Just keeping swimming....

We chose to celebrate our Memorial Day yesterday by sending out thank you e-mails and texts to veteran (and active) friends of ours, and then we decided we needed to take Grimm swimming.

Last August Grimm surprised us.  After seeing his precious "Ball-ee" (squeaky tennis ball) float farther into the pond at our rental cabin, he focused in on it, and in he went - swimming as if he had always known how to (though never did before!) It was at that moment that Grimm, our now 99 lbs. German Shepherd, realized he LOOOOOOVES to swim!  Throughout our vacation at the cabin, we had to enlist the assistance of a firm recall when he would approach the pond before we headed out to eat in town.  We had to keep the doggie door closed so he couldn't escape for a quick dip.  If Grimm had his way, he would have spent the night swimming laps.

Memorial Day + Lake = Bad Idea.

At least we realized the above mentioned equation before we set out on our adventure.  After packing the towels, slathering sunscreen on me, filling water bottles, and all of the other items, we loaded up and headed north to Lake Allatoona.  Of course as soon as we approached the park to where we were headed, and we saw the cars parked along the road (versus the plethora of parking areas,) we made a U-turn and listened to the whines of an impatient German Shepherd from the back seat.

Andrew had remembered another spot to try, and onward north we went.  We drove all the way back to that recreation area, and we saw that the beach had been "permanently closed." *sigh*  Just when we were about to lose all hope, a kind older man flagged us down and told us where to go to get some swim time in.  Following his directions, we found a small hidden spot leading out to the lake.  Unfortunately........he had told everyone else, too, and there were no beachy places for us.  THAT IS UNTIL..........

Through the trees about 30 feet away from where we were was a small 5 ft. wide by 3 ft. deep "beach" with a gentle slope into the water.  Deciding against the onslaught of poison ivy, we maneuvered our way through briers and tree limbs and voila! "beach"

Grimm immediately went in the water followed by Andrew and me wading.  Grimm was ecstatic until two events occurred:

1. The wake of a large speedboat came rolling in our direction, and it caught Grimm off-guard.  He popped up, ears flattened to the sides, turned around, and swam back to shore. 

2. "You can't stop swimming, bud!" Out Grimm went (towards Andrew who was acting as a doggie lifeguard) to get his ball when his legs hit a tree trunk submerged under the water.  As soon as he felt the trunk, he stopped swimming.  His horizontal body went vertical, and then he started to sink.  Once Andrew realized what was going on, he grabbed him, turned him around, and sent him back to shore. 

When a disheveled Grimm came back to shore, I told him, "You can't stop swimming, bud!"

Even though it wasn't the best swimming spot, we had a good time.  It was a much needed relaxing and cooling break.