WINDOW SHOPPING?

I'm going into Hamilton today.
Window shopping really.
But, ya gotta start somewhere.

I had planned on getting the exact same pool put in at our new home, as what we have here in Cambridge.  

But, the space we have for a pool at our new home is not large enough.

So, some pre-purchase window shopping is required.  
And as I have nothing better to do... why not do that now?

ABOVE:  This is  probably what we will be getting, or something like it.
Still an 'above ground' pool, as they are so much cheaper than in ground pools.  It needs to be a rectangular pool, to fit in the space we have.

ABOVE:  This is a satellite image of our new home.  I've drawn where we are going to put a pool.  And see the lawn?  LOL... it's going to take Stew 10 minutes to mow it!
That's why he's a happy man.

While I'm checking out pool options, I will also find out if we need a permit for it.  I know this pool will need a pool fence for sure, as we will be putting a small deck on the right hand end for easy access into and out of it.

We had a pool very similar to what we want now, when we lived in Hamilton 20 years ago.  It's going to make living in the Waikato bearable over summer, thank goodness.
Question is, will it be ready for this summer (or at least the end of summer), or next?  

Right, I'm off to sort myself out and get into town.

ONWARD...

SERIOUSLY?   OMG, I went into the Hamilton Para Rubber shop, you know, to TALK TO SOMEONE who you would think knows all about their pools, right?
YEAH NAH.

I got this woman who quite simply told me I should 'go online and look at what sizes/prices they were', cos she didn't have a brochure that told me all that.

I asked her about Permits, what pools needed one etc.
She HAD NO BLOODY IDEA!  She told me I'd need to ring the council about that.

WTF?  You work in a shop that sells pools, but you can't tell me anything about them, the sizes or prices, or if it needs a permit?  

She handed me a business card of some bloke who installs them and said he could answer all my questions.  Like, I already got a bloke or two who will be installing it, so why would I want to employ someone else to do it, and answer my bloody questions?

I left there just so damn frustrated, cos it was a complete waste of my time going in there!

Because I am so incensed by that visit to Para Rubber, I've sent them a lovely long email, detailing how UNHELPFUL their staff person was.  No point just bitching on here eh?
That won't help the next person who goes in there with a genuine intention of buying a pool, only to find some stupid twat who knows NOTHING about the pools they sell.

While in Hamilton, I bought some more summer clothes, just cheap stuff from The Warehouse, and some groceries.
Now, it's lunchtime and I'm gunna have something to eat and get some washing on.

5.40 pm:  Well I've done two loads of washing and thrown some in the dryer.  I'd hang it outside, but I just can't be arsed!

Dinner... chicken sausages and a lovely vege mix for Stew and Brylee.

I've got Card Night tonight.  HERE.
And I've got 3 coffee mugs!  So, it's bring ya own coffee mug.  Didn't expect to be hosting Card Night again obviously.  lol

Hopefully it's a nice evening.  Last one was only so-so really.  

Tonight's cards went really well.  No discord at all.  It was a nice way to wind up my hosting here in Cambridge.  Next time I host we will be in Hamilton, and the girls will car pool and come over to play.  Nice that they will do that.

I'm signing off for the day now... time to chill out and have some dinner myself.