An ode to our backyard pool

link Grant McGee

Local columnist

The Lady of the House was relaxing in the backyard pool the other day. We were chatting about how nice the pool water was…cool and sparkling clean.

You wouldn’t have recognized it a few months ago. As spring began you couldn’t see the bottom because the water was so dark.

“It’s like it suddenly became clear overnight,” I said.

“To you, maybe,” said The Lady of the House looking over the top of her sunglasses.

We got our pool last year, one of those above-ground deals. It came in a big heavy box that had to be opened up and everything unrolled and unpacked.

Putting the thing up involved strange noises, cussing and work but we finally got it up.

When swimming time was over The Lady of the House made the decision to leave the thing up until this year.

A huge plastic tarp was bought to cover the thing, ratcheting straps were used to hold it tight and by last October we felt our pool was ready to take on the High Plains winter.

We had visions of pulling the tarp off in the spring and crystal-clear water would be inviting us for a dip.

We had forgotten about the winds.

The tarp blew off a few times over the cold months inviting some heaping helpings of High Plains dust and elm leaves.

So when the cover was pulled off in May a pool of black muddy water greeted us.

I wasn’t involved in the cleaning of the pool.

The Lady of the House went out and did mysterious things regularly in the backyard.

I was afraid to investigate because there was strange noises and cussing and probably work involved.

Then suddenly one day she said, “It’s ready.”

I went out and gazed into the sparkling water.

“It’s like magic!” I said.

With her hands on her hips The Lady of the House peered at me over the top of her sunglasses.

“I’ll show YOU some magic,” she said.

Grant McGee is a long-time broadcaster and former truck driver who rides bicycles and likes to talk about his many adventures on the road of life. Contact him at his blog:

grantmcgeewrites.com