nose plugs and skin lotion

I must be alergic to chlorine.

I'll go for one swim and I'll sneeze and snivel for two days.

Pool water dries my skin and I get itchy - winter only.

So I did a bit of surfing and found a guy with the same problem.

The answers - Vaseline in the nostrils and a nose plug. Shower before and after the swim and put on some lotion.

I'm not sure why I have resisted this for so long. I've done it for my past 3 swims and I'm not so reluctant to go to the pool any more - well, at least I've eliminated a couple of excuses.

Now I just have to get the nerve up to wear a nose plug when I swim with the masters. Of course they will say I'm doing something wrong if I get water in my nose. Bullocks! My nose has always had this peculiar way of storing water deep in the recesses of my nasal cavity when I'm not paying attention. Hours later I'll bend over to pick something up and a gush of water will pour out. Don't ask me - just another strange biological anomaly like my deep set eyes that do not like normal swim goggles.

Skin lotion is an easy one, but for some reason I had it in my head that all skin lotions smell 'flowery' (might have something to do with being surrounded by estrogen most of my life - single mom, 6 sisters, wife, 2 daughters - I did have 3 brothers, but growing up lotion was for girls).

So Sena picked up some 'fragrant free' lotion today (now I just need to figure out how to get it in the middle of my back!).