THE MONSTER MASH

Thick green slime the color of mossy mold mixed with clumps of lumpy brown sludge. No, not creamed spinach broccoli soup. This was the condition of my pool one week ago. You heard me, the pickiest farm chick in the Ozarks had the nastiest job in the world. This was due to one of the three tornadoes that hit the Ponderosa last spring. It came terrorizing the area with it's wrath lifting the winter pool cover, top ring and side supports from the pool scattering it randomly over the acres. I was able to retrieve the parts and use the pool last summer but it was not strong enough to endure a winter cover with the strong winds the Ozarks are blessed with.

Last Friday I began draining the smelly snot textured gunk from the pool. As the cesspool lowered, I would climb in moving the siphon hose to a deeper spot draining it as low as possible. I knew the remainder had to be bucketed. This process was going on when I spotted something in the water. I tried to examine the creature as I stood outside the bio hazard. Was it part of a snake? Oh my gosh... what had I been wading in? That green gook could contain all kinds of stuff. Undesirable creatures like the mosquitoes on steroids I had been swatting all day, satanic snakes, big warty bullfrogs, or The Lock Nest Monster!!! I grabbed the pool net and began to pull the five fingered creature out. It was Hubby's metal fishing glove. Not Locke.

I had the mess bucketed out by noon Saturday and was ready to clean the putrid stains from the liner. Using a jug of bleach, half a jug of laundry detergent and lots of elbow grease I had the pool liner it's beautiful blue self ready for the fill. This week the weather is warm, pool is crystal clear and the only Monster Mashes I will be dealing with are the oldies blaring from the radio as I enjoy my swim. Ah, summer has arrived!!!