THE LAST FIVE ...

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Sunday, Feb. 17, 2003 - 11:07 p.m.

Florida Today: 2/16/03

"Do kids even use Swimmies or a tube anymore?" I asked Casey as we sat in the shade of the palm trees at the La Cita Country Club pool.

"I don't know," she answered, "though I don't really hang out with kids at pools."

There weren't any of those familiar swim aids among the dozen or so kids there today � but nearly everyone (and some of their grandparents) stayed afloat with the aid of a noodle. They even shared.

"Grab my noodle!" one boy yelled to his friends and (or) siblings.

"That's dirty!" Casey giggled.

When the shade and the breeze combined to chill us, we moved into the sun and quickly warmed to the point where we wanted to jump in, and did so, careful to remain in the deep end, away from the main horde of kids. When Casey's grandfather arrived, he went for the hot tub. In the meantime, Casey and I returned to our chairs and our books. When AJ moved from the hot tub to the pool, I expected him to walk to the steps in the shallow end, as most 80-year-olds would. Instead, he stood at the edge of the deep end for a moment before diving in. I was impressed.

After lunch, the clouds moved in, cooling off what had been an 80-degree day. A few drops of rain around 3 p.m. marked the end of our four hours poolside, and we made it home before the clouds opened. Even now I hear the cars go by on rain-slicked roads.

While we lounged in the sun, 1,500 miles north Washington and Philadelphia endured the worst snowstorm in seven years. (This we learned later watching the news.) Airports in both cities shut down � good thing the flights today weren't significantly cheaper, otherwise we might've been on one. Or not, as it were.

This afternoon Casey and her grandparents relived old home movies while I enjoyed them for the first time � a Casey history lesson of sorts. Most were of Casey, from a few weeks to three years old. My parents have nothing of the sort (plenty of pictures, sure, but live-action is so much different) and I wonder how my memory would hold up to such documentation.

Outside, the soft rain of Florida continues to pitter-patter off the leaves and onto the pavement. I think now I shall read more of Kerouac before shutting the lights on this day.

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