The Gift

It all started when I insisted that my 60th birthday present should be a backhoe.  I didn't think that it was an unreasonable request, given that Tony's 60th birthday was celebrated with a new Jaguar fondly known as "Big Kitty".  My motivation for requesting such a vehicle was my long term intense dislike of our swimming pool and I thought I could make quick work renovating the yard if only I had a backhoe.  There was some negotiation and then outright refusal, and he compromised on hiring of crew of men (that many in the neighbourhood appreciated watching) to tear up the old watering hole and create this new little haven based on my drawings.  So now we enjoy a pergola off our sun porch, a fire pit for roasting marshmallows and a body of water that requires less attention than the average toddler.

So while the girls swim "endlessly" at one end Tony and I enjoy the jets on our overworked bodies at the other end.  The dogs can't fall in the spa, the maintenance is minimal, and we can use it all year round.  We've spent more evenings relaxing with a glass of wine in this spa since September than we spent in the pool the previous ten years.  The kids love the challenge of out-swimming the endless pool,  preparing them for another year of swim competition.  This was worth turning 60 for!