What We Love: Our Neighborhood Pool
Our neighborhood pool opened Memorial Day weekend to cheers from excited kids as they ran to jump into the pool, and surprised intakes of breath as they hurried to jump back out just as quickly. With air temperatures in the low 70s, and evenings that had hit record lows, that first dip in the pool could only be described as frigid.
Now, only two weeks later, the water is bathtub warm – hot tub warm Ryan says – thanks in part to a couple of extremely hot and humid days at the start of this week. Today was 98 in the shade, and extremely humid; the kind of heat that causes air conditioners to struggle to cool and makes breathing an effort if you venture outside for more than a few minutes. It was too hot to go outside to play and it was too hot to stay inside to play, so the kids and I spent the afternoon in the neighborhood pool.
Loaded with lunch, sunscreen, snorkels and fins, goggles, towels, toy cars and boats, a current magazine, and a couple of “pets” (Webkinz), we traipsed across the neighborhood and rushed to see who would be the first one in the pool.
The great thing about our neighborhood pool is that it is seldom crowded! In fact, today we were the only ones there for the first 45 minutes or so. I commented to the kids that this was like having our own private pool. Connor must have taken this to heart because when a couple of college-aged girls arrived a bit later, he yelled, “Hey, they’re getting in our pool!” The girls giggled, and Connor quickly adapted to having to share his pool. Afterall, even he understood today was just too hot to expect anyone to sit on the side.
Tonight it is supposed to rain – I actually hear the thunder in the distance now – and then cool down to temperatures in the mid-80s, a little closer to those expected for this time of the year. With more bearable temperatures, we’re hoping to set off on a few local morning adventures before the temperatures climb to today’s levels again in July and August, but from now until Labor Day most afternoons, whether the temperature is 85 or 98, you’ll find us at our neighborhood pool!