When we purchased our modest late 1970's brick, ranch style home in 2002 here in SW Virginia, we paid a fair price, plus got almost 3 acres of nicely landscaped yard (a chore in itself to mow and maintain, but I don't mind it). What we also got in the purchase was a fairly large in–ground swimming pool (22x36 feet) almost ten feet deep at the diving end. While we have had a lot of enjoyment over the years using the pool (especially when the grandkids who live nearby were younger), each year at this time I have to "winterize" it, and that's the chore I do not enjoy...anyway, anyhow.
I'm sore today after spending most of yesterday scrubbing the pool sides, brushing the bottom, draining a portion of the 26,000 gallons of water that keep it full, backwashing and shutting off the pump and filter, filling up 8-10 feet long vinyl water bags that are used to secure a large tarp placed over the much lowered water, and then slowly and carefully pulling said tarp in place, lugging the filled and heavy water bags in place around the tarp's edge, and then finally securing the tarp with what I call "insurance" ties using rope attached to fence posts. It took me, my wife and our daughter to complete the process, but we were successful. What began for me at 10AM finished around 4:30 PM, with a brief lunch break.
We asked ourselves as we always do at this time of year, "is it worth the effort and expense to keep this thing open 4-5 months out of the year?" My solution is to fill it up with dirt and plant a garden. After all, there is already a very nice fence in place to keep the deer out. My wife's answer is to essentially remain silent on the matter, which means we'll be keeping it open, at least for a few more years. For now, it's closed and secure to endure the upcoming winter. That's a relief to me, but not to my sore muscles that will need another day or so to recover from "the annual chore I don't enjoy."
