Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Clifford went Swimming . . .

My mother is deathly afraid of water.  I can remember being young and my parents taking us to a hotel so that we could go swimming and the eternal struggle it was to get mom to join us in the water.  It was a lucky if we could get her in the pool and a virtual miracle if we could get her past the three feet mark.  The many years and attempts at swimming haven't changed the fear that overtakes her as she remembers her near drowning experience of her youth.  That is why you might be as shocked as me to hear that tonight . . . I went to water aerobics with my mom.  You read right people - - - 
 - - -water FREAKING aerobics.  She went last week to see if it would help her knee and didn't want to go back so I volunteered to go with her tonight.  Now, I know what you all are thinking, and I promise you that one day when we all get to heaven and it's "Mia, this is your life" movie time (Mario, like you always said - Meryl Streep and Al Brooks got it right), we will sit down together and replay this memory over and over again and laugh and laugh.  
It was interesting to say the least and more than a little entertaining.  There were my mom and I and about four other, shall we say, mature gentlewomen, getting ready to get our swim on.  Now, I have to say that I'm no Greg Louganis - oops, he's a diver.  Sorry folks, I guess if you had to catalog my swimmer knowledge in the recesses of my mind it would fit somewhere in between top ten polka's greatest polkers and my knowledge about Japanese Anime - needless to say, my knowledge is dim.  Anyway, as I was saying, my swimming abilities may not rival the likes of Olympic athletes but just so you all know - water aerobics is not an Olympic sport.  There is nothing like a night of treading water in the deep end as a lady yells out, "now, do superman! now mermaid! be and egg blender!!" - haha, be an egg blender?  What in the world?  All that being said, the cherry on top was doing the arm "exercises"and stretches at the end of the class with my dear mother - who has never done any kind of stretch a day in her life.  This is when the Clifford in her came shining through(if you have never watched the movie Clifford with Martin Short, stop reading instantly and Netflix or Hollywood video the movie and laugh until your hearts content).  It was 10 minutes of watching her trying to be serious as she breathed in and out and instead of stretching her shoulder by putting one arm straight across the chest she ended up turning it into a self hug and us laughing together at the silliness of it all, dodging glares from the well meaning instructor.  It was a wonderful night and a fun memory that one day will be viewed in my heavenly's greatest hits . . . 

7 comments:

rachel harris said...

"mature gentlewomen" I love your verbage my dear Mia. You make me chuckle. Oh how I wish I would see you and giggle with you right now. Love ya!

MC said...

Hysterical. I'm loving these comedic bits.

Rosie said...

I can just see your mom hugging herself--and trying not to giggle! That is how I feel in Yoga! I just want to laugh-even at the names of the moves---Downward dog?

marcos alvin said...

wonderfuly post!
beautiful detail!
"Now, I have to say that I'm no Greg Louganis - oops, he's a diver."
so good, so very good.

keep them coming!

Uno said...

OH MIA...OH Mia..

Thank you for making that come to life...I especially like the snide looks from Sister Weaver..

Too Good

Much Love

Uno..

Wendy said...

That. Was. GREAT!!!! You are freaking hilarious! I especially love the redundancy of "Japanese Anime", obviously your knowledge on the subject isn't so vast. I love you!

emily said...

i too enjoyed the mature gentlewoman comment mia. thanks for the laugh. Little Suzy is going above and beyond herself. You are so sweet to be there for her. She secretly needed you more than you probably know.