Pool Memories

My grandparents have always had a pool in the center of their backyard. Every summer for as long as I can remember, we would have family picnics, and swimming in their pool was always one of the highlights of the day.

I mean really...how many little girls have a chance to ride on the back of a "killer whale"? :) I feel very blessed indeed!

Although its not always been the same exact pool (they've had 3 over the past ummmm...many years!), a pool has ALWAYS been there.

However, as the years have gone by, its gotten harder and harder for my grandparents to take care of a pool, and it just wasn't worth keeping up anymore because we didn't go in it as much.

So last July 4, the guys took down the deck...

The pool sat empty and alone for awhile until a couple of Saturdays ago. It was finally decided that it was time to take down the rest of the pool.

Doesn't it look so sad and lifeless sitting there? Look! There is even a "tree" growing up in the middle of the pool. Apparently a squirrel's nut found an opening in the liner and decided to grow. :)

I mostly just stood back and observed as the menfolk took down the pool, although I was handed the occasional screw to put in a bag. :) That was my BIG task of the day!

My camera battery died before I was able to get a picture of the end product, so that is why I didn't post about this right away. I had to wait for Andy to take a picture of it when he went to mow my grandparent's yard the other day. :)

Their backyard looks so bare now! Its going to take awhile for me to get used to seeing it without the pool. :(

However, although the pool may be gone, the memories will linger on forever. As I was thinking about this blog entry, I remembered something significant that happened on the pool deck's steps. I asked my mom this morning, "Didn't Dad propose to you on the deck steps?"

Indeed, he had! In fact, I discovered this morning that yesterday it was 28 years ago that my Dad proposed to my Mom on the deck steps. That actual deck had been rebuilt since then, and apparently, as he was building the new deck, my Pop-Pop had asked my parents whether or not they wanted to keep the old steps as a memory. :) Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

The happy couple!
Engaged August 28, 1981

So, yes, there are lots of good memories of my grandparent's pool(s) over the years. I don't even know half the stories, because they hosted so many church and family picnics. Although the object that created all the memories is gone forever, the memories themselves will never go away!