Another Pool Build in Cypress, TX

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Oh Kim, I didn't think anything about what you said. I am glad you reminded me what would be helpful for me to do. I was worried my sour attitude was showing.....

My family saw how tired I am today, so our son brought down his foot massager he found at a garage sale. It's kind of a shiatsu something or other. Anyway, the setting he put it on made me laugh, almost hysterically - I have very ticklish feet! Laughter is the best, isn't it?! I think that helped more than the actual foot massage!

So, to all those who feel stressed from building a pool, do anything that gives you a good old belly laugh!!! Even better than a nap! Rest well, all! Suz.
 
Thanks guys! I do so love the flowering trees and plants, leaves coming down in the fall, the coating of yellow pine pollen in the spring..... Ahhhhhhhhh! (The first two are true, not the last one) In fact I told the landscape designer when we first met that I would love a cottage/English garden thing for our pool area. Oooops. Now I see why palm trees are so popular around pools. I'm going to make a big sign "No Flowering Trees" and place it on the kitchen table where we meet today. Maybe then I won't be lured into a potential disaster.

I am very curious about what she has come up with for us. To be hopeful, when she made her first site visit, she immediately said the crepe myrtle in the back had to come down because of too much trash/debris from the tree. I'm fine with that. We unwisely planted it 26 years ago in the far back corner to hide the telephone pole (like we wouldn't see the guide wires across the back of the yard????). So every couple of years, the power company has to trim it back from the wires. Poor designer, I gave her impossible requests: give our backyard the appearance of multi-leveled grading (it's totally flat); give me the English Garden look (could there be a more pool unfriendly garden????); and make it all low maintenance (seriously, Suz, what WERE you thinking????). It sounds like I don't know anything about gardening. I actually do, but I think since I'm finally getting one of my dreams, a pool, why not go for it all, right?!!

I do have one tree that I desperately want to keep. It's a saucer magnolia or aka a tulip tree. It's not a huge tree, and it hugs the house out my bedroom window. It does have lots of petals which drop in February. My mom gave that to me before she passed. Maybe I can rig up a net between it and the pool for the couple of weeks the petals drop. And I guess again in the fall when the leaves drop. Or... maybe after a season with the pool and the tree, I can find another way to "Remember Mama"!! (aren't you guys going to have fun watching me 'grow up' with a pool and all my unrealistic expectations???)

One more thing: I also requested a Texas Mountain Laurel go in the back to replace the 3 trees I've lost. If you have first hand experience with the Mountain Laurels, let me know what you think. From what I've read, it wouldn't be too bad. And have you ever smelled the blooms???? The fragrance is amazing! It's like intense grape kool-aid. (Grape drinks are my favorite.) Plus, I'm sentimental about Mountain Laurels since they're native to central Texas. Hmmmmm, maybe another net will be needed!

Keep the advice/suggestions coming - as you can see, I need the reality checks! Take care! Suz.
 
SuzfromTexas said:
Thanks guys! I do so love the flowering trees and plants, leaves coming down in the fall, the coating of yellow pine pollen in the spring..... Ahhhhhhhhh! (The first two are true, not the last one) In fact I told the landscape designer when we first met that I would love a cottage/English garden thing for our pool area. Oooops. Now I see why palm trees are so popular around pools. I'm going to make a big sign "No Flowering Trees" and place it on the kitchen table where we meet today. Maybe then I won't be lured into a potential disaster.

I am very curious about what she has come up with for us. To be hopeful, when she made her first site visit, she immediately said the crepe myrtle in the back had to come down because of too much trash/debris from the tree. I'm fine with that. We unwisely planted it 26 years ago in the far back corner to hide the telephone pole (like we wouldn't see the guide wires across the back of the yard????). So every couple of years, the power company has to trim it back from the wires. Poor designer, I gave her impossible requests: give our backyard the appearance of multi-leveled grading (it's totally flat); give me the English Garden look (could there be a more pool unfriendly garden????); and make it all low maintenance (seriously, Suz, what WERE you thinking????). It sounds like I don't know anything about gardening. I actually do, but I think since I'm finally getting one of my dreams, a pool, why not go for it all, right?!!

I do have one tree that I desperately want to keep. It's a saucer magnolia or aka a tulip tree. It's not a huge tree, and it hugs the house out my bedroom window. It does have lots of petals which drop in February. My mom gave that to me before she passed. Maybe I can rig up a net between it and the pool for the couple of weeks the petals drop. And I guess again in the fall when the leaves drop. Or... maybe after a season with the pool and the tree, I can find another way to "Remember Mama"!! (aren't you guys going to have fun watching me 'grow up' with a pool and all my unrealistic expectations???)

One more thing: I also requested a Texas Mountain Laurel go in the back to replace the 3 trees I've lost. If you have first hand experience with the Mountain Laurels, let me know what you think. From what I've read, it wouldn't be too bad. And have you ever smelled the blooms???? The fragrance is amazing! It's like intense grape kool-aid. (Grape drinks are my favorite.) Plus, I'm sentimental about Mountain Laurels since they're native to central Texas. Hmmmmm, maybe another net will be needed!

