murky waters of the Stress Pool!

It seems things here must have been chaotic, as I haven't written in a few months. Well, let me tell you what's surfaced here at the pool...

Most of you might know that as an art teacher, being on one's feet all day is par for the course. You need to walk around and see how everyone is doing; some kids might need a supply that isn't out, and so on. Well, after the first week back, my legs and I became arch enemies.

The pain was (and still is) excruciating.

I'm not exaggerating - it's been bad. Both legs. In the past, my former PCP (he has since retired) had sent me for an MRI and it was determined that I had a couple back issues - mainly sciatica and stenosis. "That's what's causing the pain in your legs," he said.

So, when this started, I made an appointment with a back doctor, who had looked at me like I was wasting his time. ""We'll start with an EMG and physical therapy," he said. "Come back in six weeks."

Have you ever had an EMG? Painful, but the doctor who performed it was very calm and talked through the whole thing, so it kept my mind on other things. Toward the end of the test he said, "I think it's your hip. That doesn't explain the numbness, but I think the pain in your right leg is from your hip." When he left the room, he said it had been nice to meet me, and I said "It was a pleasure." He gave me quite a smirk - I meant he had been so kind during the procedure! Oh well.

I went to physical therapy. My therapist, Beth, had me move around, and asked me to get on the bike. I could only pedal backward, at which point she said, "I think it's your hip." She gave me the names of two orthopedists, because the only person I could think of is definitely a year out for surgeries, let alone getting in to see him, and she felt getting an x-ray of the hip sooner than later would be beneficial in knowing what to do. So, I called and made an appointment with one of the orthopedists she recommended, and got in to see him the next week. They took an x-ray, and then he breezed in. I swear, orthopedic doctors are the most chill people I've ever met. He introduced himself, then said, "Your hip is a mess."

I need a new hip. Sometime this spring I'll be going - I have to call 3 months before I'm ready for the surgery. Truthfully, I'm ready for it now, but sick days are the issue. I'm trying to work it so that Easter break falls in the recuperation time. Wish me luck with this!

When I went back for the 6 week check-up, though, the back doctor came in, sat down, and looked at me. "Wow, I really didn't think..."

Didn't think - what? That I actually had pain? That I felt something was wrong? How many people go to doctors when there is nothing wrong? A lot, I guess, for him to make that remark. The leg numbness, by the way, is a subcutaneous nerve - just under the skin. Massaging it helps a little, but it's going to plague me forever, I think. So, he was right - there was nothing stemming from the back - but there is pain. Working on it...

The best thing that happened so far this autumn is getting window treatments. We went with Lachina, a blind and drapery company here in the Burgh. Joanna, wonderful designer (and a third generation Lachina) spent a nice amount of time with us, asking us what we wanted, getting to know our thoughts, looking at fabrics and patterns, and of course, she had suggestions, with which we went for most of them. The installer came in early October to put up the valances (which I love, by the way), so DH moved the stand with all the plants out of the way so the fellow would have room to work. Now comes the funny part of the story.

We have been here for 3 years. That plant stand, including the plants, has been in that spot for 3 years. DH pulls it closer to the dining room table, and Simon (AKA Art Cat) looks and says, "Wait - what's this delightful playground that I've never seen?" When I walked in the door, my baby spider plant was on the floor, dirt everywhere, while Simon looked at me like, "Hi mom - I didn't do anything, but did you know about this?!"

He has tried to kill that spider plant I don't know how many times now - along with the Wandering Jew plant (which has a new, politically correct name now - Inch Plant). A friend gave me a pot with another spider and an Inch Plant, and I had to put them on top of one of the cabinets in the dining room. Imagine - 3 years, and he never noticed them before. Wow.

The Stress Pool isn't all about me - it's also about the family. Morticia has been telling me about her dreams of doing nail art, and I offered to let her do my nails - but we didn't set a date! Her little Sweetie Pie is growing so fast, and she's just so darn cute. Apparently, she doesn't like shoes. Whenever they put them on her, she takes a couple steps, then sits down wherever she is. She'll get used to them - or will wear Birkenstocks for the rest of her life!

