We be swimmin'

SANDY: Yeah, we be swimmin all right! Not today! A few days ago I got snookered into the pool and I'm not sure that I like it. I'm not sure that I don't either. I don't like that you're either in the pool or out. What's wrong with going to a lake or something where I could go in a little at a time?

COCO: Oh....boo hoo. You are such a sissy. So you went in the water the other day. You didn't even get your head wet.

SANDY: I was tricked. The old man...

JODIE: Ooh noo, you're not supposed to call Dad that!

SANDY: Bullshoes!!! You saw what he did. He took MY ball and threw it in the water. First it was close enough for me to get it with out getting my feet wet. Then...he threw it out a little farther and I got down on the first step. Next is was still further out and when I reached for it there was no place to put my feet so I had to swim.

JODIE: Yes, we saw that, and you swam very well. You are a natural, you know. Why were you trying to climb up the side?

COCO: Yeah, why were you trying to climb up the side. Jodie only uses the stairs. I can use the stairs or the ladder, but nobody tries to get up the side.

SANDY: Well, frankly, I panicked! I was concentrating on my ball and when my feet didn't touch bottom I just tried to get out the fastest way I could.

COCO: Didn't work, did it?

SANDY: Well.....no. But then the old...I mean Dad got me by the scruff and pulled my to the steps and I was OK.

JODIE: You realize that you were in no danger. Dad was watching you and he would never let anything happen. I remember when he jumped in to save a foster dog. His name was Baccardi and he followed Coco into the water, only he couldn't swim. Dad had to jump in and pull him out by the collar.

COCO: You should have seen that, Sandy. Now that was a riot. You may not be very comfortable in the water, not like me and Jodie. You have also seen Mom in the water yesterday, but you NEVER see Dad in the water until the pool is like 90 degrees.

JODIE: Coco's right, Dad never goes in the water until it's very, very warm. So you can imagine our surprise when he jumped in in December when the water was in the 50s. I was shocked that the old guy could move that fast.

SANDY: Well, Mom tried to coax me into the pool yesterday and I may have been close, but that next step had me afraid. Besides, I'm having a great time with things the way that they are. Coco, you like to have someone keep throwing things in the water so she can retrieve them. And Jodie, you keep running around and around with those rings in your mouth. You think Coco or I want them, but the only one who chases you is Dad.

JODIE: Well, Coco, I think Sandy has a point. As long as each one of us is having a good time, it doesn't matter what we're doing. I like playing chase with Dad. Sometimes he gets close and we get to play tug, but then I slip away. He throws the ball and toys for you until you start to wheeze. Then he quits so you won't get sick. And, for the most part, Sandy, he takes your ball and throws it where you can get it. You must like that because you run right back to him.

SANDY: Oh I do, I just don't like going in the water. How about if we sigh off with a few pictures?

JODIE: OK with me!

COCO: OK with me too.

Mom, trying to lure me into the pool!