Pool Progress

This is the story of our pool. An abbreviated version somewhat. And why I have been away from my computer for a bit of time once again.
We purchased our pool about 4 years ago at the end of the season on a special clearance. It was in a few boxes. We had good intentions figuring on set up the next year. The next year came and we found out through research that we needed tons more work on our yard to support our new above ground oval pool and through a few quotes found out the cost for that alone would be at least $2000. Our hopes were deflated and time went on another year passed and even one more after that. We just could not work things out for a long, long time financially. Another season came and with that some hope as we found someone to do the work on our yard, to flatten our slope and prepare it, for 1/4 the price. We had the work done and still even then it was not quite right. DH did a lot of work w/laser levels and scraping more dirt, etc....then mapping it all out and laying down all the track and some major pieces, only to find we were missing 2 major steel diagonal support pieces. Through many phone calls found the pool store closed and no luck w/any of the pool manufacturers either... By that time another end of season was upon us and we would wait one final year.
Enter 2008. With this new year, once again we hoped of a pool but did not want to get our hopes too high as anything can happen. We purchased the filter system, and located a steel company that could cut 2 pieces just so DH could fabricate them as needed to do the job, purchased sand and set a date to begin set up. W/ many wheel barrows of sand and lots of hard work we prepared the site some more. Actual set up would begin the weekend of June 6th. Just so happens the friends from church would not be available since that was our big Church Picnic and to top it all off, we began our first heat wave of the summer. We worked for many days in scorching temperatures, one way or another the pool was going up. Had a little help Sunday w/the liner but for the most part it was just the 2 of us. (no not the the "flippers" below..LOL)

The pool did get up as you can see. We filled slowly, it took 4 days as the first night of filling we woke up to find 4 walls buckling a bit at the top...DH figured out a fix and spent another hour or 2 straightening it all out. Then the next night was one of our biggest storms w/65 or so MPH winds and our pool survived. We ran into so many problems (& fears!!) but it is finally up and running. We will need to add a deck and ladder soon, when we recover and find time) The filter system just attached yesterday and filled to the top. I claimed a float, as all mommas need to do. We still cannot believe that there is this lovely pool waiting for us every day. It is like a little piece of heaven for our whole family and such a blessing as our family loves to be home, we are simple people. And the look on our youngest seems to say it all: We cannot believe we have our own pool now!!!!!

Saying a "good night and God Bless" to you all,
Carol