Who needs fireworks when you have a pool?

I don’t remember exactly when it was that we first talked about getting a pool because of COVID but I know I had brought the idea up well before other people had thought of this same thing and rushed out to buy pools. This is our new world now—beating other people to things because we all have the same idea. A summer of social distancing and closed beaches and pools and activities? BUY A POOL! SWIMMING LESSONS! HORSEBACK RIDING! The pools all sold out by the time we actually got serious about getting one, but we were able to buy one right from the manufacturer in China and so our pool came across the ocean by boat and it took a while, but it’s here. Setting it up was a cluster, but now that’s it’s up and running, it’s been worth it. I’m still probably going to fuck it up because of chlorine and shocking and test strips and GAH. Get a pool, they said, it will be fun they said.

It is fun. We had my parents and sister and her guy over for the 4th of July weekend (on Friday) for some grilling and pool time. Normally, our tradition was going to nearby Stillwater and then having a pool party with relatives, but that obviously wasn’t happening this year. Besides, we do a picnic and antiquing in Stillwater and it was in the mid-90s. So having my family over with the pool sounded like a good alternative.

It was Emelia’s first time in a pool and she was all about it.

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She splashed around like crazy and thought my glitter flakes in the inner tube were the most fascinating thing ever.

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Olivia has really gotten into her comfort zone in the pool. It helps that it’s only a 10 foot by 30-inch size. She’s been swimming 1-2 times a year in an actual pool since she was a baby. We had her in swim lessons at eight months with the intention to continue these since it was always important that our kids be comfortable in the water. We did two sessions, but then stopped because it seemed like the same class repeated only the second teacher was awful. We haven’t been back and I regret that. She went in a friend’s pool a few weeks ago and was most definitely NOT comfortable with it. And then she spent weeks talking about how scared she was of the water. After three days of swimming in our pool, she’s wearing the goggles, dunking her head under and paddling underwater towards us. So she’s really come a long way.

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I think we were in the pool that day for four hours. Emelia was disappointed to be pulled out for a break but was more than OK with getting back in when she woke up from her nap.

Our city canceled their fireworks, which was disappointing since we have been watching out our living room window for the last few years and Olivia was looking forward to us waking her up again to watch with us. So the actual 4th was just another day for us. Chris and I watched Hamilton on Disney Plus and saw a few fireworks people were letting off out the window, but that was it. Truly, it was OK. With everything that’s been going on with the George Floyd protests and, well, all the stuff that came with it, I just am not really feeling patriotic this year.

Really, this weekend was an excuse to play in a pool. Though does anyone ever really need a reason?

And now I don’t know how to end this, so I’ll say I need to go refill my cholorine tablets.

The end.

OK.