SOLAR

215 – Monday, August 03, 2009

We have been enjoying our swimming pool this year even more than in the recent past, probably because our schedule allows us more time during my ‘job search’ phase. Our pool is situated to the west side of our home and to its west side is the now famous ‘Enchanted Garden’ that you have heard about in both Cynthia and my writings. In the midst of the garden are two rather old and sizeable oak trees between which we have positioned two Adirondack chairs. Given the guarding of the pool by the house in the morning and the shading of it in the later afternoon by the oaks, our pool only gets direct sun from about 11:30 am until 2:30 pm. The only heating of the bathing water occurs in those brief hours which prevents the natural warming of the swimming hole to much above 84 degrees, still a might cool to enjoy except in the direct rays of the beating sun – that was until we installed solar panels on the southwest side of our roof about nine years ago. When we put in the four 4’ x 16’ black vinyl panels, the hot sun on them extended the warming time to the majority of the day and allows the water to reach a more desirable 90 degrees – you would not believe the difference that those six degrees make in the form of comfort while in the cement pond! Last winter, we experienced an unusual five or six days of hard freeze in a row when we normally only see one at a time spread over two or three times all winter – this past winter was one of our colder ones since migrating to Florida! Those freezes had damaged the pressure relief valve on the panels causing a leak in the aquatic circulation until we were able to get it fixed this past week. Yesterday’s swim was the most enjoyable we have had this season as the water literally hugged us as we entered – still refreshingly cool but now gone are the goose-bumps and shivers at the shock of entering the oasis of rejuvenation. Add a tall glass of iced tea and some great music over the intercom and you have the Floridian’s answer to a summer bummer. Who wants to come and visit me now?

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