We Got a Pool!

We Got a Pool!

Weeks Eleven and Twelve

May 28 – June 6, 2020

Esme was working on Mom!  “It is so hot!  We need a pool!  Since we cannot go to the town pool wouldn’t it be nice to have it in the backyard!”  We were outside having lunch and Esme told me she needed to write a “persuasive paper”.  She said it was for a pool.  I got right into helping her think it through and coming up with reasons for having the pool and concerns that would need to be overcome, like needing a fence.  I assume it was for school!  

We had already purchased the pool and were ordering the fence but she did not know.  Griffin had been down in an area under the deck and seen a box.  Yes ……it was the box!  So, they both explored this box and asked Mom what it was.   I kept telling Esme she needed to finish her persuasive paper when she said no, we already have the pool!  It was then that I found out she was writing this paper to persuade her mother they should get the pool; it was not for school!  I was pretty impressed that she would do that to convince her Mom.  Really smart of her part.  

So, we ordered the fencing from Lowes and then learned that you still had to go into the store to pick it up. I am not sure if it was Rebecca or Jon that picked it up but through this process there were several trips to Lowes. 

Jon got the fence put up on Thursday and we started the process of putting the 15-foot round 48-inch-high blow-up pool together.  As you might expect it was a bit of a challenge especially with social distancing.  By Friday the pool was full of water and they went for their first swim.  It was cold but that did not seem to stop them.   

Since then they have had several families over to enjoy the pool. Being 15 feet across they can social distance by being on different sides of the pool, and swimming under water to change sides.  They invite only one family at a time.  It has been a warm week, so it has had lots of use!

On Sunday, May 31st we were invited to dinner by our niece, Amy, in Somerville a couple of towns away.  She has a wonderful patio area with her new outdoor furniture.  Amy is a wine connoisseur so you can just imagine the wines we had paired with delicious food.   She knows my limited wine taste but managed to expand my pallet with the food she served.  I do not care for dry wine but with the wine carefully paired with food I found I was drinking some dry wines and taking seconds.  It was a wonderful meal and very relaxing evening visiting with Amy.  We then left Doby, the granddog, for Amy to have some company for a few days. 

On Monday we were able to golf with friends, Jeanne and Chip, up at Mount Hood Golf Course.  Yes, it is a golf course on a mountain!  Two weeks ago, you would have to walk with your clubs but a week ago they started allowing the use of riding carts.  Jon and I used one cart.  This was the first time we have played with Chip and Jeanne and we really enjoyed it.  We girls did nine holes and then walked back to my house for a glass of iced tea in the back yard.  The guys did 18 holes.

Tuesday Jon golfed with Chip and another friend, Jim and I went up to visit my friend Pam in Pelham, NH. Since her husband died suddenly in FL a year ago February, she lives with one of her son’s families.  They have a lovely pool in the back yard and a screen porch also.  It was an interesting day as we got hot sitting in the sun by the house so into the screened porch we went, but then with jackets on we decided to try the sun out in the open with a breeze but still got hot so back into the screened porch.  We had a lovely lunch of egg salad sandwiches and fruit salad.   After lunch we went for a nice walk around her neighborhood.  It was great to see her after these many months apart. 

Then Wednesday morning came and Jon went into A-Fib so all activity was stopped.  He frequently goes out on his own within hours or a day, but it did not happen this time.  Thursday afternoon we drove the hour to Catholic Medical Center Hospital in Manchester, NH.  We went to the emergency room to get an EKG to confirm he was in A-Fib because the doctor’s offices were not open.  I had to wait outside, so I drove around and got myself a frozen coffee.  It took about 3 hours and when Jon texted me, I was in search of a restroom. I went to three places before I was able to find an open one. 

Saturday, we had a 9:00 AM appointment for Jon to get lab work and another Covid 19 test done back at Catholic Medical.  Both are required for him to get cardio-verted next Thursday.  They have also upped his rhythm medication.  His B/P has been low and causing him to be very dizzy so they have deceased those medications.  Sunday to Monday Jon’s B/P has gotten higher.  Monday morning his pulse is almost normal!  He talked with the doctor’s office and they arranged for him to get an EKG down here on Tuesday morning and all is OK.  So no cardio-version is needed and we headed for the golf course!

During this last week we have had two visits from our nephew, Mark, and his boys.  The first visit they rang our doorbell and we showed them the new pool.  The second visit they came back to take a picture of our pool to show their mother.  

I have made several trips into stores with my mask this week.  I picked up an order al Lowes for a bathroom towel rod, went to Shaw’s grocery store for the early morning senior hours.  Jon has ordered a new camera and is selling some of his older equipment, so I went to mail that stull.  We ordered a patio table and Rebecca picked it up.  Jon put it together on Sunday.

We have started Stage 2 of the Coronirus re-opening here in Massachusetts.  This includes outside dining and a few retail stores I think. 

One really sad thing that has happened this past week is the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN as a result of a policeman putting a knee on his neck and cutting off his air.  It was videotaped and so sad to watch George saying, ‘I can’t breathe” and no one doing anything about it.  As a result, there have been protests and looting the first couple of days but since then there have been mainly peaceful protests all over the country and world.  Some believe police unfairly target blacks.  I do believe that there are bad cops as this one clearly was, but most are good cops.  Along with the police situation this is also bring to the forefront the fact that poor communities and families do not have the same opportunities the rest of us have.  This means that it is really difficult for them to succeed and better their station in life.  I hope that this death can help communities to try to make changes and also for the police departments to better police their bad cops and get them out of there.  It would be great if something good could come out of this tragedy.