On Having a Pool

As I type the kids are huddled in a mass of orange and pink floating pool noodles. Arms and legs, entwined, feet and hands splashing white splays of water. Shrieks of glee and squeals of HELP! escape once in a while. I know they are playing, but those shrieks of "help" cause me to be a bit nervous.

You see, I am a new pool owner. We are renting, so actually I am a new pool renter. I am new to this whole pool business. Before we moved our Church Relief Society had a meeting on Safety and the police officers sternly spoke of how to watch children in the pool. I was nervous. And I still am just a little. I sit on the back porch, on our unfinished pine picnic table and read or go online and watch. Sometimes I join them in their splashes and games. Sometimes I retreat to the cooled air behind a somewhat closed sliding door and watch from there. It's these summer and schools days blended together than make me wonder. Doesn't school mean wearing corduroy and new jeans and feeling a cool touch to the air?

As I sit here, it is past 5 pm and the air is still heavily hot. At times- ok quite a few times- I wish for cooler weather. But, then again if it weren't for the warmer weather, I wouldn't be sitting by the side of this pool, would I?

This is my blog. My name is Megan Abbott.