Views of the Neighborhood – Polar Plunge

~ John W. Howell

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

Picture of an old time school bus

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.

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Published by John W. Howell

I have been working in business for over forty years and now have the time to work in special areas of interest. My passion has always been to create compelling stories of fiction. I have authored six novels and am working on my Seventh. The first novel is still in manuscript form and being utilized as a door stop in the laundry room. The second is a contemporary fiction novel of 89,000 words and is complete and I am currently seeking a publisher. I also write poetry but have not had the guts to share any with anyone. The one time I read a piece to a person their only comment was, “it doesn’t rhyme.” I will continue to write and hopefully my blog, Fiction Favorites at www.johnwhowell.com will provide some entertainment and an interesting thought or two. I live in the Austin area with my wife Molly and an assortment of loving pets.

104 thoughts on “Views of the Neighborhood – Polar Plunge”

  4. 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
    🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

    Like

    1. 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. 😁

      Liked by 1 person

  5. 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!

    Liked by 2 people

  6. 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. ☕

    Liked by 1 person

  8. 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

    Liked by 1 person

  11. 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.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. 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 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  14. 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!

    Liked by 1 person

  16. 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?

    Liked by 1 person

  19. 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).

    Liked by 1 person

  29. 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!

    Liked by 1 person

  35. 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.

    Liked by 1 person

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