Ready for Football Season

I picked up a new flag just in time for our first game this weekend.  Hook 'Em!

Putting in a Pool

Desperate times call for desperate measures.  Last Sunday I headed out to run errands around 9:30am.  It was already 123 degrees outside, I swear.  I stopped by Home Depot on a mission to find some Horsetail Bamboo.  After completely walking the entire outdoor plant section twice, I had no Horsetail but I did have a nice puddle of sweat coming through my t-shirt.  Onward to Target!

I was relying on the Big Box A/C system to cool me down but by now it was almost 145 degrees outside and Target was just no match.  I began getting the items on my list.  Restocking Diet Coke, frozen meals for work lunch, dogs treats, the norm.  Then I saw the summer swim floaty games aisle, or whatever it was called.  I thought, I wonder how much an inflated kiddie pool is?  They had a nice rectangular one that looked just big enough for me to lay in about 8" of water while sunning.  It was $29.99 but I was seriously considering it.  That is, until I saw the glint off a red clearance tag.  It was on a box for the Intex Easy Set 10' pool.  And it was marked down to $39.99.

Yep, into my cart it went.  I honestly didn't even read what it was.  I just saw the happy family on the box and was sold.  Y'all, turns out I basically bought an above ground pool.  It has a filter and pump and the full nine yards.  I took it home and immediately began setting it up because I needed water ASAP.

Within about 20 minutes I had the top ring inflated and was sitting in about an inch of the coolest water ever!  Over the next couple hours it would continue to fill and I would begin floating around in my chair float that I also bought at Target.

Now in my haste, I just slapped the thing down and started filling.  I hadn't mowed in over a week so didn't notice the ground wasn't level.  That would explain the random objects around the pool trying to keep it from tipping over.  Details.

I floated in that pool until the shade started setting over me.  I even lasted through a brief rain sprinkle.  I'm not sure why I didn't get one of these years ago!  After my Sunday Funday with my new above ground pool, I began draining it.  I bailed water into my watering can and used it on the flowers all week and then I eventually used it on the grass itself.  It's so awesome that you can hook a hose up to it and water!  Last night it was empty enough to move to the porch while I mowed.  I'm now going to set it up in a less urgent manner.  I've found a flatter area of the yard, laid a tarp and will begin refilling it on Friday.  I even ordered a cover for it!  Come Saturday I'll install the pump and filter that came with it and it should be good to go for the rest of the summer.  I even bought a little chlorine container that will float around in it.  Now when Pete tells me the weather is going to be 152 degrees, I will just laugh as I float in my new $40 pool.