Everyone knows we have been working on the pool project for about a month and we finally wrapped it up Memorial Day weekend (well mostly). Our budget was our entire stimulus check ($1200) – and we did our best to stick to it. Actually we did a great job at sticking to it. When it was all said and done, I think we hit it within $20 bucks. The good way. 😉
It was a lot of work, and with the heat of that weekend (99-100 degrees) it seemed even harder that it really was. Since I had cleared that area of grass and such the week before and we had picked up the 35 bags of sand to go down before the pool was erected. The rest had been picked up during the week before (like all the pots & plants, pool and all that).
So lets get it started eh?
First step was taking those million bags of sand and getting them evenly distributed. Shala manned the opening of the bags, and I took them (50 lbs. each) and played a nice little game I like to call OCD-ness. I think Shala got the good end of the deal, since she didn’t have to walk around with those bags of sand… but hey, I’m the man – that is what I am supposed to do right? Right. Below you can find a pic of the sand laid out in nice lil piles… ok, PERFECT piles of sand placed exactly where they should have been placed. 😉
After laying out the sand… we pushed it around and got it all leveled out. See below.
So now with the base of sand down so that we wouldn’t have any problems with grass growing up in the bottom of the pool or anything pokin’ through the bottom and causing leaks. It is called preparation people! Thinking ahead! haha
With the thing level we spread out the pool and started putting together the pieces and such. Originally we were going to go with one of those blow up ones (you know, you blow up the ring and then fill with water)… but they just looked so shady. I was afraid we would put all this money into this and watch it all go to hell. Not cool.
We decided to go with the aluminum frame pool, which was pretty easy to setup. After laying out the liner, we probably had the frame built in an hour. That may sound like a lot, but it really wasn’t that bad. I mean considering we went from no pool, to empty pool in an hour… is quite an accomplishment.
So after putting it up, we had to wait. Yup… wait. This filling up the pool thing took longer than anything else. I guess you don’t really think about how long it would take… you just figure you would be immediately swimming. Nope. So come midnight we were about half way full and called it good for the night. Or was it half empty?
The funny thing is all night I couldn’t sleep because I was thinking about filling up the pool, so at 6:00 AM I couldn’t take it anymore and got up and started the last hurrah in the filling up process. By noon we had everything finished and ready for swimming. However… we had other plans that couldn’t be avoided – so we had to skip out of the swimming until the next day.
With everything finally done… you can check out the final pics of everything in place. Thank you Uncle Sam, you hooked it up fatty style. Enjoy.
I had to laugh. Of course filling up the pool would take a long time, but really no one would think about it in advance. I wake up early when I’m really wanting something to.
Sweet. With the heat you guys have been having, I bet that pool is going to be broken in well in no time. The previous owners of our house had a pool, so we have a pre-sanded area, but we’re thinking about the opposite season. Lots of folks around here have hot tubs for the winter, and we have sat in a friend’s tub on more than one occasion, so we’re thinking about getting one ourselves. Nothing like sitting outside in a hot tub while the snow/sleet is falling around you with a cold beer in hand while you’re still snug as a bug. Of course the walk back to the house is an entirely different experience!
Well done. We use my mom’s pool almost every day.
ok, so now, lets build a deck for that bad boy!?
err, YOU build a deck for that bad boy! ^_-
Congratulations! Does the pool just heat itself with the weather you get down there? I’m picturing it like up here, 40 degree water.
me: Hi Oprah and thanks for having me.
Oprah: My pleasure! Now tell all of us how you got started on your blog.
Me: Well, it’s all pretty innocent, double danger, I wanted a blog to reach long distant family and friends, double danger.
Oprah: Why do you keep saying that?
Me: Huh?
Oprah: You keep saying double danger.
me: No huh uh. I don’t know what you’re talking about.
We can totally make that work…
@Kathy – totally works. You need to change your link in your comment window next time. Still goes to your … wait… not your old last name. 😉
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