Time for a new blog!

An awful lot in my life has changed since I started my last blog, realifemermaid.  An awful lot has stayed the same. 

I took a break from blogging and, shortly after, swam into the man of my dreams.  It is the best, sweetest love story ever.  We both were entered in the 2014 Tampa Bay Navy Seals Frogman Swim, swimming without wetsuits in the 56 degree water for the 5K race. 

Two months later, JC had quit his job at Endless Pools in Delaware, and moved down to Florida.

Less than six months after that, he proposed to me after swimming around Manhattan in the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim (MIMS).  Swim 28 miles, then propose to the woman of your dreams?  No big deal for JC!  

I decided a new blog must be started because this new blog is a love story.  Not just between the two of us, but our completely insane love obsession with water.  We may not be fantastic at all of the water sports we are obsessed with, but water, especially in its natural state (JC hates seeing me in the pool, although I still find it necessary for my training...he likens it to a mermaid in an aquarium...) has an incredibly strong hold on both of us. 

And yes, insane.  In addition to MIMS, JC has (just to name a FEW highlights)....
- Swum Catalina (22 miles as the crow flies, 64 degree rough water, over 15 hour swim)

- Swum Absecon Island (over 15 hours)
- Swum 15.1 Miles around Cape May, then organized an event of the same swim
-Kayaked for MIMS races for four years, for me during the Tampa Bay Marathon Swim when 2/3 of the field quit, and for me during many, many other swims.
-Raced surf skis.
-Attempted to learn how to surf!  Even paddled out past the break!
-Swum an entire 1.1 miles in 39 degree water.



I needed someone who could match my own love with the water to keep up with me!  Looking at that list, I think I found him, wouldn't you agree?  I swam through college, though I was actually a sprinter and backstroker back in those days. I grew up at the beach or the pool and attempted to sorta learn how to surf when I was 16, but never made much significant headway until I moved to Florida.  JC has been teaching me how to surfski and I am super excited for my first race coming up in a few weeks! I am also a FINIS Ambassador, and will periodically blog about FINIS. 

I teach high school English and will try to use my amazing literary skills to keep the blog as reader-friendly as possible.  JC took quite a few journalism classes in college and is an excellent writer, so I am sure he can be coaxed into writing as well! 

That is the new blog in a nutshell.  A love story about two water people and our adventures.  Feel free to join along!