The Pool

We had an above-ground pool this summer. It was nice at first, offering relief from summer heat and boredom. It was fun! It was nice and cool! We didn't spend 3 months and 30K! Here are some photos from July:

Time passed. The tiny little filter didn't do such a great job at cleaning the water. We moved along the learning curve with the various chemicals and cleaning processes. But lately, the pool has been either 1. too dirty to swim in or 2. too full of chemicals to swim in.

Monday I put a couple hoses in it to siphon out the water. Quick & easy. Yesterday I attempted to clean the last 4 inches of water out of the pool by turning it over (very, very heavy and very, very slimy). And in doing so I have unleashed some smells that are so foul there are no words to describe them. You could use the phrase "elephant enema" and that would put you in the ballpark. Let's just say that the next time someone says "worst case scenario" I will have a palette of smells to draw from.

Maddie was a big help. Julian found a few tiny frogs and then went off on his own. The dogs generally got in the way and disgusted me by ROLLING in the bog of eternal stench. And EATING some of the grub worms they found just below the surface. No inside time for them....

Tonight I'll get Jimmy to help me get all this stuff out for the trash. I'm sorry, I know I'm a wimpy and wasteful American...