The water of the lake is irresistibly blue, and the grass so brightly green that it seems unreal. The birches are richly dressed; they have a proud, almost noble air to them, and their branches sway gracefully in the wind. They remind me of little girls pirouetting to show off their dresses. I stop the car. I'm in no hurry, it doesn't matter if I arrive a few hours late. I'm on vacation.
I get out of the car after parking it in the shade of three giant trees. The sun is so hot that it would turn the car into a baking oven if I left it out in the sun. I walk down to the lake. The water glitters, it's like it's flirting with me. I kick my shoes off and test the temperature with my toes. It's cool, but not cold. The sun is blazing. There's a tiny breeze, not strong enough to cool me off. I take my T-shirt and daisy dukes off; let them drop on the grass. My bra goes the same way. A breeze tickles my curl as I take my panties off. It feels sensual.
Following my mother's advice for taking a swim in cool waters, I don't wade out, but leap before I look. The water closes over my head, embraces me as I sink to the bottom. It's not very deep, but it's much colder a few feet down than on the surface. I shudder violently, but force myself to breathe slowly, to stay in the cold water. Soon, my skin gets used to the chill, and my heart settles in my rib cage again. I take a few long strokes, explore with my feet how far out I can go without loosing touch with the ground. Quite far, it seems.