Pool of trouble…

We bought this house a year ago, particularly because it has a wonderful in-ground pool in the backyard. We have three active children, of which the youngest two aged 9 and 7, are full of energy and love to be active having fun. The oldest one, 14, is more at ease with his nose glued to his computer screen or a video game console. So last summer, the two youngest spent every waking moment swimming that they could. It was great for me, because with the stress of having just moved in and not being able to find most of our stuff, I wasn’t happy leaving the house knowing I was just going to return to a mountain of boxes or other clutter.

Last fall, my husband left on deployment, and unfortunately, we didn’t have time or the funds to get the pool closed for the winter. Granted, I have never owned or maintained a pool in my life. My husband had some brief experience with a pool (above ground) that was at a house we rented for about a year, but I never gave him a hand really wanting no part of it. So, of course, now its up to me alone to figure out what to do.

I did nothing. About November, I turned off all the pool equipment, only turning it on when I needed to drain water out of the pool because of the rain. At some point, it started to turn green. I tried to ignore it, but it remained the pink elephant in my backyard. I wouldn’t go outside, I ignored the view out of the back windows and the back door. I felt that not knowing would be better than having to do something about it…

What a conundrum when my husband e-mails me for photos of the house. I send him views of everything else but the view out back. Eventually, I knew I had to face the truth, that in front of me, (or behind depending on which way I am facing), was a big problem that was just not going to wait until my husband came home to be fixed. I opted to tell him about it, thinking he would have some advice or instructions or even be open to discussing the options. No. Instead I got the crazy ultimatum that it better be fixed by the time he gets back because he is going to want to go swimming, not spend his free time cleaning out a pool that I apparently have plenty of time to handle on my own.

I don’t know why I ever expect any answers from him that are supportive in nature. Regardless, unless I want drama upon his return I am going to have to figure out how to get this pool cleaned out with minimal help and a small budget (meaning I can’t hire it out to professionals). Hurray. I hate my life sometimes.