Big Brother and DiDi said that the Little Man is doing well in Kindergarten- as only he could. He's kind and the other children really like him. Gym is his favorite subject. Takes a little bit after dad, I think. Mouse - well, she's just as cute as a button. She loves to dance - and only has eyes for PawPaw. She looks at me when we walk in, and then strains to see behind me. "PawPaw?" she asks. "PawPaw?"

"Yes, he's coming", I tell her. Cute, really.

Ms. Business is about to finish paying off her student loans - yay! And Moink finished book one of his series and has started book two - we have a few more revisions for book one, but soon it should be ready to send out to agents. Fingers crossed...

The actual pool is closed for the season, but the Stress Pool is always open, so come on in and dip your toes in the water, if you dare! What have you been up to? Any good stories? And, as always, thanks for visiting, and we'll see you next time here in the Stress Pool.

Here's Looking at You, Kid!

 Hello, is that you looking in at the Stress Pool? Good to see you again!

Well, sort of. 

Not that it isn't good to see you, but that you are just a little fuzzy. Let me get a little closer.

It has been an interesting summer, that's for certain. It wasn't awful; it wasn't great, but mostly because of the eye surgeries. I am driving again, and are you ready for the scary part?

In the state of Pennsylvania, you only need one good eye to drive, and that good eye should be 20/40 or better. So be assured, my good eye is 20/20!

Not the other one.

Yes, I did get glasses, and already I fear the eye has changed a bit and the glasses don't work. The eye doctor was pleased with how it went - it was really bad, and he said that sometimes an amblyopic eye doesn't bounce in right away, if at all. So, when you see someone going through red lights, or stop signs, or driving over the line, perhaps they don't have 20/20 vision in either eye! Scary, right?

So far, I've done just fine. With driving. I bought some readers for close-up work, and I'm still reading books with large print. Not as much strain that way, so I was able to do some reading. I'll get to the final list before the end.

We also got away for a couple days - DH and I went to Berlin, Ohio, which is Amish country. There are a lot of stores and plenty of places to eat. It was hotter than you-know-where! We brought home a peach pie - best peach pie I've ever had in my entire life. Ms. Business is also a fan, and agreed that it was second to none. We crossed through an area called Tappan Lake - if you've ever stayed there, let me know what you thought. I'm going to look into possible cabin rentals in the area. Just beautiful.

So, pool time (thank you 90+ degree days for heating up the water!), reading, and a little painting (but not much). Am I ready to go back to school? I would like to say yes, however...reasons.

Now, back to the reading list, picking up from where I left off in the last missive:

3 more Denise Domning books: Winter's Heat, Summer's Storm, and Spring's Fury. They feature some of the same characters from the other five books of hers I listed from June;

Of Fire and Lions by Mesu Andrews. We are going to see Daniel at the Sight and Sound theater in Lancaster in the fall. This book is a fictional rendition about the Babylonian exile and Daniel, and his family. Interesting read.

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. I like her books - gentle reads.

Salt and Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher. A take on Jane Eyre, the main character's name is Jane Aire, and the school where she teaches is for 'witches'. She's off to take care of a curse, and of course, we meet many of Ms. Bronte's characters, albeit a little twisted. A fun read, for sure!

The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens. This was a book club read - very good!

The Last Sister, The Silence, In the Pines, The First Death, and At the River, all by Kendra Elliott. These are from the Columbia River series, and feature a lot of characters from her Mercy Kilpatrick series. If you've never read Kendra Elliott, and you enjoy suspenseful thrillers, do it!

The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh. She's lived a lie for 10 years - you'll never guess what happens! I just finished this one today.

Total number of books for the summer: 21. No regrets on any of them!

Time to get out the alarm clock and make sure it's set to the crack of doom; pull out what I'm going to wear on the first day of in-service; and what am I going to eat for breakfast? There had better be a full pot of coffee, that's one thing for certain!

And yes, hopefully there will be a few more warm days to heat up the water in the pool, and of course, evenings on the porch. There is a light at the end of the work tunnel, but I haven't reached it yet. In the meantime, feel free to pop on in, because, as always, the water in the Stress Pool is always perfect, if not a little too hot!