It's Fun To Play at the YMCA!

I think it would be very fair to say that back home the YMCA has a rather different 'image' to the one it has here. When our re-location agent suggested that membership of the 'Y' could open all sorts of opportunities...I couldn't help but silently snigger at the very thought, the only memories I could conjure up were obviously Village People and a rather seedy 'hostel' next door to Sainsbury's in Surbiton in the 80's - I wonder if it's still there?

Different here, so different. Every 'Y', and there seems to be at least one in most towns of a significant size is an almost state-of-the-art fitness and leisure centre with every conceivable type of fitness class, swimming pools - and get this - a FREE creche, and loads of kids activities, playgrounds and swimming lessons. Only downside is that all their pools are outside and they all close after Labour Day, 1st week of September - even though the temperature is still in the 80's most days. There is one 'Y' close to Ellie's school that is having a 'bubble' erected so that the pool can be used during the cooler months.

We joined up and one day, a couple of weeks ago after school ,when it was baking hot and a cool off was becoming very necessary as was escaping the dark poky temporary apartment I took the kids for a play, the kids pool wasn't open for another half an hour, it didn't matter and oh how they played...