Pool-uted

This summer, R and I bought a pass for a community pool near us. This pool has a huge area for kids/families, is always clean, is well-run, and has lots of shady spots for those blisteringly hot summer days. In short, a total winner.

Last year, when we had to pay per visit, the kids always wanted to go to that pool.

This year, with our pass purchased and at the ready, the kids could care less about going.

I don't get it.

We were going to the pool yesterday, but with all the bickering and misbehaving that occurred, I changed my mind about taking them. If they are going to behave like that, the least I can do is keep them at home so no one else has to deal with it. Fellow Illinois-ians, you are welcome.

Today was much better behavior wise, so after we went to the Y and did some running around, we got ready and headed out to the pool.

Now, I should clarify that when I say pool, I'm talking about the one we bought the pass for. Here it is the end of the summer, and T still thinks pool means the indoor pool at our community center. Yes, it's taken me this long to figure that out.

So I'm heading for the pool I mean and T thinks we are heading for the pool he means. Neither one of us has clarified this for the other one. S could care less what pool we visit, as long as she gets to go.

As I head around the traffic circle and towards the entrance of our neighborhood, I hear T grumble from the back seat, "Oh great. I guess we are going to the other pool."

Frankly, it irked me. Here we spent a generous amount of money on a pool pass after the kids begged us to go to this pool last year, only to have Mr. Grumbly Grumbleson moan and groan about having to go.

Harrumph.

I flip a U turn, why go seven miles when I can go .2? Then I think about it, and decide we are going to the paid-for pool. Why? Because I'm the grownup, we paid for the pool pass, and that's where we're going. End of discussion. MOMMY HAS SPOKEN. Or at least thought really loudly.

Until we get there and that pool is closed.

Of course.

Now I'm deciding how all that crow I'm eating tastes and whether or not I can swallow enough of it to take the kids to our indoor community pool. It was a pretty tough decision and one I was kind of struggling with when I heard a murmur from the back seat.

Oh no he di'nt!

I ask T to repeat himself, to see if what I think he has just said was actually what he just said.

After asking him to repeat himself a few times since he was mumbling, and my pulling over so I didn't run off the road since I was looking at T in the backseat instead of, you know, at the road on which I was driving, I get a clearly spoken sentence.

It was something to the effect of, "I told you we should have gone to our pool."

Most of the time, I would find this hilarious - mostly because he was right and he possesses amazing comedic timing. We should have gone to the closer pool. I should have clarified which pool I meant. Coulda, shoulda, woulda.

As it were, T's defiant little statement just made me really angry. I'm happy to say that I've developed enough restraint to keep my mouth shut, which I did.

I can also tell you that next summer we will save our money and put it towards something more worthwhile = like a week or two at day camp.