Whose Greener? Me or the Pool?

The boys were packed off to school this morning with freshly baked Blueberry scones for their teachers. They decorated their boxes and I packaged the scones so that they wouldn't get too damaged. We told them to carry them carefully and not to throw them around the bus. It seemed that the scones got there in one piece and the teachers enjoyed them. Smallest's teacher even sent home a thank you.

Moo and I got ready early and were in the forest by 9:30am. Today we walked with 'NoCustard' and 'TeaLady' both friends of Mrs Royal (who couldn't make it today). We walked for just over an hour at a good pace up and downhill. A very good walk with lots of chatter.

Moo, NoCustard and TeaLady

We then drove to our local town to look for a pet shop to buy 'Little Show' (the family fish's new name) some food. After driving up and down the road and then walking up and down the road (as if we hadn't walked far enough) we found the shop and it was closed. We decided to have a coffee and a scone in a cafe and by the time we came out the shop had opened.

We came home and decided to start digging the front garden to make the bed bigger as we had more plants to put in. I edged it and Moo and I pulled up the grass, got the soil off and added the soil back to the bed. It was a long hot job and we had to stop for lunch on the front porch. Moo wouldn't let us stop for long so we carried on and were interrupted by the pool men arriving.

They ummed and ahhhhhed about whether to drain it or just throw the chemicals in. In the end they dredged it, threw the chemicals in, filled it and then set the filter and pump going. Then one of them started to give me an in depth lesson on how to maintain in. (this is normally at a cost of $120 but he said as we were new to the house, country and a pool, he would do it for free and anything he had missed, we could pick up on the internet or ring the company!). I never realised how complicated having a pool was. He said to be thankful we only have a small pool else we could spend hours on it each week. I wrote the instructions down and Moo listened. Later I will write them out legibly and go through them again, and then again with Huffle so we all know what we are doing. However I have a feeling I am going to be responsible for the pool maintenance. Here was me thinking we could hire a fit young man to do the job for me whilst I sat and lounged and watched!!!! No chance!!

After the pool men had gone, we carried on with the bed.I then drove to the beer store (not for alcohol - well apart from one bottle of wine for later) and bought some top soil to add to the garden. Then we planted the plants. It looks good and we made it big enough to add a few more.

The boys came home just as we were tidying stuff away. We gave Gram (think it might be Graham but they speak differently!) the bus driver some scones as a thank you for driving the kids. The boys wanted to see the pool. We told them there was nothing to see, it was still green and not ready yet but we were surprised, the colour was still green, but not as green as when the pool men left. It should become bright blue in a few days, then we can vacuum it.

We sat with our feet in the water (it was cold) until Small decided he wanted to go in. So we let him. It is only a four foot pool so he could easily stand up but Smallest is just a bit too short. Whoever, after a while he decided he wanted to go in too, so Moo went in with him. (very very cold).

I hope she stops complaining now that it's not like a holiday!!!!

I am going to wait until I can see the bottom. Small did ask if there might be a shark in there! Ooooh well, let me see!!!! No, definitely not! But just in case, I will still wait until it has cleared and is a lovely shade of blue! Tomorrow Smallest, Moo and I are on a mission to buy chemicals, floats, and all things pool related.

When the boys were shivering plenty and wanted to get out, we all moved inside, got showered and had warming soup. The boys ate their last tin of Heinz Tomato Soup and Moo and I had a homemade Tomato, Carrott and Lentil soup. Huffle is playing baseball late tonight so he will have his later. We did send him a photo of the three mad people in the green pool!

Small came home with his school report today. He has done really well. His results are mainly Excellent and one Good. He has improved on most things, stayed the same on a few and only one thing he lost a + (not sure why!). I am very impressed and pleased with both of their reports. Huffle hasn't seen Small's yet but I am sure he will be suitably impressed too.

Both kids will have different teachers next term. I have to make sure they both write and read all summer long to keep up the good work.

Whilst Moo and I were eating our soup, we were chasing away Mr Chipmunk. We filled the bird feeders again and he has found his way there. So we wound some more thistles around and sat and watched. He managed to climb half of a small tree and jump from the tree to the feeder, avoiding the thistle. Crafty little thing. However since then we have seen a Yellow finch, Cardinal, Blue Jay and a chickadee. Ahhhh lovely. NOW KEEP AWAY Chippy!