Summers is over. Happy Halloween.

We experienced the first cold snap this morning with temperatures down into the 40’s. I don’t think it’s dipped down below 70 since last March. I guess summer is officially over. It’s also October.

Even with it being in the 90’s nearly every day, the shorter days have let the water get a little chilly, and we shut down the pool last weekend. I picked up all the toys, gave the pool a good cleaning, and re-installed the Catch-A-Kid safety net. We don’t fool around: the back yard is fenced in, the pool has its own fence, and there’s the net. At least 50% of child drowning deaths occur in backyard pools and an astonishing 95% deaths of autistic kids is attributed to drowning. So, yeah, not in our backyard.

There are more pools in the US than in the rest of the world combined. About 7% percent of all houses have a pool. Florida boasts the largest number of course, followed by California and Texas. Not surprisingly, Wyoming has the fewest. Pool equipment, pool supplies, and service make up about a $2-billion market that I’m regularly contributing to.

Like everything else, inflation has hit the cost to keep up a pool. The cost of chlorine and other chemicals has doubled in the past few years. The electricity cost has gone up 30%, making it more costly to run the pump. Like the yard, the pool requires constant attention. It needs to be cleaned, the water level maintained, chemicals checked, etc. And as sure as my grass will turn brown, my pool will turn green.

A pool service is nice if you can afford it. I’m already having someone cut the grass, so that bucket of my budget is already used up. I’m on my own.

The pool came with the house. Admittedly, we sought out a house with a pool. Surprisingly, it didn’t factor into the price of the house. Comparable houses without a pool sold for the same. Arguably, a pool doesn’t add much value to a home. It can also be a negative when selling a house, as many buyers don’t want the hassle and expense of keeping up a pool. Yet roughly a 100-thousand new pools are built each year. Obviously, some see a value in them.

We enjoy the pool. From the moment the water gets warm enough, we’re in it with the kids every day. So, we’re glad we have one, despite the hassle.

So far this year, we’ve had to replace our refrigerator and the AC condenser unit. The furnace is at least 25 years old, as is the roof. Both will probably need to be replaced sooner than later. The pool is no different. It’s essentially our largest appliance with pumps, filters, heaters, etc.; all of which will need to be replaced eventually. Our pool pump is making a squealing sound but is still doing its job. I’ll need to replace it when it does die, or the neighbors start complaining about the noise.

Here's one of my article from the past. A house is not an investment if it’s a home. It’s a place to live and paint the walls the color you want.

https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/folly-home-ownership-ron-van-til/?trackingId=yjwSmapiEKmxDgds4HgGVA%3D%3D

That one, as well as this, was proudly written without AI. As if you couldn't tell.