Evanston, July 12

A period of bad weather, lots of east, northeast winds, has kept us from the lake. It is not quite over this morning. More northeast winds and, since I have already done a half mile warmup in the pool, we do an "out and back". The waves look very tame from the shore but, as always, they look a lot larger from the water level swimmers view. But in fact, for once, the shore view is more accurate. These waves are fairly tame and we both miss the expected boost on the way back. Water is still about 69 F.

We are not in a hurry so we linger on the beach with Mike's coffee. There is a cool wind in our face and we are wearing windbreakers over our suits. We are alone on the beach. At 10:30 a lifeguard comes and stands silent guard over us protecting us from the lake creatures or whatever that might attack us on the sand. It is rather weird. But not as weird as the lady we meet on the street with a shih-tzu being towed behind her in a bike trailor.