with a capital *B*I*T*C*H*
or I am just a very growly bear today.
I just went up to the apartments offices and bit off a few heads.
I have had problems with the cleanliness of our pool from the get go. As this swimming season progresses, I grow more agitated.
I am an old lifeguard. I have cleaned plenty of pools in all my years on this earth and yes, my standards are high.
A pool deck should be cleaned off every evening.
After the filters have been allowed to do all they can do undisturbed during the night, the filter traps should be cleaned, and the pool vacuumed.
Nicer public pools I have worked for have automatic vacuums that run all night.
Smaller pools have one that needs human to run them. It's not any harder than running a vacuum in your living room. Just requires a little know-how.
Our pool hasn't been vacuumed in I don't know how long. The leaves, dirt and debris are evident of that. Somebody Stupid wore press on nails to the pool. We observed them all over the pool and deck for several days before we complained . Management did finally remove them.
Early last week a very large bee landed in the water next to me. For those who don't know I am deathly allergic and must carry Epipens at all times. This creature was upside down, quite angry, his wings stuck in the water. Randy used waves to scoot him into a filter trap. The bee is still there over a week later.
Last night I went swimming in the rain. When the big front moved through the winds were quite strong and promptly filled the pool with flower petals and leaves.

The chlorine had to be off the charts last night. I gave up trying to swim (too harsh on the face) and just floated around with the flower petals. Had I been wearing a new swim suit I would've gotten out. I stayed until pool closing time any way. I don't know if my suit is destroyed or not. Next time will tell.
I was almost feeling smug when I left, because they were going to have to clean the pool now.

Straw that broke the Bear's back
I had a pissy doctor appointment this morning with a urologist. (Get it?) I knew today's appointment was a waste of time. I knew this particular doctor would do squat until I had an IVP test done. I even informed other doctors of this need, but they thought they should leave this up to the specialist. I drove through muggy weather, too much traffic, scary areas of town to go through in an open Jeep, - to find out they had relocated! I have been a patient of this particular doctor for a few years. A postcard saying "We've moved" would've been nice. I finally managed to find their new location and still make my appointment just on time.
This doctor has a peculiar sense of humor and today it was not hitting me right. I never got touched and was told I need to have an IVP before he does anything, and which makes the cat scan I did have of my kidneys - a complete waste of time and money. You know, just like the two cat scans and multiple x-rays I had done of my left foot. A complete waste of time and money.

I get home and all I want to do is go swim. Relax, do some laps, get some good adrenalin pumping to help with the pain. The biggest joy of being in a pool is - for that period, I don't have to feel like a fucking cripple. In the water, I am strong, talented, and as close to pain free as I can get.
I get to the pool and it is disgusting. The worse I have ever seen it by far. No, the sudden massive extra input of debris didn't convince them to do anything. Not even to use the skimmer. I bravely got in, I desperately needed this, but was so disgusted I didn't last long. I couldn't detect any chlorine in the pool today. It was full of June bugs and decomposing leaves. I sat in a lounge chair next to the pool and had a good cry. I went home and changed, then went up to the office to sound off.
Now I am sitting here in the midst of a growing stress headache, smelling like I have been swimming in a lake.
I might go to bed very early today.

I had today off. I have to work this weekend.
Sandra hasn't returned calls this week. I'm missing Lilly. I love to talk on the phone with her. When she is in the mood to it is quite cute.