"Nakedivity"

I haven't looked it up but I'm pretty sure "nakedivity" is not a word that's in the dictionary. But still I like it a lot - it was coined by a friend in response to the news that I had spent the afternoon of the autumnal equinox (that would be yesterday, as I write) sitting nude on the pool deck, doing the NYT crossword puzzle.

I am fortunate to have a back yard that is totally private, shielded from view by dense foliage and a six-foot stockade fence. Anyone wanting to see what's going on by my pool would really have to work at it and probably deserves whatever offense they may take at what they see. The pool is situated so that it gets full sun almost all day long so for a sun-lover like me it's a great place to spend some leisure time. And this summer since I essentially live alone for the first time in forever, I adopted a "bathing suit optional" policy for my time in or by the pool.

So yesterday when I arrived on the pool-deck fully clothed and intending to cover the pool for the winter, the allure of the warm sun and the prospect that there might be no more opportunities for sun-bathing until next spring proved irresistible. I ditched my ambitions to make preparations for winter, shed my clothes and revelled in the glory of an absolutely spectacular late summer/early fall day in Maine. Not only was I nude (it's not a pretty sight but fortunately I'm the only one who could see it) but I was totally free of any sense of obligation to be "productive" - I could cover the pool another day, this day was to be fully enjoyed for what it was, a rare perfect September day.

That is what "nakedivity" means - whether it is in the dictionary or not. It's not just the state of being unclothed, it's a state of mind. It's bound to be a long. cold winter here but the prospect of more nakedivity next summer will make the wait more bearable. Now if I could just figure out how to keep my tan from fading...