Cement ponds and Blood Suckers

Tomorrow we will be meeting with our architect & surveyor at the property to go over our house placement, and we will be staking the house! I am so excited! No Vampires will be harmed in the process, I promise. 

Bite me

  Yes. I adore Vampires. The True Blood Vampires, not the bats. 

"There's a sucker born every minute"- PT Barnum

 

We met with the EPA people regarding the septic tank system/placement back in January. Who knew it was so complicated? All these rules for our umm...errr....poop. And "leach field"?? I had no idea what that meant. I was thinking it had something to do with "The African Queen", but I was wrong. Equally nasty, though, are they not? The leaching & the leeching, not Bogie. 

"One thing in the world I hate: leeches. Filthy little devils."- Charlie Allnut 

  

I had to really keep an eye on Tractor Dan with this particular part of the building process. You see, I have been promised an in-ground pool for almost 15 years now. Aaand....still no cement pond here. When he told me last year that he was thinking about buying property & building in the country, I told him I had 2 conditions he had to agree to before I would even consider this idea. One, an in-ground pool had to be in BEFORE he moved me out to God's country. Two, a finished basement. He's good with the finished basement, but really does not want a pool. Too. Bad. We NEED a pool. We will be having grandchildren at some point, and how can I be the favorite Grandma without a pool? 

He thinks our imaginary grandchildren will be fine with just having a pond at Grandma & Grandpa's. Except he forgot about the part where I hate ponds. I will not swim in a body of water with critters. Plus, the bottom of the pond feels all mushy, like I'm stepping in fish poop. Gross!! And there could be real leeches in there! I don't like fishing either, because I will not touch worms, so the pond thing is out for me.

  

Our non-cement pond

I was afraid Dan would pull a fast one on me and tell me that the septic tank placement or leach field would prohibit an in-ground pool. So, I went to that "crappy" meeting last January, in the bitter cold, and kept reminding the architect & EPA dude to make sure they kept our future in-ground pool in mind. I'm tricky smart like that...I think...

  

I don't want a huge in-ground pool, just big enough for myself and a few pool boys  grandkids. Of course, once again, my idea of "big enough" is very different than the old man's. 

  

He would be happy with this:

  

Or this: 

Or even this:

  

While I would be happy with this: 

  

Or this: 

  

Or even this: 

We finally decided on a pool size. It will be just right. Like this:  

I cannot even wait to have a pool! By next summer, I will be enjoying it, in all its chlorinated glory. Lounging, laughing, and enjoying some adult beverages- oh my...cannot wait! Now I just have to get my girls going on the grandkids thing. They need to get moving. Imaginary Granny's not getting any younger, and neither are their eggs. 

I'd love advice or opinions about selecting our new cement pond! So many things to learn about & consider! Covers, cleaners, chemicals, lighting, slides, diving boards, steps, filters,ropes, ladders...it's a bit overwhelming. Just don't tell the old man I said that.