My new digs... *pic heavy

[Laurajean]

Quote:
I have one of those... I LOVE it. I use it for everything, even moving furniture! I'll throw anything onto that thing, it's amazing. I don't have a feed store down the street though....

 

[kara_leigh]

Congratulations!! I love it!! I have always loved bungalows. I think they are adorable. I love your yard, and am VERY jealous of your pool!! I'm so happy for you!

 

[maple]

Well...mine was GREEN and you could not see the bottom. The tarp had fallen in over winter but I can't fault the previous owners...they had just gotten it from thier cousin...so it's used and I don't think they knew anything about owning a pool...as I don't but am now learning. I've found a VERY reasonable pool guy who helped me get it clear but it took him 11 trips and a ton of chemicals and it should have costed me about the cost of the pool to get it clean but he was super nice and gave me a huge break. Now he's given me the info I need to do pool checks and what things to add when the ph and such is off...and he'll be there when I call if I need him...plus he'll be back to help me shut it down for winter.

We've been in there about 5 times now but as my kids are swimming...I'm scooping bugs and leaf and seed pod debris on the top and then running the suction vacuum for the bottom. It's more work than I ever knew about. Then there's the constant backwash and rinsing I do on the filter and emptying loads of debris from the filter. And right now even though it's hot outside the pool is still slightly cold so I'm looking at getting the solar panels for heating it--I think it adds 10*? and it's more cost efficient than the gas powered run heaters...wow, all the chemicals and stuff to have a pool adds up and it adds up quick! My pool is fighing all the organic material so I have to keep adding more chlorine...and before you know it the next day after adding it...the cholorine is gone...according to the dipstick test...so you add more...and I've got 3 floatys in there filled with chlorine tabs. But the storms cause lots of debris to get blown in there and when you add more water...rain water...then it dilutes everything... it's just a constant battle.

...but really, I've always wanted one and now I've got one and I think once we get it really cleared and established from last winters mess and the 2 massive storms that just blew through and we can get the levels right....than it will be easier to maintain...I should never have a pool that green ever....I will winterize it the right way with my pool guys help.

 

[dacjohns]

If you let your pool turn green you can stock it with fish.

 

[Ema]

Wow..a little piece of heaven right here on earth. congratulations Maple, you and your family, Including all your little furry/feathery critters will be very happy!! I soo love the pool, the non-green one that is

Ema

 

[maple]

I wish I liked the taste of fish more....


and thanks ema...your sig line made me giggle.

 

[EweSheep]

maple I LOVE your house! I would not mind having a house like that!!!!!!! Lucky find!

Seriously, how are you feeling about losing your childhood home? Feeling lost but very excited about your new home?

 

[maple]

Ewesheep,
There have been several times within my marriage that I thought eventually it may come to this. When he abandoned us...albeit a good thing to not suffer his psychological behavioral issues from day to day...I was hopeful that my mom, who said she wanted to live with me eventually, would come back. She talks about it a lot... she talks about it even today...how she should buy the house and we live together...and then there's the older sisters...well, 2 out of 3...who are opposed and were opposed to her helping me refinance...

So one day she was and the next day...she wasn't. So then what? What was to become of me and my girls? Where were we to go? Obviously I couldn't turn to my family any longer. One sister lives rent free in mom's basement as it is and the other 2 are overshadowing the trust and trying to use scare tactics like disowning mom and such... They said after my heart attack...we'll be there for you...they weren't. They said once the divorce was filed that they won't let him get our childhood home and they would help me...that didn't happen. I try not to think about everything for too long because it is a thorn in my side. Not only is the man that came in and swept me off my feet and then made my life a living hell coming after all I'm worth....taking half of my childhood home when he didn't even put that much into it and boy oh boy is there more back story about what he owes me and my mom from helping him out of his financial crisis...but all the emotional turmoil that's involved with my little girls...that's the gut wrenching part. At times I can't breathe. It's like a bad dream....but I can't sleep or I sleep too much. I'm exhausted. I can't think...

The realitor comes again tomorrow and it's supposed to be going up very shortly...my mom has been there doing last minute things...I am having such a hard time going there...seeing it empty...knowing that the place where I was born and raised...will belong to another family and I won't walk it's halls again...I won't lay in the backyard and watch the stars and the planes fly overhead...I won't cross the road and meet the seasons cows...I won't be there with the neighbors who watched me grow up and have children of my own...I won't swing on the swingset my dad had installed...I won't watch the sunsets from the porch again...


Anyway....it's a neat house and it holds a lot of memories...I guess good ones and bad ones. I am looking at this move as a fresh start...a new chapter...a new beginning. I've been so concentrated on getting the other house up for sale that I'm living in boxes over here...I don't have hardly any towels...I think they've been sacrificed for the major cleaning of the other house...I can't hardly move in here, I'm up to my elbows...and now I've got 1 week left with my girls before I have to take them to visit thier dad in VA...court ordered. It pains me to be without them for 42 days and especially since I know how he is. All I can do is hope his new girlfriend takes care of them well and she stands up for herself and my girls and that she doesn't fall in the same rut as I did...believing he will change and that perhaps if she stays then maybe he'll heed her words and seek professional help and then he'll be able to be more "normal" and then she won't feel as if she's given up on him and things can be as they were at first when he was on one of his "highs" or good moments. I really pray for this new girl and for him as well...for the sake of my kids mostly... It doesn't hurt that he has a new girlfriend..it's actually a relief...it helps him...what hurts is the pain and duress I've been living for 10+ years and then feeling like I'm being taken for all I have....and wondering how this is going to be for our kids...because on this end...there's definate stress about being gone so long...they can't comprehend what those days mean...they have been acting up and are whiney a lot...thinking they won't see me at Christmas but I'm trying to show them with the calander...that they'll be back before dd has her b-day at end of summer and before school starts...I am dreading these days leading up to friday.

So some of the house stuff just hasn't really sunk in yet...I know I'm greiving. I went there today and sat on the steps, intending to do something more...wash the windows or something...but I couldn't bring myself to do it...my body feels like it's been run down with a mack truck...I'm sore and tired and drained mentally and physically and even a bit spiritually. Life doesn't slow down one bit...it keeps on keeps on...and I wish it would just slow down a little bit so I could catch up.

 

[EweSheep]

Yes a NEW chapter for your family and no one ever would take that home away from you! Hopefully the childhood home will have a happy family to live in and treat it like you have done for it.

I, too, had to endure the loss of our farm that my mom and dad and us had for a long time. One lightening fire can change things quickly and you didn't think you woule survive it. Missed that old farmhouse but it is not there anymore. I felt empty but glad to cherish the memories of what I had, learned and tolled on that farm and the animals I've had. And thanks to Laura, in Brimfield for starting me on chickens LOL!