Saturday, March 31, 2007

WEATHER FORECAST: Rain Tomorrow

Please check out Saturday's Soup--the next post--
I wrote it last night around midnight, but Blogger put
Friday's date on it!
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I am sure you have had this experience--you have your day all planned out (or at least think you do), then something happens that changes your whole schedule. That's me today. I turned on the TV this morning, listened to a smattering of news, and then the weather forecast. That's what I really wanted to hear.

RAIN TOMORROW! (Not what I wanted to hear!) Well, there go my plans to 1) vacuum; 2) grocery shop; 3) grade Eng 102 papers; 4) grade Eng 102. . .already said that. That is what I really MUST do this weekend--grade papers so I can return them to the students next class. But with rain coming tomorrow, scrap all those plans and work on getting the dead rotting blecchy leaves off the pool cover.

We have an in-ground pool. We have had it since the fall of 1980! And every year, we devote two complete Saturdays to opening the pool and then closing the pool. In between, we try to enjoy it. One of the events I love to arrange, spontaneously usually, is to go out, round up some neighborhood kids, and have them come swim early in the year. That's a great way to get the water stirred around!

Before we can open the pool, we need to get all the leaves off the winter cover. Did I say "we"? Well, truth is my husband is the pool opener and closer expert. Most of it he does alone, so my contribution is getting the leaves off the cover. Now, this task is about as bleccchhy as it gets. The leaves are all over the cover (having blown in from seemingly ALL the trees in the neighborhood). They lie there in the collecting snow, ice, and rain. And they rot. And they reek of all that vegetative decay.

I have been working over the last several weeks to get all the leaves to one side of the pool cover, and using the pool pump to get rid of the excess water. Rain tomorrow will undo all my work to this point. So, let's get cracking. . .

The source (at least one culprit): our lovely maple tree beginning to bloom.


The piles of leaves that I have raked AFTER I raked all the leaves last fall!


The tools of the trade.




The task ahead.


The finished task.




The inspection by local authority.





Task all done, I finally have time to walk around the yard and look at the continuing spring growth. The reward for finally finishing the task.







OK--work all done. . .must go shower NOW!

8 comments:

Mary said...

I don't envy you, Donna. It's kinda like pond sludge and I'll have it massaging my feet soon. Blechhh!

I'm always complaining about the weather. Too hot. Too cold. Too wet. Ruins my plans. I understand what you are talking about!

We are having rain tomorrow, too. I'm glad, though. It'll keep my indoors to clean the house and we are in a mini-drought.

Have a great Sunday and remember those grape hyacinths need a drink.

Cathy said...

Oh you make me feel so lazy. I've been staring out the windows for days at vagrant leaves that need rounded up. If I had an inspector as cute as yours - I'd be out there right now :0)
Isn't it great the way a shower feels so good after you've finished a messy project? Ahhhhhh . . . .

dmmgmfm said...

I love the local inspector. What a beautiful dog. Thanks, also, for the photos of live plants. Nothing much is growing here yet, though I am hoping to go to the Botanical Garden tomorrow!

Pam said...

A job well done. I'm sure the inspector agrees! I can relate to leaves, we live in a hollow with 75' banks all around...all trees. And all those *&%# leaves fall or blow down on our lawn! EEK!

Love the flowers.

Anonymous said...

I'm tired from just reading about all that work. But oh, around July or August, I'll be thinking of you in your lovely pool! Does the inspector pop by for a swim?

Mary said...

I wanted to mention how cute your local authority is...does he swim?

KGMom said...

For some odd reason, my muscles were sore last night--all that bending over, scoop, scoop, scoop!
To those who asked about the local authority--that's Tipper (half border collie, half who knows) and she does NOT swim. She takes offense if you even suggest she try it. She does, however, try to herd the two cats. Most amusing--to us; the cats are not amused!

Anonymous said...

Lots of spring cleaning here! Shouldn't be too long and summer will be here! Good luck!