Special offer at David Lloyd which I neither resist nor afford. Heated outdoor swimming pool on my doorstep, mine for the next five months. I will still still be visiting the Men's Pond and The Lido regularly. I never swim indoors, I like to swim lots of lengths, the nearest heated outdoor pool is London Fields, miles away. I don't have to justify my choice to anybody, apparently I do. First world problems.
Thursday late afternoon. The grey canopy of the sky hangs over Finchley like an unwashed neck curtain, it hangs so low it's like a roof, I might have well have swum indoors. Is it too late for a refund?
Hey, pool to myself. It's not that warm but it will do, it will have to do, I'm paying for this. The chlorinated water tastes strange. I plough up and down, I'm back to counting lengths, short lengths. I wonder what I'm doing here, a private health club.
I sit in the jacuzzi contemplating and justifying my choice. There are some very overweight people here, it's not very healthy. I dream a while in the steam room.