J might just be a saint.

For real. I get ideas. I have lots of them. Usually if it is especially inspiring I can't wait to take action. You know, it's still summer right?

My lilly-white skin told me putting the pool in the shade would be a fan-tabulous idea and so I did, but it's been a cool summer and hopping in while temps have been cool enough to keep all the windows open made me think I might have earned an honorary membership to the Polar Bear club. I'm the only one that gets a club card though because no one else will get in with me.

I sold everyone on the idea of moving it to the sun. We unplugged it and went off for window shopping, lunch in Carytown, and even a stop at a bakery for fresh cookies. Then we came home for naps. That was about as long as I could officially stand it. I worried the pool to death trying to get all the water out...I refused to admit it at the time but J did have the best idea. We detached the legs and all stood around on the edges. Prior to that we used a bucket at one point and even whipped out the broom...Somehow I thought this would be a quick and easy thing to do and I would be swimming tonight. I'm not.

Once the water was finally out and creating the "bestest swamp evah!" per Sammy the foster puppy I got J to help me drag the 15ft round pool across the yard. We got it all set up, turned the hose on and the kids jumped in to pretend it was something akin to a slip-n-slide while we each had a beer on the deck...I looked at her while we were chatting and burst out laughing. You see, she was dirty. Not a little dirty. I mean really dirty. She had mud under her nails, smeared on her legs and her shirt was filthy. I asked her how the hell she got so dirty??? She looked me over and asked me how the hell I didn't??? Her reasoning was that she was on the muddy side of the pool...If you drain a pool that size in your yard there is no side that is not muddy. And we were side by side dragging the damn thing. There were many jokes made about being "that kind of girl." These were mostly around the best way to do it, her being afraid of a spider, my being the clean girl in a dress and her being the dirty girl.

I told her it wasn't in the right place because it was messing up the traffic flow...She said we don't have traffic in the yard. I said the neighbor's dog will get wet...She told me to move the ladder to the other side of the pool. I told her I couldn't see the new hydrangeas from the deck...She said, that's the real problem, isn't it...J left to shower...The kids continued playing and I watched from the deck. I was worried about where we put the pool thinking the poor penned dog living behind that fence would indeed be flooded when we drain the pool. And the kids were splashing. The fence was getting wet...While J was gone I decided the new spot simply would not work. I turned the hose off, unplugged it and mad no plans to let her discover this today...Actually, I planned for her NOT to discover this today.

We had a campfire. It was a success and after marshmallows were eaten and we all headed in J went to see how full the pool was...She commented it was taking forever to fill up. I said "don't worry, let's go in." then I heard, "Who turned off the water?" I said "come on, we'll fill it tomorrow." Then she realized the water was going down and not up...I am busted.

Tomorrow the pool will be moved again. And filled...and maybe I should cook dinner or something in thanks...though I did already tell her she had the best idea and thanked her. That must count for something, right? LOL