Stock Tank Pool...check!

I have long envisioned an ice bath in my life. I figured it would have to go in the garage or something, but I still wanted it. Everyone and then I have stopped into the tractor supply store to look at the choices but I always shrug and go home, a little overwhelmed at the task of rationalizing the time and expense. 

That all stopped yesterday. It has been a billion degrees here for about a week and yesterday I found myself working in the yard, literally dying.

"If only I had someway to submerge myself in water", I thought. 

The space behind my garage was really the only roofless place I could put such a thing. When we moved in it was overgrown with weeds until about 3 years ago when we cleared it out and layed down a brick patio.

Truth be told, we don't get a lot of use out of the space and the old table occupying the patio was ready to retire.

I new I could make this a soothing little green area and I think most reasonable people would agree that the length and width of the patio back there really do beg for a livestock watering tank, turned lounge pool...

so I set about clearing it all out.

Once clear, I got in the car and went to the tractor supply store.

Usually, impulse projects shake out in one of two ways for me.

Either, life throws obstacles at me until I realize that it is not meant to be. OR…the lights all turn green. 

Yesterday the lights all turned green. At first, I felt a little irresponsible blowing 375.00 on a tank designed to water cows. BUT THEN, while organizing my closet, and going through an old purse, I found a gift card with my Christmas bonus still unused. I often stow these things for a rainy day…greenlight.

So off I went to the (cow watering tank?) store. 

Next obstacle was getting the stock tank home…measuring in at 8 feet long, it would have to hang out of my car, by quite a bit, which, having lugged many a strange piece of furniture home, I waved off, but my daughter thought was nuts and dangerous.

I was about to hang it up until my husband could help, when the lovely cashier girl said. “I am literally off in 5 minutes and I have a pickup truck. 

Yes, please!!!!!!!!

So we brought it home.

Lily and I washed the tank out and dragged it to its new home behind our garage.

Now the really scary part. I had to drill 2 circles in the side to fit the pool pump. I’ll admit that this was a little dicy, as the drill kept catching and bucking and I almost scrapped the whole thing in the name of ten fingers that I have grown to love.

 It worked though... and while I will not probably ever do that again, I’m glad I got it right. 

We had an old intex blowup pool that we bought off a guy in a parking lot during covid (this could be a whole blog post) and I figured I could resurrect that old pump. I added silicone and a rubber waher to ensure a leakfree experience.

In hind site, I probably should have tested the pump to make sure it still worked BEFORE filling my new tank with 1000000000000000 gallons of water, but whatever….live and learn.

Cut to me driving around town at 9 PM searching for an above ground pool pump….which (greenlight) I found! (Thanks Menards)

By this time, though there was an intense thunder and lightening storm and I had to back off of the whole thing until morning. 

At 5:00am today, I went out there, hooked up the new pump and voila. 

Backyard pool. ..sort of. 

Truthfully, its kind of awesome and pretty and I intend on making it pinterest-y this weekend. 

Suffice it to say, this was where I had my morning coffee.

Totally worth it.