It's not all shit - the perks of a parasite

I went to the Hampstead Heath Ladies pond today. Temperature high high at 27 degrees. I had homework to do for my course tomorrow. I've handed course tutor nothing since she assassinated my last piece. Felt I better do something. But oh the sun, the sun! I don't work in an office! The housework can wait!

I packed my bikini, a towel, a pen and a notebook and off I toddled. It's so nice there!

I found a little spot in a meadow near the pond. I cocooned myself amongst the wild grass shoots and buttercups, lobbed off my bikini top and got scribbling. A restaurant review, that's what the tutor wants and by chance I went to a restaurant just last week. Bintang on the Kentish Town Road. It was like being back in Asia. Blissful interior and exquisite food and bring your own bottle and friends.

Scribble scribble rest rest rest. Scribble lying on my front rest rest rest. It was so hot. So I put my bikini top back on and dived into the pond. I like that, cutting through the cold water, feeling it wrap around my head, my shoulders, my limbs, pushing through it, rising to the surface. At one point I looked to see if I could see my legs in the water. They were orange, seemingly dismembered in the murky space.

I thought I'd swim the circumference of the 100 metre pond. Breast stroke; I'm rubbish at the crawl and anyway, with breast stroke you can keep your head above the water or forge it under. On one of the life rings there were five little ducklings. They'd commandeered it. I wish I knew the names of ducks, I'd tell you which ones I swam with.

I went back to the meadow, wrote some more, relaxed some more, wondered at the name of the wild purple flowers which bordered it, got fidgety, left. Picked up my son from school and suggested the Lido. A massive contrast is an understatement but alot of fun with my boy.

To go to the pond now and then is food for my soul. Hampstead Heath has saved my soul. I live on that place. On Kite Hill, in the forest, by the ponds, the walks to Kenwood, the walks to who knows where but I hope I find my way back. I feel at home there. Hampstead Heath is my Home.