RE: cisterns, standing water, etc.

Trevor:
I didn't take you as anti-pool at all, and if my husband and I stay in this
home, I envision a very similar fate for us, except we just don't get enough
rain to make it worth the while of a conversion.  My husband occasionally
grumbles about filling it in after a storm has blown it full of leaves in
the winter.  Our kids are grown and gone, but not to the grandkid phase yet,
and our son does still occasionally come over and jump in to cool off after
a work out.  We also talk of moving to a slightly larger property with no
pool, and hope that if we do, some family will buy this and get as much
pleasure out of it as we have.
K

		-----Original Message-----
		From: Margaret Nottle [m*@internode.on.net] 
		Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 4:07 PM
		To: pkssreid@comcast.net; 'medit plants forum'
		Subject: RE: cisterns, standing water, etc.

		I wouldn't want anyone to think I am a Holy-Roller
anti-swimming pool person. I am not. We had a pool about 30 yrs; our kids
and the neighbours kids had a great time for yrs and yrs and I didn't mind
too much all the maintenance work and the costs of chemicals etc. Then there
was a quiet period when my wife and I would enjoy a cooling dip after work,
before bedtime or in the morning. Then our grandson used it regularly and
learned to swim as a toddler but now he's a teenager and prefers to go
surfing with his mates. So the pool has had a very long and useful life but
I am not prepared to wait for the next generation - great grandchildren to
use it. It is a lot of work and expense if it is not used - and the water
costs are just part of it. So we decided to make better use of it and the
space it occupied. I guess the issue is that we had a $10,000 asset that is
now relatively  'worthless' but if necessary a new owner can easily undo
what we have done and get the pool operational again for a little expense -
new filter and pump, new coating inside pool - tiles, marble-sheen, whatever
and a refill.

		Cheers

		Trevor N

		_____________________________________________
		From: owner-medit-plants@ucdavis.edu
[o*@ucdavis.edu] On Behalf Of pkssreid
		Sent: Saturday, 18 July 2009 2:48 AM
		To: 'medit plants forum'
		Subject: cisterns, standing water, etc.

		I just wanted to put in another note about mosquitoes.  In
areas affected by West Nile virus, you really do have to pay special
attention.  I understand that you can buy mosquito fish, and there are also
rings of floating pesticide.  I only have bird baths to worry about, and
like Trevor, I rinse them out and refill every couple of days during all
seasons.  About 5 years ago, I was infected by West Nile fever, as I am in
an infected zone.  They sprayed several areas near here, but not the State
Recreation Area that comprises much of my running trail along the Natomas
River branch of the Folsom Lake/American River parkway complex.  I have had
mumps and chicken pox as a child, the usual flu viruses at various times,
and one really nasty case of laryngitis, but that episode of West Nile fever
was the sickest I have ever been in my life.  I was not hospitalized, but
was coming close, having awoke one morning, about day 5 of 103 F (39 C)
fevers for 4 days (which was unmoved by Tylenol or Ibuprofen), and my fever
was 105 F (41 C)!  I dragged myself out to the swimming pool and slowly,
painfully lowered myself in, shivering and shaking until I felt I had
lowered my body temp. some.  I won't go into all the symptoms, but the most
disturbing was that my lymph nodes swelled up to the size of large marbles
and were visible on the surface of my skin!  Needless to say, it took a
couple of weeks to feel myself again.  Having said all this, my swimming
pool is staying a swimming pool!  Yes, it consumes water in the summer time,
but it gives me great pleasure to jump in on really steamy days after
working too late into the morning in the garden. I love the cool blue look
of it, and I love slipping in and swimming laps in the warm weather.  It may
not be very water-conscious, but I make up for it with no lawn in the back,
and very water-thrifty plantings!

		Karrie Reid

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