No, I am not getting a cow...felt like I should address that completely valid question immediately!
Recently, before the whole world went crazy, I was planning a birthday celebration trip for The Tribe...I was researching places on Airbnb. We decided we wanted to go to the desert - Palm Springs area. And of course, going to the desert requires that one have a pool. I found all of these amazing places, and the larger, party houses were out in the literal middle of nowhere...but lacked pools. However, then I started finding places that had things called cowboy pools...
What in tarnation is a cowboy pool you ask?
A cowboy pool is basically a horse or cattle watering trough that has been retrofitted with pool/spa equipment and has become a small, but very cool (and inexpensive) pool.
I spent time last year considering getting an inground pool installed. Then I realized that it was going to cost $100k and I decided that I really didn’t need more debt. So imagine my good fortune when I saw these rural, yet hip alternative choice - cowboy pool.
Well I am calling it a Cowgirl Pool for obvious reasons...
So I had a friend of mine help me try to figure it out. Then I got kind of stalled out...I decided that my yard was too small and that I didn’t really need a pool...then we had our first day of 99 degree weather...in April!
I quickly was motivated to get er dun!
So I did. Anyone who knows me that when I set my mind to something, I am pretty relentless. So Monday on my lunch break, I drove to my favorite local feed store, Ojai Valley Feed and purchased an 8 foot in diameter tub. They delivered it later that night. I called my BFF and guy who is willing to help me with all my crazy projects (and put up with my ongoing interjection of ways that we could increased efficiency). He came out yesterday and got the ground prepped - apparently leveling dirt and then pea gravel is a lot of work...He worked tirelessly for like 9 hours and never complained once. He is a gem and you can't have him!
I decided that I also wanted the cowgirl pool to also be a spa so I called my local hot tub repairman and he came out and we engineered a spa set up so that my newest invention can be used year round. He comes Saturday to hook it all up!
I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am about the whole situation. I literally couldn’t sleep last night because 1. I was exhausted from moving so much gravel after work to help Bob and 2. Because I was so excited about having a pool in my yard in less than a week!
I think there is a fine line between tacky and cool, and I happen to think that this lands squarely on the cool side. Tacky is any other above ground pool. My kids wanted me to get a doughboy but I just couldn’t. Too much time in Florida ruined that for them. We used to call them "killer pools" because every year some redneck would break their necks diving into one of those backyard monstrosities. No thanks!
Some of you may be wondering why I have gone to all this trouble. As anyone who knows me knows, I am not a good relaxer. I am a doer. I am a mover. I am a shaker. I get shit done. It is kind of my superpower. It is like I was never given permission to rest. Sun comes up and the day begins and so does my to do list. It only stops driving me when the sun goes down. Perhaps I am part chicken...they are up at day break, spend the whole day moving and then as soon as the sun goes down, they are done! Something to ponder...
However, there is one thing that I will do every single time I am asked...lay around a pool. I love it. I love to sit in a chair and read. I love to float in a pool on a raft and listen to music, read and drink a diet coke. It is my happy place. It is the place where I have permission just to lounge. I don’t have anything to do or be, I can just enjoy.
So I am so looking forward to spending evenings and weekends, lounging in my new cowgirl pool. It feels kinda like Xmas! It is my reward for all the hard, hard work that I have been doing lately on my backyard. As summer comes in, I am super grateful to have something other than dirt to enjoy. If you are nice to me, I might even invite you over.
So for me the virus brought me a new backyard. One that I can enjoy and spend time relaxing which is incredibly hard for me. So my Cowgirl Up may not look like what you think...but it is my way and I love it!
