Thinking outload...

With the cost of rising gasoline prices... raised to $3.49 a gallon yesterday, Don and I, probably like many Americans, have been looking at a variety of ways to enjoy spending more time at home. I am a water lover... I love being near water whether it be a small stream, a pond, a large body of water, a river, a lake, or at a beach. I grew up taking summer vacations and weekend trips with my family to Lake Erie. My dad has always had a boat, enjoys fishing, camping, etc. So needless to say, I learned how to swim at a very early age and do enjoy it.... although I do wish my body looked like it did when I was in my twenties and early thirties while in a swimsuit, LOL! Anyways, Don knows I love water, love to swim, etc. so he's mentioned many, many times recently about us getting a pool. We've thought about it, discussed what type of pool we'd like to have... inground vs. and above ground, thought about our home location and the location of placing one in our yard, talked over and considered many options.

Due to having a low-income housing development right next to our home, having a fence is critical! In fact, we have an older stockade fence that runs the entire length of our property on the west side and at one time covered the entire back end of our acre. Over the years, we've removed pieces and sections of that fence to replace and repair damages that have been done by our "so called - neighbors". We've tried to nice about, contacting the apartment managers, making "friendly" complaints, and they've taken some steps to accommodate us. Some managers more than others, but that is an entirely new post. Recently we learned that the apartment complex was sold and the company who is buying it, has agreed to replace our fence --- all of it.... the west and north sides, since we've removed a good section of the back fence repairing and replacing the west side. Bids have been made, a company selected, and soon they'll begin replacing it. We did however stress that we'd like to keep the sections of fencing that will be removed for fencing in the east side of our back yard. So, having an enclosed back yard is very important, especially to me, in the event that we put in a pool.

Considerations we'd taken regardless of the fencing situation, is to put an above ground pool up near our rear deck, creating a deck wall way surrounding the pool complete with railings and no access from the back yard. The requires making some changes to our deck design, although they could very easily be made. Removing a section of railing and a few posts to the deck height, and viola! We'd be in business. Other considerations, a very large tree! just to the east and some-what south of our deck is a large tree, it's beautiful! but needs to be topped off badly, and is something that would need to be dealt with before installing anything else regardless of its nature. Don says, "I'd have it cut down." while I think, "just top it off!" I love that tree! It has provided us so much soft landscaping, shade in the morning hours, and the branches make it perfect for one day adding a small "tree house" very low to the ground for our grandchild.

Something else to consider, is our home was built by Don's father in the 1950's/60's? perhaps. When it was built, the "street" wasn't a street but more of a road, just outside the city limits. Over the years, re-zoning, building, urban progress, etc. has changed all of that... but the point, I'm failing miserably at making, is there is an old septic system somewhere underground near the edge of our deck.... probably 4 foot away and who knows exactly where its located? Would the ground in this area support an above ground pool? There's some excavating that would need to be done to the area before a pool could be placed here.

And the most important consideration to me: Safety! If an above ground pool could be installed here.... gates with self-closing latches and locks would have to be installed on both stairways leading out into the yard so that all access to the pool area would need to be made from the deck area only. A gate to the pool area of the deck would have to be in place due to having a small grand-child who wouldn't have access to the pool without adult supervision!!!! I've asked myself many, many times if I'm even sure I want to do with Alexxis being only one year old. Do I really want to take that chance of an accident or an injury? That answer is No! {If it were entirely my decision alone, the pool would wait for another 5 or so years! LOL!} And with all these things to consider, it may just take that long for us to finally have one, but that doesn't prevent us from dreaming about this. As I like to say, if you're gonna dream, Dream BIG! {smiles}