Dreams of Water and Grass

When I was a little girl, I imagined what my life would be like as an adult. I wanted to be a pilot. A wife. A mommy. And I wanted them to happen in that order! In the past few years, I have desperately wanted to become a home owner. That wonderful dream came true almost two months ago and has been pure bliss. But I admit...never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever own a pool.

It has been a steep learning curve being the proud parents of a swimming pool. Unfortunately, thanks to us growing up in cold climates, neither of us knows what we are doing! We had a friend from church come give us a tutorial on how to take care of our diving pool. We took a sample of water to Leslie's Pool Supply to have a free chemical test done. It's always pleasant news when the results confirm we would melt no loved one's skin during a pool party. We learned the hard way that the pool doesn't auto-fill and therefore has to be kept in line with a water hose from the house. We also learned how important chlorine tablets are to the sanity of our pool. Despite figuring it out as we go, it has been a joy having a pool.

When John's Dad was down to help us during our first week of home ownership, he brought tools to cut out the old, rusted diving board. He was also considerate enough to grind down the revealed screws to prevent any unnecessary trips to the ER. He is a saint, really. Thanks, Mick!

My patio...oh, my patio. I love this thing. I have been imagining dinner parties out here since we saw the house for the first time in May. We hung patio lights, which actually provide enough illumination to eat outside! I found the perfect patio dining set but lost my chance to purchase it this year. Looks like that will be my first purchase next spring when it becomes available again. In the meantime, we have really enjoyed the Adirondack chairs we bought this past weekend. When it cools down below triple digits, we will begin the arduous task of getting rid of the gravel in the backyard so we can add more grass and more watering pipes. We will also resume the demolition of the shed in the corner and transfer a smaller version to behind the pool pump. I might "supervise" that portion as well! The place is slowly but surely becoming our home.

I really, really love this house. Have I mentioned that? It's fun to wake up every morning, knowing that my dream of owning a house has finally come true. The pool? That's just a dreamer's bonus.