Red, White, and Pool!

Apparently, we were in desperate need of a swimming pool. I know this because my husband began relentlessly hounding me about installing one about two years ago, when we moved into this house. I was forced to watch shows like Insane Pools:Off the Deep End and Ultimate Pools on an alarmingly regular basis, and as he is known to do when he gets something on his mind, the man just would not let it go. And so, the first of December 2020, some very nice gentleman appeared with some very large equipment and began destroying both my backyard and my sanity. This continued for many, many (mud-filled) months.

Here is the "before" picture of our backyard, lacking Clint's swimming pool. But wait...

I was sure I couldn't stand it another day, and then it was finished. Finally. Tah-dah!

It only took six months and about half of our life\'s savings, but Clint\'s dream has been realized. The pool was completed just in time for Memorial Day weekend, which is the official beginning of summer. To say we were ready is a bit of an understatement. On a side note, I think there is a sequel just waiting to be made to the 1986 Tom Hanks movie The Money Pit, about a house whose endless renovations gobble up money at a ferocious and endless pace. I would like to speak with Hollywood to pitch The Swimming Hole, about a very similar fate involving, er, liquid assets. But I digress. Let's focus on the fun rather than the holes in our pockets.

We invited our friends over for an opening day pool party and enjoyed some snacks, watermelon margaritas, and fun in the sun. We weren't really sure what the puppy was going to think about the new pool, and after giving him the long weekend to take it all in I can report: not much. He seems to think of it as a giant bathtub and he is no fan of baths. While he isn't afraid of the water, our big-haired bichon frisé has just decided he would be insane to voluntarily get in it, preferring instead to skulk around the perimeter giving us all judgy looks and then retreating to the safe shade under a chaise lounge for a power nap instead. We will keep coaxing him, but honestly, it saves me from lots of time bathing, rinsing, detangling, and brushing him if he doesn't cannonball into the deep end every time we go outside, so I'm fine if he is less than enthused with this new outdoor space at the moment.

Our dear friends knew that an occasion such as this calls for Chick-fil-A. Make sure that, whoever your people are, they understand the importance of a nugget tray. This cannot be overstated.

When your pool project takes six months, you make a cookie cake that looks like a beach ball to celebrate its completion.

Worth the wait!

I got Clint this special t-shirt to wear this summer. After all, he wanted a pool and every pool needs a cabana boy.

Does this look like the face of a water lover? No, thank you.

If anyone needs Charlie, he'll be here.

Throughout this seemingly endless pool construction project, our friends, family, and neighbors have tried to encourage us that it "will all be worth it." And I have to say, it was a pretty nice weekend sunning and floating and swimming and splashing. Maybe it's slightly better than the inflatable pool from Target I told Clint I wished we had sprung for instead.

Hello, summer. I've exchanged my straight jacket for a swimsuit and I think I'm finally ready for you.

Yes, maybe this is slightly better than the Target inflatable pool. I'll double check again next weekend to be sure and let y'all know.