FL's mother blindsided me yesterday with an invitation to come with her to the pool today. By "pool" she means a giant, olympic-style bathtub meant for actual swimming. Not Porchis. It is inside, it is heated, it is filtered saltwater from the lagoon that is Grado (a beautiful port town about half an hour away), and it has changing rooms, with showers, where i assume I will be expected to change and take a shower. I really hate stuff like this: getting naked in front of strange people (especially your kind-of-mother-in-law), walking around a dirty, wet floor in squishy flipflops, florescent lights overhead making everyone looks pasty and ill, washing your hair communally, other people's strands running against your toes, clogging the drain. This is why I opted out of ever living in a dorm. And what will I do at a scary, giant olympic-style swimming pool for 3 hours? Swim? Maybe there's a cafe or something.
But! I realize that this is the opportunity that has needed to come along, for FL's mom (named Paola) and I to begin getting to know one another. 6 hours of bonding time. Will just channel Marion: I will be poised, bi-lingual, athletic, and charming.
Must go put on scary suit now. And, oh God, we have to wear bathing caps!