Busy Week

I don't know where this week went. Of course, every spare moment has been spent around the pool! Swimming, eating, picking up leaves (that is going to get old!) and of course dreaming up more projects! I went back to work Monday- part time- helping with the 3rd grade violin program. Our school system provides 9 weeks of introductory violin lessons for every 3rd grade student. Back when I was teaching I asked if I could come with my class and take lessons. I was so impressed with how well my kids picked it up. I was not as good, but I am not musically inclined. I did learn to play "Mary Had a Little Lamb"! After I retired the assistant job came open and since I had experience in 3rd grade and had "graduated" from the class - I was asked to help out. I really like it! What makes me good at it is- I don't really hear music notes so the bad notes don't bother me like a real musician! After time however I have started to hear the bad notes, and believe me ....there are many!!!



We are also getting ready for a Labor Day Pool Opening Party! When youngest son was born several of my teacher friends formed a playgroup with our babies. We were already friends and our children were all born within 2 years. The Dads noticed how much fun we seemed to have and asked to be included. They had never met each other but formed an instant bond. Then older and younger siblings also became involved. So we went from 4 Moms and 4 babies to a party of 20-25. We have all grown in different ways and now have very different schedules and new jobs, but we really love when the planets line up and we can get together! Most of us will be here for Labor Day! In preparing for the party today DH had a little tool slip that ended up with an ER trip and 6 stitches. He was mad because it took an hour and 26 minutes out of his yard work! It was the fastest ER trip we've ever had though! Here is a picture of the cement slab he was building when the accident happened- so you can see he came home and finished it!

And here are a few more shots of the pool area with furniture.














Finally- Lulu and Seven have formed an alliance- not love yet -but at least acceptance!

First Swimming Lessons

The Pugs had their first swimming lessons on Sunday. The sun came out every once in a while so we did our post-Fay clean up in the yard and around the pool. We were lucky and didn't have any trees down, just a few small branches and tons of leaves. And the fun part was working for a while then taking a swim break! Eli went in first. He was nervous but was very good at turning in the water and heading to the steps. He had no trouble getting out of the pool on his own. Later he got back in on the top step by himself. Most of the time he ran around the edge barking at us.

Next came Bitsey! Eli warned her what was coming.

She swam well and also figured out the stairs but she seemed to swim in circles rather than to the steps. Once she got out, she was done. She got up under a towel and hid. They took a long afternoon nap after that!

We Made It!

They said we'd be swimming by Friday and they were right! There is still a lot to do....finish the fence, landscaping and yard clean up but we went for our first swim tonight. We are expecting the rain from Fay tomorrow, but maybe it will hold off at least until we get the fence done!

Fill 'er Up Friday!!!!!!!

Counting Down....

Today they finished the floor of the deep end and worked more on the grading of the yard. All of the inspections were completed and the form is ready for concrete tomorrow. We looked at landscape options and made the last minute fence arrangements. We won't be able to use the ladder or diving board for 10 days so that the concrete has plenty of time to cure. They keep saying we will be swimming Friday!

This is the view from the street side. The fence will run along the top of the hill. Our plan (for the moment) is some color/texture along the fence that can be seen from the pool. Maybe caladiums and elephant ears. Then we will put low growing juniper on the hill and sod at the base. On the left side,which is the back of our lot, will be crepe myrtle for screening and possibly a raised bed for gardening. On the right side there will be a deck joining up the pool with the current patio. This will be next year's project! You can see a little bit of the tree house over there, which will have to come down. Those days are over-we just use it for storage anyway! The deck will overlook the fish pond. The fish have not even noticed the pool construction! The workers have been very careful to stay away from the pond with the bulldozer and cement truck!

Finally, one last shot for Gram, this was the last night of Soccer Camp! Son#4 is standing to the right of the boy in the orange shirt! He really enjoyed camp and is looking forward to playing on a team in September.

Son #3 called, he is on his way to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri to finish basic training with the National Guard. I think he is already homesick. When he called, he could hear his dog barking in the background and I'm sure that didn't help!

More Red Dirt!

Joannah asked if the dirt is really that red color! YES! Alabama clay is Red! And it stains! The proof is seen on my white bathroom rugs. Boys don't notice mud on their shoes (and husbands are included when I say boys) -thank God for Clorox! As if our yard is not full of enough red dirt- we got another load of it today! They thought we would have enough when they dug out the deep end, but we needed more to build up and level off the pool deck! The shallow end floor was poured today. And the form for the cement patio is almost finished. We are now under a deadline because Tropical Storm Fay is expected at 2:00 Friday afternoon! So with some luck we will start the fence on Thursday and lay some sod Friday morning so it will hold down some of the dirt if Fay does head this way!