Keep the advice/suggestions coming - as you can see, I need the reality checks! Take care! Suz.
Click to expand...

I am SO jealous you have someone designing your landscaping! I can't even afford sod after this pool!!!! I can NOT wait to see it all!!!!!!!! I am hoping to be able to get a little grass to go right around the perimeter and a few small palms when houston garden center goes 70% off late summer.
 
You don't need any kind of reality check! It is fun to dream an plan! GO BIG! Do it right and how you want to from the get go. No "I wish I had........." allowed! (Easy for me to say when I am not the one writing the real check LOL)

It has been a blast reading your posts. I can't wait to see what she and you come up with!

Kim
 
We have a MASSIVE magnolia on the side of our house. The trunk is probably 35' from the edge of the pool. The closest branch is probably 20'. I might have seen 6 magnolia leaves in the pool over the 18 months I lived there (open year around). Now, there is a 7' vinyl fence 1/2 way between the two, but the branches of the tree don't start until a good 8' up.

Tulip trees are magnificent! Keep it! I always LOVED using the net to get out leaves and bugs and such. Found it oddly relaxing. So what if you have to tend to the pool a bit more for a week or two out of the year? Not a big deal! Just your mama's way of being a PITA for all the teenage years you likely put her through. ;-)
Keep the tulip tree!
 

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Household6: You've started my day with a huge laugh! Did you know my mom? I dearly love her, but she rightfully owes me some grief for those teenage years! Now with every leaf and petal I fish out of the pool, I'm going to laugh and think of what you told me!

The 'true' magnolia trees are magnificent, aren't they?! I wish I had space for one. This year in the Houston area, they are outdoing themselves! I've never seen them laden with so many gorgeous, huge-er than ever blooms. Just glorious! We must have had their favorite amount of rain, sunshine, and temperatures.

When you get a chance, I'd love to see a picture of your magnolia beauty.

Casey: Thank you. Who would have 'thunk' it - that steps of a pool would be my favorite?! And for me, they will be very functional. The steps are even entering my dreams. I dreamt last night I trimmed the steps with diamonds! If only I owned more than 3 diamonds. LOL!!

Have a great weekend everyone, especially to all the Moms! Suz.
 
My magnolia. (The one on the right is a dogwood.) We have very few leaves in our pool. Even after the pool sat untreated and open from Oct to April this year, I was really surprised at the absence of what was at the bottom of the pool.
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Household6: Magnificent trees - both! What a magnolia! I don't often get to see one around here that large. They need so much space to truly show off. And that dogwood..... Wow, I've never seen one that huge! Ours are more like large, scraggly bushes. And they are both bloomers! I know you love them. I hope you're having a wonderful day today! Take care. Suz.

Patrick: Yeah, yeah, yeah.... Hold your horses. Today is my day to do whatever I want. And yes, I want to use the whole day for pool stuff. First, I'm going outside to take some photos to post. I've only finished the ABC's of water chemistry - fascinating! (clearing throat here) I'm not sure if I'm ready to give you any test numbers. But after the photo shoot, I'll crack open the test kit, and see if the directions will guide me to do some practice testing. If not, I'll back up and read more from Pool School. I also want to spend some time trying to decide on a pool finish before I get into more trouble with my PB. Have a great day! Suz.
 
Really??? Tests?? Are they from the TFP materials? That would be awesome. I read the ABC section 3 times: first to highlight in one color, then in another color, then to hand write notes. (yes, I was a nerd about studying in school....) I thought to myself that I probably still couldn't pass a test. If it's from the TFP materials, then I'll have something to shoot for. I'll check into that after I look through my test kit (to be posted soon). Thank you, Kim!!! Suz.
 
Since Mother's Day is my day to do whatever I want, I finally went outside to see all the cool equipment behind the garage. I took lots of photos, so I'll post one now. I have to say, it really was pretty exciting to see it all for the first time.

So you guys look it over, and tell me what you think. Is there anything I need to discuss with our PB? Am I in for headaches? Let me know, I can take it. I handle bad news better if I hear it early on in the game....

Thanks everybody!! Suz.




This next photo is from Robbief00's pool build thread. Isn't that awesome???? I'm posting it here (I hope that's ok), because I'm hoping to do the same with my equipment pad. It seems like it might keep it all a little neater from debris; very important (which I read about in the "ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" under Pump maintenance).

 
Now another post with pictures - geez, I'm busy today! Below is the photo of my water maintenance test kit stuff. It came this week. Also, as you can see, is my complimentary TFP cap which came yesterday! I'm excited to learn about all this maintenance, so our water will be crystal clear!!! I hope, I hope, I hope!!! Ya'll be good! Suz.


 

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