Here's Ethel, taking her morning coffee break:

                

I'm worried about her stress levels. Just look at her - she's a ticking time bomb of tension.

Sometimes I'll just get frustrated with my current project, walk out my French doors, and jump in the pool and float around like a fetus in the womb, curled in on myself - then I get out, dry off, and start typing again.

The pool has definitely changed things here at the Chocolate House (much to my surprise, I must admit) - nowadays, we are spending much more time outside than we were before.

It's not just the pool, though - now that we have the pool in place, we were able to gravel the west side of the yard, which meant that we get much less dust blowing around now, so it's much more pleasant sitting back there. In addition, everywhere you look there's something planted. Ethel says that, from her spot on the back porch, she can see 50 holes that Silas and I have dug and planted something in.

We keep the water warm, and at dark the light show starts - there's a 10 watt LED pool light that goes through programed color changes. It's all very mellow and laid back and comfortable.

Of course, this is mid-June, and it hasn't gotten really hot yet - in fact, we've only had a couple of days up here in New River where the high got above 100. But when it hits 110, it doesn't matter how nice it is outside, it's time to go inside.