Today, we are going to the Lakeway pool to witness the annual polar plunge, a January tradition. We are catered by Eberly of Austin, and our entertainment is Foreigner.
Menu
HALIBUT – pomme purée, pepper relish, watercress salad
SALMON- crispy rice cake, romanesco, citrus, chive beurre blanc, trout roe
SWEET POTATO PAVÉ- red curry, baby bok choy, pickled pears, mint & fennel salad
HALF CHICKEN – parisian gnocchi, caper-brown butter jus, arugula
SHORT RIB – roasted butternut squash, candied pepitas, guajillo jus
PORK CHOP – brussels sprouts, chestnut purée, mustard seed-bacon glaze
TEXAS WAGYU STRIP – creamed kale, crispy leeks, bordelaise
So let’s go
There’s the swim center plaque.
Ah good. Some warm drinks.
The polar bear in person.
The slide is used to drop those souls into 50-degree water.
Lifeguards all bundled up, hoping no one needs help.
The center director gives a last minute briefing.
Waiting in anticipation.
The swimmers walk their last mile. (so to speak)
Oh yeah. Refreshing.
Under is not so bad.
Gotta hold that nose.
Praying it gets warmer.
Involuntary rigor mortis.
A testimony to the cold.
With that ending, we need to get back on the warm bus and enjoy our meal and the music. I hope you have a pleasant week.
Fiction Favorites 
When will you show us Tempeste and Twiggy in their first swim challenge, John? 🙂 I must say all in Lakeway is best organized, and one can feel the fun the people are having to do so. Best wishes, Michael.
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Twiggy and Tempeste both hate the water. Tempeste like to run in the rain but that’s it. Bath time here is a nightmare. Thanks, Michael. Yes Lakeway does have many fun things to do.
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They do Polar bear swims in Vancouver, Canada as well. I never know how they can do it but have watched a couple of times.
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The air and water were 50 degrees. I’m sure Canada is much lower. thanks, Darlene.
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Brrr!
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Yes. The sun had no heat in it.
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Dear John
We have such winter swims here in the sea as well. Traditional is the New Year Swim at Cromer, our next market town. Hundreds of people coming to take part. We Think it’s for heroes, and we don’t want to be heroes. Bert Brecht: A poor country that needs heroes.
Wishing you an easy week to come.
All the best
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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I’m with you on the hero designation. I am brave to the point of taking photos but that’s where I draw the line. One of the people offered to hold my phone. I had to politely decline. Thanks, F4oC. Best wishes for the new week. 😁
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Oh boy! I got the chills watching that. I saw a branch of the Polar Bear Club in upstate NY when I was young. They came running out of the sauna and into the hole cut out of the lake. Yikes!!!!
The short ribs sound great!
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Way too cold from me. I remember a vacation in Canada doing that. It was summer but the lake was very cold and deep. Quite a shock when hitting the water.
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We have a few Polar Bear plunges here into the Gulf on New Year’s Day. That’s what I read as I sipped my hot coffee inside me warm house, with my warm robe wrapped around me. ☕
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You have a wise approach to the polar madness. Well done, Lois. 😊
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We have those winter Polar Bear plunges into the Atlantic. Too cold, too cold, too cold, sez I!
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I’m with you. Not enough reward for that kind of behavior.
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Brave souls 🙂 Love the blue sky…. Oh to have some Blue above our heads would be nice 🙂 Temps here not been above Freezing all week… So I appreciate and applaud their bravery 🙂 👏👏👏<3
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We have blue sky for sure. Thank Sue. Still too cold for me.
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🙂
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Lakeway sure had the event set up well! It would be fun to watch.
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It was fun. A lot of blue lips. Thanks, Tim.
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This is not my cup of tea at all. I hate cold water. Well done to the participants.
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Not mine either. Thanks, Robbie,
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My pleasure
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Fifty degree-ish water temp? I’d take that plunge.
I say from the warmth of my recliner whilst sipping on some java in my hoodie . . .
Yanno, that is as close to a polar bear as anyone has ever gotten without becoming an entrée. I guess the polar bears out there in Texas as way friendlier than the ones I’ve seen in all those scary YouTube videos. Who knew?
A great tune with with to ice this puppy, Boss.
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Yes these polar bears work for the Department of Parks and Recreation. Very tame. I like the music as well. I like the idea of recliner, cup of Joe anf a hoodie.
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Hahaha!
Yeah, that ensemble worked quite well for me.
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😊
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Haha! 50 degrees? Isn’t that the standard temp in Maine in the dead of summer?
How much fun, though. I think this is next best to going oceanside 🙂
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As a MInnesotan, I am with you on that Dale, but, uh, I’m currently in AZ where the pool temp is like bathwater.
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Ahhh… So you get winter 😀
Ugh on the bathwater temp of the pool. Not my jam!
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😁
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Hmmm.
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Yeah but oceanside has salt water which can go to 28 degrees before freezing. Can’t beat that.
