First off, we broke down and bought an above-ground pool.
Yes, I'm well aware of all the Missouri stereotypes that this conjures up and that my lawn will suffer (see the lovely dead grass rings in the pictures below). Could I care less? No!
If lounging around in my 36 inches of cool, crystal clear heaven while everyone else sweats it out is white-trashey, you can call me Jed Clampett, because I'm lovin' it!
Well, I say lounging, but we've actually gotten very little free time to enjoy the calm waters of lake Nickarmadillo. Most of our days have been spent elsewhere...
... like on this stupid fence with its stupid non-matching paint, which was given to us by a stupid paint mixer at Home Depot and not tested before applying by a stupid painter/blogger/mid-mod collector named Nickarmadillo. Stupid.
The power washing went well...
... but I kinda freaked out when the paint went on BRIGHT orange.
Fortunately, it dried more of an orange-tinted brick red. Unfortunately, two of the four gallons they mixed up for us were slightly more orange and glossy than the others. Damn the luck!
Lesson learned: ALWAYS SPOT-TEST YOUR PAINT!!!
For a nit-picking perfectionist like me, a splotchy paint job is pure torture, but at this point I just don't have the time or cash to make another go at it.
Instead, it's time to start on the next project: the Big Dig.
Hopefully this 80 foot trench along the driveway will alleviate our drainage problems and keep the basement dry. I'll have to check with the city, but I'm considering putting in a gravel French drain in there as well.
Oh, and there's one last thing.
I got a freakin' Nexus 7! Keep an eye out for the full review, but after a week or so with my new toy, I can say with certainty that it is worth every penny (if you can actually find one).
Until next time, happy thrifting!
I think your pool looks like tons of fun, and all that matters is whether or not you're enjoying it. From your photos, I really can't see the splotches on the fence, so it's probably not as bad as you think. The French drain sounds like a good idea. I have a friend who had one installed, and it solved her flooding problem.
ReplyDeleteThe pool was really was nice with the weather we've been having. For a while there it was near 110 almost every day and nearly unbearable. Seems to have cooled down a bit now though.
DeleteI know you're digging a ditch, but I LOVE the /brickwork on your house. And Paint good LORD I know how that goes... nothing like meeting in the middle only to realize its 2 different shades.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mick! I always know it isn't a good idea to paint before testing, but my impatience gets the better of me.
DeleteI feel your pain...We (my husband actually) just finished the fence in our back yard and next up is solving the drainage problem. I see big ditches in our future too. We also have to figure out how to make an inviting space out of a weed patch. It's too hot to even go back there now...105 degrees today.
ReplyDeleteYou're fence looks great and I'm sure you'll get many hours of fun with the pool.
We had an above ground when our kids were young. It was the best purchase we ever made and it's a whole lot less hassle than an in-ground pool. We have been fighting with the black algae all summer. I wish we still had the above ground pool.
Work, work, work, right? Homeownership is tough. The projects seem to pile up faster than I can check them off my list.
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