Thursday, April 21, 2011
Off The Deep End
Okay, so it's really the deep middle, because it's a sport pool, so shallow on the ends and deep in the middle. The main question is, why did my parents put in a sport pool, because last time I checked, unless you count trying to slide your butt into the pool, onto a floatie, without getting your hair wet, there's not a whole lot of athletic activity going on in this pool. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me take you back, let's say 30 years or so ago.
Mom and Dad build their home on a lot in West Valley and over the years spend time, energy and a lot of slave labor (think kids) making the house and front yard into what they want. The backyard, well that was another story. As long as I can remember, it was full of dead grass and dog poop. Sure, we had a swingset and we walked through the grass to go through the gate to the neighbors house, but other than that, the backyard didn't get used for much. A couple of times there was a garden, but the produce was usually wasted on a neighborhood boys vs. girls fight over the fence. We had a trampoline, still have it, in fact, but it always seemed to move with the sun and was never in one place for very long. No, the main function of the backyard, as far as my parents were concerned, was a blank slate for a swimming pool. Now, a couple of things you have to know. My mom doesn't know how to swim. In fact, she doesn't even like to get her face wet in the shower. Add to this the fact that none of my family is what you might call "comfortable" with the way we look in swimming suits and it might seem like an odd choice.
It took many years, but about 6 months before I got married, my parents finally broke ground on the pool in the backyard. They finished it in March; not exactly swimming season, but I can still remember jumping into an unheated pool in the snow and swimming until I couldn't feel my legs (didn't take long, surprisingly) because I was so excited that my childhood dream was finally coming true. Note to Mom and Dad: still waiting for the horse!
Well, if I thought the timing was odd, it wasn't. It was perfect! Let's just say that my little brother Greg had the coolest high school hangout of any of his friends, and it has been a wonderful thing now that we have all had children. Mom still doesn't "swim" much, but she loves laying in the sun and Dad enjoys his nightly swims.
If you're sick of this trip down memory lane, get over it, because it's my blog! I'm posting about this because Grandma and Grandpa opened their pool last week. After the pool company comes out and removes the anti-freeze (or whatever they put in it over the winter) we have to let it sit for about a week to warm up. The kicker about this time of year, however, is that you never know what you're going to get weather-wise. We've had years where I'm already peeling at this point, or years like this year, where I have moss growing between my toes and on the north side of my nose because it's been so freaking wet! Well, through the magic lens of childhood, the kids that live at my house decided that it didn't matter that it was only in the low 50's this week. The pool was heated, so what did I care? Nothing, I guess.
Tuesday afternoon, the girls burst through the door from school and beg to go to Grandma's to go swimming. They beg, they plead, and I tell them to call Grandma. She's a ninny, so I'm pretty sure that she'll tell them it's too cold. Boy was I wrong! After asking what I had said, she informed the girls that it might be a little bit cold, but they were welcome to come out and swim. Suits were gathered, Jack was located at a friends house, and before long we were on our way to Grandma's. Here are the first shots of each of the kids as they did their first ceremonial cannonballs of the season. 
There were also some shots of the girls feet that they insisted I take while they were doing handstands under water, but I won't bore you with these. Anyway, the kids swam for an hour or so and then the residual chlorine left from the winterizing started to get to them and they got out for the day. They were exhausted and their eyes were burning. Overall, a great start to the swimming season.
In honor of the time we plan to spend at the pool this summer, I give you the Top Ten reasons that Grandma and Grandpa Homer's pool is the best around.
10. It's kind of like Cheers. Everyone knows your name and nobody cares if you're fat, pasty or hairy.
9. Their are no mysterious children with snotty noses who glom onto your kids and try to follow you home. To my sister-in-laws; we've talked to the kids and this shouldn't be a problem anymore on our end.
8. There is an endless supply of goggles, inner tubes, beach balls, diving sticks, etc.... at this pool.
7. Nobody gets mad at the little kids who stick by the stairs.
6. All the Diet Coke you could want! AWESOME!
5. Grandma washes all the beach towels.
4. Fruit never tasted so good as it does by the side of the pool.
3. When the kids get sick of swimming, they can go inside and watch a show, play a game, or ride their bike and I can still work on my tan.
2. It is wonderfully private.... no weirdos checking you out
(or maybe I just think they're checking me out.)
And the number one reason that Grandma's pool is the best.....
1. Because it's a Homer pool, the chances that it's actually a
Baby Ruth are pretty good!
Seriously, we love hanging out at the pool during the summer and are looking forward to doing it again real soon. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!
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1 comment:
I have a really funny story about poop in the pool and my brother Ben....one day!
Why didn't your parents have that pool when I knew you? I do remember the tramp. Do you remember that one time with Lacey and her very weird conversation about drugs?
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