More Pool Progress

Nothing happened over the weekend! It was a little depressing to look out at all the mud, so we concentrated on watching the Olympics! Before any further work could be done there had to be a plumbing inspection. Today they were back hard at work at 7:00 in the morning. Things are looking a little better today. They filled in around the pool so it looks more like an in ground pool. We will have some landscaping to do on the shallow end of the pool. There is a pretty big hill there. I know they still have a lot of grading to do before we put sod down and put up the fence. I don't see how they could get it all done by Wednesday- but that's the plan! Then our work begins!

Cement Truck Came Today!

There was a lot of progress today. By lunch they had finished the form. After lunch the electricians ran their lines out to the filter area and the base for the equipment was framed. Then the cement truck arrived. Cement was dumped around the base of the pool and in the base for the pump. They finished laying out the PVC pipes in place to connect tomorrow. It has really been amazing to watch the men work. A father and son team really have done the majority of the heavy work. The son drives the backhoe. He is only 22 but, he has 8 years of experience. His father said that he has a natural talent to work the backhoe that cannot be taught. Then he moved the cement while his Dad spread it out. He ran pushing a full wheelbarrow of cement, dumped it , ran back and repeated that for 45 minutes without stopping! The pool contractor told us that the 2 of them do the work of 5 men. I believe it!!

We have had many friends stop by to admire the mess. It is so shocking! I'm looking forward to the before and after pictures, because it is hard to believe this will ever look "normal"!!

The Big Dig! Wordless Wednesday

Rain,Rain Go Away!

I can't believe I am saying that! We have begged for rain all summer-now- when the pool project is starting - the storms are here! Yesterday the electrician started running his lines. Today at 7:00 the first of the pool crew arrived to start the dig. I'm a little disappointed because they had to stop due to the rain. They didn't want the rain to wash all of the dirt into our neighbors yard!


I found these little white gourds the other day, so this picture is for my Mom!

Thanks to Kelloggs and Walgreens!

I have had some fun in the past week thrifting, back to school shopping and coupon shopping. Gosh, it sounds like all I do is shop! Sometimes it feels like that! I've done a lot of sewing in the last week as well! I'd first like to thank Kelloggs and Walgreens for having super sales and rebates this week! It took some figuring but, between coupons and rebates, I will come out $1.24 ahead after this purchase! I spent $18.76 ...got back $10 in Register Rewards from Walgreens....and will get back a $10 rebate from Kelloggs!

I also had a good week at CVS. I used coupons and ECB's to pay for Sure and Pert + there was a $5 rebate on school supplies so I will end up paying $.36 for about $13 worth of stuff! I'm trying to teach one of my friends how to do this and she is catching on well. If you are old enough to remember the old "Kung Fu" TV show...she calls me Master and I call her Grasshopper. She has 3 young children so she has a handicap when she is shopping! She also likes a good thrift store bargain so we went out this week to a 50% off sale. These are some of the treasures I found last week.

The Village People album will go to Son#4- he had the nerve to laugh at me because I knew all the words to these songs! He saw them on Youtube for the first time and howled at me singing. I will frame this and hang it on his bedroom wall! For some reason I have added Shenego China to my list of old dishes I like. This plate and some of his relatives were at the 50% off sale. I thought they looked cute with those 60's Vera placemats. And I never turn away a piece of Jade-ite. It's not old -just a repro- but still neat! The pug book has a DVD on training tips! At this point that is water under the bridge!!!!!

The New Project Begins!

The backhoe was delivered today! The digging is scheduled for Monday! The electrician came by to make a final check on what he will do and a fire hose to fill the pool also came today!

14 boxes of fence are stacked in the dog pen. And our guest, Jef, is standing guard. Jef (who is huge! 112 pounds) is staying here while son #3 goes to National Guard Training in Missouri for a couple months. The pugs are not impressed! He is a sweetie, just past the puppy stage, but too much dog for me!

Fort Pug

The pugs have now added two other pillows to Big Mama's corner. Each of the pugs have a tiger pillow (AU "Aubies"). I guess they dragged them across the room during the night. So now Eli has taken back Big Mama and LuLu has her own Aubie! Soon I will be unable to get to the stove....oh, well... This reminds me of when the kids were little and built forts out of sofa cushions!!

My Best Friend

LuLu has decided that Bitsey is her best friend. They are seen here sharing "Big Mama" the most coveted large stuffed pillow pug. Although the pugs often argue about who gets to sleep on Big Mama, it appears that Bitsey has decided that LuLu does not take up too much room to share! The cat is still not befriending the kitten, maybe she will when the weather get cooler and she needs a snuggle buddy!