Archive for the ‘Pool’ Category

Shorter Days

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

I’m really sad at how fast the days are becoming shorter and shorter. At least, from a daylight perspective. My work days certainly aren’t getting any shorter!

My little girl really started to become more interactive in the Spring when the days were trending longer and longer. So a few times a week after I get home from work we’ll take a walk out by the pool and sit down for a bit. She’s surprisingly still when we sit out there. I suppose it has something to do with all of the exciting things to look at out there. Squirrels and chipmunks running all over the place, birds flying around, and all of the trees blowing in the wind (and dumping crap in the pool!).

Earlier in the Summer, Karen’s parents got us a “sporty” chair to put by the pool. It doesn’t exactly go with the Pottery Barn decor, but it’s a comfortable chair and Courtney really LOVES it. She’ll crawl around on my lap from one side to the other pulling herself up on the arms and back. She’s fascinated by all of the screws and ski parts that comprise the chair. And the chair has a pleasant woody smell to it.

Hi Mama. We're just enjoying some quiet time by the pool.

Hi Mama. We're just enjoying some quiet time by the pool.

Anyway, I’m quite sad that our time by the pool in the evenings is coming to an end for a rather long time from her perspective. Sure, she won’t remember to miss it, but I will. So yet another reason to dislike the end of Summer.

And just when she was getting all excited about The Big Green Egg!

I know it's football season and I'm ready for some grillin!

I know it's football season and I'm ready for some grillin!

Long Weekend Ender

Monday, September 7th, 2009

Bummer. Why is it that long weekends always seem so, um, not long? I’m always sad the day before going back to work. At least tomorrow I’ll start the week with 20% behind me.

Our little girl was sick all last week and not quite back to normal all weekend. And I started getting sick Friday and have been sick all weekend. Mother Nature threw out nothing but clouds Saturday and Sunday. Needless to say, the last big weekend of the Summer was less than exciting.

At least today The Weather Channel, which is actually located here in Atlanta, got the forecast wrong againĀ  (shocker!) and instead of “mostly cloudy” we got nothing but blue sky. I took the morning shift with the baby (up at 6:30!) and earned a little time sitting by the pool absorbing some vitamin D. And during the afternoon nap, Karen even came out and joined me. All Summer Karen hardly goes in the pool at all, but now that it’s much cooler she decides to take a swim. I have to say, it seemed much colder than the thermometer indicated. Allegedly, the water was about 79 degrees, but I have to tell you, getting the buddies below the waterline was a challenge. Maybe it was just because the Sun made it so hot.

This morning when I let the dogs out I was sad to feel the coolness in the air. My wife is SO excited that Fall is in the air, but to me it just means we’re only days away from the pool becoming nothing more than a hassle, with no other benefit than catching leaves from the trees on three sides. I swore that this was going to be the year we get a cover for the pool, but here it is September and I haven’t even looked into it. I’ll be fishing leaves out twice a day before I know it.

I wonder how old a child has to be before then can efficiently pull leaves out of a pool? Since we don’t have any coal mines nearby, she’s gotta find some way to pay her way!