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Monday, February 6, 2017

Pros and cons of an above ground pool

The holidays are over and the kids have just spent their first week back at school. The girls had their photo taken on the first day and ended up on the front page of the paper the next day. It makes up for the fact I forgot to take a 'first day' photo.




You would think it was time for me to relax. It has been awesome having some time to myself, but it doesn't mean I haven't been busy. I wish I could have less to do and catch up on.

With our busy weekend of cutting down trees, I forgot to chlorinate the pool we got the kids for christmas. It didn't take long to turn green.

In hindsight, I should have given it a shock dose of chlorine to clean the water BEFORE I emptied it. Instead there was a build up of slime I had to wash off the pool before I put it away. 

Emptying the pool was easy. The water outlet had a regular hose attachment and I could direct the water away from where the pool was situated. I actually emptied all that water onto the nature reserve next to our property!

Brett was surprised that I'd packed it up and didn't refill it. 

There were a few reasons I didn't -
  • the kids were now at school all day and the weather also didn't warrant it
  • I wanted that part of my garden back!
  • I was over remembering to chlorinate it every night
  • I was sick of cleaning the filter EVERY day, otherwise it wouldn't work as effectively as it should
  • I'd had enough of skimming the top for bugs, floating bits and small leaves. I made a sieve with a cut off pantyhose leg, stretched over a wire coathanger I bent into a circle shape.
  • removing the larger gum leaves from the bottom of the pool with a fishing net. I was quite surprised to fish out a frog oneday! The girls thought it was hilarious, and I am wondering how it fared being chlorinated.
Of course he wouldn't have realised that, because he didn't have to do it!




It was however fantastic to have up and running in the school holidays. Throwing the kids outside to have fun in thier own pool was so convenient. There was no getting organised with everything we had to take, and then driving down to the local swimming lake. The pool was right there in the backyard. The kids had a BALL, and the kids next door loved it too.

The best thing, it's packed away easily, ready for next years summer holidays. 


I do love our local swimming lake though. It is free and a true asset in our town.

I have actually kinda missed going there. We got down there on Saturday afternoon for a couple of hours. Was good. There's a no drinking policy, but vodka, lime and soda water in a water bottle, who's to know the difference (wink, wink)?! I swear that is the first time I have done that, but I spent a good half of the day at the library for the Summer Reading Club party with the kids, and I was ready for a drink.






18 comments:

  1. Ah! So much summer fun in the pool, Alicia. We had an above ground swimming pool as kids too, and it was great... especially as it was in the days of no air-conditioning. We'd be out at night when it was dark to cool off before we went indoors to sleep. I think we're a bit spoiled now! ♥

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  2. Where is this local lake? That looks great. Wondering if we can explore in a daytrip from Sydney?

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    Replies
    1. You'd need more than a day from Sydney! This lake is in Millicent, South Australia. Worth a visit though :)

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  3. I wish we could pack our in ground pool away in the colder weather. Unfortunately we have to clean it and chlorinate it all year round and just use it in the Summer months!

    Your local swimming lake looks amazing!

    Ingrid
    http://www.fabulousandfunlife.blogspot.com.au

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  4. Oh no - packing it up signifies the end of summer! I find March is the hottest month now in Melbourne. It's been a fantastic summer so far without heatwaves. My kids would be grumpy if I packed up the pool just now.
    Your swimming lake looks amazing.

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    Replies
    1. I have noticed we are not getting the heatwaves this year. Maybe still to come. I am happy now the holidays are over, to take them to our fab swimming lake :)

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  5. I understand the joy of the pool every day when it's holidays and they can jump in it any old time. I also understand the work involved even at this level of pool maintenance. In NSW now a pool that size has to have a fence around it.Yep. I read the other day 30cm & above requires it. Mind you, there have been the largest number of drownings in backyard pools, fenced or not fenced, in NSW over the past 2 months than I can ever remember. Even with the 'best' measures, nothing replaces a parent's eyes on that kid in or near the pool...yet accidents still happen. I am so pleased the paper did the great photo for you. What a brilliant memory! Hope you find some 'me' time this week. Denyse

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  6. Ha ha love the wink wink - what a fab idea! Our concrete pool when green the other day - had to spend $369 on a part the size of a phone to get the pump back working! I say your pool makes more sense than ours! Make sure you do find time to just chill out now both girls at school, and good score they're on the paper!

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  7. Wow, so much cleaning involved with the pool! That right there is a good reason for me not to get one, haha.

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  8. Love your sneaky drink idea! I honestly could never have a pool of any description. I am such a daydreamer and space cadet that it would be unsafe. But I bought my boys a sprinkler. Just as good, right? (not really...)

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    1. I don't think they care how they get wet, as long as they get to play in the water on a hot day!

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  9. Joined your linky for the first time and I'm excited! :)

    And yes I also set up an above-ground pool this summer and I didn't know there's a lot of work to maintain it as much as the bigger pools. I have likewise taken it down. Hihi!

    #lifethisweek

    Jacq
    jacqwritesworld.com

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  10. Wow! I've been wanting to set up one of the these for years but hubby won't come to the party. Too much work he reckons. Plus we'd have to erect fencing to pass council regs and since we've just been through a bit of an ordeal fencing my daycare area to meet regs it's a bit of a touchy subject. But come summer again I think I might lobby harder. It sounds like it's worth the effort. Good for you for putting in the hard yards Alicia! x

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  11. great article. Loved to read it.

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