First up on my Summer Project List was the installation of our pool. Now I am not personally doing the install I am putting it on the project list since I am going to be the one who take care of this thing all summer.

The installers were “supposed” to install it on 4/17, so I took that day off to make sure the Queen didn’t have to answer any questions they might have. Well they called me on the 15th to see if they could come out and dig the hole on the 16th since they were going to have to dig down 20+ inches on the one side because we have a backyard that slopes like a downhill ski run. I told them that was fine.

They got there about 8:30am on the 16th to dig, they did not bring a Bobcat, they dug the entire thing out with the sod lifter ( 3 inches at a time ) and hauled it out with wheelbarrows. The hole was completed about 2pm, then the Queen said they were waiting for the sand and had the bottom track put in.

Oh and during this whole process the Queen furnished them with water AND bought them lunch! What a nice lady.

When I got home at 4:30pm they were TRYING to put the pool walls up. I say trying cause the winds were gusting at 40+ mph at times, just as they would have it where they wanted it a gust would come and blow it out of the track again. They struggled with this for about an hour and a half till they finally got it all strapped down.

See if they would have stopped like they were supposed to after digging the hole and came back on the 17th as planned there would have been no wind and it would have been much easier. But noooooooo.

Finally the walls were holding and they got the liner in place and the supports all up on the outside and water was filling the pool ( slowly ). They were working on setting up the filter and the Queen handed one of the guys a case of Corona, happily they accepted and cracked them open with screwdrivers. Never seen 4 men more appreciative of a bottle of beer.

About 7pm ish they finally left the house, pool filling up real slow, even with 2 hoses running. He said they would be back tomorrow ( 17th ) to finish putting in the intake for the filter.

Next morning ( 17th ) at 5:30am I went outside and started the water back up ( and since I took the day off, went back to bed ), 3 hours of filling the night before only filled it up about 18 inches and they needed it higher before the put in the drain so that the liner was tight. The pool filled till about 2pm when I finally turned off the water and waited for them to show back up. Big surprise, no one showed.

pool.jpg
( Picture taken from our bedroom window )

It was not a big deal they didn’t show up since obviously in Chicago we are not going to be using this pool till around August with the weather as flaky as its been, it might make it to 70 by then. So hopefully he will show up today to finish it off and we can fill it the rest of the way.

Next project that needs immediate attention is fixing the power outlet in back of house, so I can plug in the filter. Should be pretty easy, take wires off bad outlet and replace onto new outlet in same location. Only problem is that the outlet is not “officially” documented in the power panel so its going to either be guess which one it is or throw the main power to the house ( my preferred choice ).

I HATE doing electrical work, if you don’t see anymore blog entries from me it will mean I charcoaled myself and you can send monetary donations to the Queen.

I will keep you posted on the outcome ( hopefully ).