Sunday, July 1, 2007

The Money Pit, aka, Our Pool

Okay - let me introduce you to our pool. We've lived in this house for 3 years, but actually, this is our fourth summer. The first summer, we moved in August, so we got a month's use out of it. Summer, 2005, the pump broke and we had to have it fixed to the tune of almost $200. Summer 2006? We didn't even bother uncovering it because Matthew was born in June, and me and the kids went down to my Mom and Dad's house for the rest of the summer. But OH, WAIT! Over the summer, the cover split, so we had to uncover it anyway in October, and RE-COVER it immediately with a new cover, about $75. Not to mention, we dumped half the contents of the cover INTO the pool, but had no choice but to just cover it up and hope for the best. So here we are, Summer, 2007. We just got back from vacation, so our pool was still covered, it was our main priority this weekend. Yesterday, we pull the cover off, not too bad! Hooked up the (fixed) pump, turned on the filter. Disaster. Filter had cracks in the bottom, water pouring out. Total cost of new filter PLUS a new pump, because what do you know, they sell it as a package....$575. And lest you think we're ready to swim, how's this - filter STILL not hooked up because we need more parts, and hardly any pool stores are open on Saturday evenings and Sunday. We had to change around the whole electrical system (parts for that...$35), AND we had to buy new sand...$39.
I can only hope, that in the coming years, my boys, and their friends, and their friend's friends and relatives and everybody's dogs get a WHOLE lot of fun out of this pool, otherwise, I'm filling it in and making it into a very nice vegetable garden.
Final word? Don't get a pool. Get A/C.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Bec - I truly love this blog of yours - I love looking at the pics and love hearing whats going on on a daily basis!!!!!! This is the first pic that I'm seeing of the pool - it's just beautiful!!!! Beleive me - all the $$ is worth it - once the boys are a little older you will really use it!!!!