The technique is like water skiing. You want to be at a pretty good speed, otherwise it's pond swimming rather than skimming.

I'm not really good at skiing or snowboarding, or swimming, per se.

I still envision that duck swimming on the pond,

Water was something he loved, something he respected. He understood its beauty and its dangers. He talked about swimming as if it were a way of life.

We did great business after the blizzard.

If only all that January rain had been snow.