After a swim in the pool I followed Nick in search of a warm spot to dry off. He was visiting for a sleeping over that I’d promised him for months “around his birthday”. As he curled up on the couch under the gazebo to dry off, I sat on the glider next to him to ask him how he was feeling as a fresh EIGHT year old. =)
He talked with me for awhile and then he laid his head back, closed his eyes in sun kissed bliss, and let out a long,
"Ahhhh. This is the life", he said.
I couldn’t agree more. =)
After dinner, Greg and Zeek watched a movie while Nick and I closed up the screens, got our root beer floats, and headed out to play games late into the night. When Nick finished whooping me in every game we played, we got the yard ready for the night and went inside for a movie... movie we saw about 6 minutes of before passing out. We were pretty exhausted.
In the morning, after learning that we don’t stock cereal, pancakes, waffles, or toast in our low wheat and flour house, Nick reconsidered ever visiting us again. =) He settled for eggs and fruit for breakfast and was proud to show Zeek just what to do with a “sunny-side-up” plate, since he had never seen one before:
Nick: Zeek, watch (as he sticks his fork in the yolk center of his runny egg)
Zeek: whoa! is that egg in there?
Mom: yep!
Zeek: oh… (looks down at his omelet) mine’s alcohol.
We had a great time with Nick. He sure is eight years old, and sweet as ever (I think maybe even a little sweeter).
Pam picked him up in the morning and she and the gang hung out at our place for a couple of hours. It felt like minutes, and they were off again with errands, piano lessons, and groceries on their list.
Zeek was very sad when they went. He even cried in the window a little after they pulled out of the drive way. =(
The good news is, he is letting us play with him now.
He didn’t used to let us for more than a few minutes. We seemed not to be able to do anything right.
These days, he’s been asking us to play and letting us join him in his little world of imagination and pretend for hours at a time! It’s so much fun.
I think not having Jay just might be what pushed us up on the “cool” list. Or at least lowered his standards enough to want us.
Whatever it is, we love it.
And we’ve been playing and playing and playing for days. =)
While we were on vacation and Zeek was making good use of my Mom and Dad’s pool, playing, swimming, performing dolphin tricks, jumping off the diving board, and retiring his float suit...Greg and I were researching, discussing, and praying about the idea of getting him a real swimming pool in his own back yard.
We made the final decision as to what, when, and where on our way home from the airport when our vacation was over, which of course Zeek approved of with great enthusiasm.
The very next day, the three of us made an event of our trip and set out to purchase our new pool, accessories, toys, etc…
We set up the pool that afternoon.
Zeek couldn't wait to get it filled with water.
We have since been learning the art and science of obtaining and maintaining the chemical balance.
Personally, that's been my favorite part so far. =)
What’s not so fun, however, is the rate in which it is warming up.
Or should I say, NOT warming up? =(
Today, I finally broke and bought the attachments to run hot water directly from the bathroom faucet through a hose out Zeek’s bedroom window.
My brilliant idea of adding 40 gallons of hot water to 4,400 gallons of ice water was “cute” at best. For each 40 gallons added, the temperature went up exactly ONE degree. We’re topped off at a whooping 72 degrees today.
The good news is, kids don’t care how cold their water is, and Greg is apparently still a kid at heart.
Oh, okay. Even I got in. Once. =)
We are currently draining the entire pool because of some issues we are having with the soft ground beneath the supporting arms.
Once we work this all out, and get the water warm enough to really enjoy it, it will be winter and we'll be taking it down for the season.
Hopefully that won't really be the case. =)
Tonight while we were all swimming together, Greg said with a huge smile on his face,
"This is the best thing we ever bought!"
He's enjoying it more than I ever imagined he would.