I walked outside, shocked by the icy air on my bare arms and legs. I gently, hurriedly, made my way tot he steps entering the lagoon, heeding the “slippery when wet” signs. I dipped one toe into the milky blue waters. Ahhhhhhh. Warmth. I quickly lowered myself in.

I leisurely swam from patch to patch of the lagoon, enjoying the varying temperatures, pausing to float in those that were especially warm. While floating, I noticed the winds picked up and were blowing me, with increasing speed, across the lagoon. I stood and faced the wind. Icy pelts greeted me. Hail! Hail? Hail.

I turned my back to the wind and submerged my body up to my chin in the warm waters. I avoided turning my face to the wind to avoid the stinging of the hail. The contrast of the warm soothing water and the icy stinging hail stones was exhilarating. Up to a point. then it just hurt.