Summer is over...

What a bummer! My summer is officially over...Yesterday afternoon, although not TOO hot, I loaded up the kids and the snacks and we all headed to the city pool (where we have spent at least a couple of hours most every other afternoon for the entire summer, and where my children have learned to pretty much swim and love to jump off the diving boards). So driving out there, as we are driving up the small rise on which the swimming pool sits, I don't see any cars at the pool - absolutely NONE and my first thought was, "Uh-Oh!" Sure enough, when we got to the pool, there was a big piece of orange poster board that said Pool closed except for 4H party 8-8-08 (weather permitting)...Signed Mayor Henry Michael. My heart absolutely sank...I knew it was coming, with only 3 of the original 5 lifeguards remaining (2 having lost there jobs due to getting alcohol-related tickets this summer) and with 2 of those 3 having volleyball two-a-days, they had just decided to they were too tired to work in the afternoons and they quit!! Now...I'm really not too upset with them for their reluctance to work during the two weeks prior to school starting, but I do wish they would have taken the responsibility to fulfill the contracts they signed at the beginning of the summer and to have at least worked on the next few weekends. Anyway, it's closed and with all the trouble the city experienced at the beginning of the summer acquiring a pool manager and having a minimum number of dedicated lifeguards, not to mention the cost requirement to complete the needed resurfacing and repainting of the pool in the coming years, I doubt the it will even open next year. Our pool was actually built during the 1930's as a part of Roosevelt's WPA works program and measures about 90' X 30'...it's absolutely beautiful and such a great place to beat the "dog days of August". So after a few hours of "the dumps"...I am trying to have a hopeful attitude and not think too negatively. It helps that we are planning to go visit my brother-in-law and sister-in-law in Amarillo this weekend and GO SWIMMING at one of the pools in Amarillo that have slides and kids areas, etc. But as for my beloved swimming pool (for those of you who don't know I lifeguarded and spent many, many of my growing up years at this pool) is gone for now and maybe for good. What a shame...and what a bummer!