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There is that… A friend of mine lives in Victoria, BC and a couple years ago, went for a daily dip in the Pacific Ocean with a group! Brrrr!
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No thanks.
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No? Okay then!
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No.
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🤣
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😁
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I would participate in a heartbeat! Fun. The coldest water I’ve ever taken a swim in was 55 degrees and I didn’t stay in long!
Salmon for me, naturally. I’m part fish.
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Coming right up, Noelle. 55 is a bit chilly for sure.
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Sure was. I was testing to see if what I’d been told about how long you could last in 55 degree water (30 min) as true. I didn’t last 30 min!
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Good thing you got out of there.
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They do these polar bear plunges up here, too, and I’ve never understood how come. It seems dangers to me to plunge your body into frigid water too fast. At least these folks aren’t contending with ice and snow!
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So true. No snow here. If your heart is good there should be no problem.
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Polar plunges always strike me as crazy. Hate being cold. Hate being wet. Both at the same time feels like torture.
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I agree with you. Brrrrrr
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Did you say? What was the temperature there. It is 24 degrees here.
I don’t think I saw you or Molly in line. What’s up with that?
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Yeah the cold makes my asthma act up. 😁
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“…Involuntary rigor mortis….” LOLOLOLOL I love your writing, John.
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Thank you, Kymber. So glad you liked it.
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Didn’t see you in there but someone needs to be the photographer. 😅
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Nope. Someone offered to hold my phone and take a photo. I told him gently that my age forbids me getting wet. He bought it.
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😂
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😊
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Wow, nice to see the brave souls. It was a good try for that person to offer to hold your phone. I hope the water was warm. The first time we saw the polar bear dip was in Canada where people made their new year dip into the lake (ocean and rovers).
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The water was very chilly for this neck of the woods. I think the folks in Canada know how to do it best. Thanks, Miriam.
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You’re welcome, John. The year we went, we saw them jumped in naked. I think they ran to get their bodies wamred up first.
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Sounds real chilly.
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They do one of these every year at Luck Peak Reservoir. Water comes right off the snow melt. Not this little fat boy. No way.
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Yeah not me either.
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Ah yes… I would do well to run the towel concession here!
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Heated towels I hope.
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My wounded hand would like to go in the pool.
The rest, not.
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Ohhh. So sorry about the hand. Those bies are very painful. XO XO 🐂
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Appt. at the clinic tomorrow. OX OX OX
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Thank heavens. I was going to say that but didn’t want to butt in. 🐂 OX OX
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OX OX
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😊X
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Great photos, John. I’ve never had the urge to participate. I’ll have the Short Ribs
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I never have either. Short ribs coming up.
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50 degree water. I did that when I was young but now I require at least 65. I saw no snow. We had snow in Dallas. Actually, the snow isn’t gone yet.
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No snow just freezing temps.
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Brrr. We have a similar event here called The Perilous Plunge where local celebrities jump into the bay for charity.
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The bay is freezing. Thanks, Pete.
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Geez Louise, that’s some kind of crazy. I would vote for staying on the bus fully dressed. 😄
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Smart vote, Jan. I’m with you.
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Sheesh! No thank you!
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I agree. 😁
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Kudos to those who plunged – my water has to be much warmer for me to get in!
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Me too,Teri. 😄
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Those folks are some hardy souls! I’m always blown away by folks who take the winter plunge. Those are some dedicated and generous folks since their entry fees fund some worthy causes.
P.S. That menu has left my mouth watering. I think halibut will be fixed this week! With the pepper relish, it sounds muy delish!
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I had halibut last Sunday. Boy it was good.
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Fun! My sister has done the polar plunge a few times except it’s in Minnesota where a hole is drilled through the ice. No thank you! LOL!
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Yeah that sounds pretty grim. Thanks, Rhonda.
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My absolute most favorite fish. Yum!
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I agree on halibut being the best. Having cod tomorrow.
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Oooh, another favorite. Sadly it’s too pricey to have very often so halibut it is. 😉
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Yeah, I remember when cod was a staple. $15.00 a pound now puts into the luxury class.
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Omg that sure is cold as ice, John. This one wouldn’t be one I’d like to be in but happily watching from inside.. Thanks so much!!! ❤️
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Yes me too. A warm couch and a window.
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My style exactly! 👍🏽
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😁
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Lol, you couldn’t pay me to do that. Also, we have that plunge here in freezing cold Canada. I’ll bet it’s a lot colder here. 🙂
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It is colder for sure. Of course we consider 50 degrees to be near freezing.
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Lolol John. It was minus 4 F here last week. 🙂
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I would die.
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It’s why I need to run to Mexico for refuge. 🙂
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Don’t blame you.
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Massachusetts has these frigid events in the winter and in the ocean. They show it on the news. Brrr takes on a new meaning.
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Way too cold for me.
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🙂
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🥶
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Oh, what a curious thing, dear John! In Russia we also have the same tradition. People plunge in a glade and then scrub the body with snow. It is good for health… but very extreme when it is even – 10 outside.
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Lucky for us the temps are below freezing
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