I went swimming last week in the campus pool when it was 5 degrees outside. There is a mad dash over 15 metres through the open air between the changing rooms and pool door, key in hand, breath misting, legs goose-bumping all the way down, towel wrapped tightly in a futile attempt to keep the cold at bay. This time, some bright spark had decided to tie their two dogs up to the railing by the pool door, and the large one decided he was going to bark and block my way. After a few seconds of mad hop skip hop on the freezing ground I’d had enough and said a loud and deep ‘NO’, before sticking my hand to his nose as a peace offering. I was granted permission to pass and hastily fumbled with the cold padlock and let myself in. Mist swirled above the water as I dipped my toes in, then down to my knees, then waist, shoulders and finally all the way splish splash! It wasn’t bathtub warm but after a few laps it was heaven in a fog. I half expected a ghost ship to emerge from the swirling mists at the deep end, or perhaps the return of the swamp thing! Or maybe that was just my reflection??